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The “revamping” of the Regulator

On the heels of his ’09 independent release, The G-Files, Warren G readies to embark on career highlight project
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Who: Warren G

When: Sunday, June 13, 9 p.m.

Where: Garfinkel's

Cost: $20 in advance at Billabong, Katmandu, Evolution or Clubzone.com

 

Better known to his legions of loyal fans as The Regulator or just straight-up Warren G, Warren Griffin III is largely considered to be one of the founding fathers of G-Funk.

Hits like "Regulate," "This DJ," "I Want It All" and his rap version of "I Shot The Sheriff" were just a few of the popular singles that propelled him to the front of the pack and onto airways across the nation. And while many artists would be taking it easy after putting almost 20 years into the industry, Warren G isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

He's been touring steadily since March, promoting his latest album, The G-Files , across North America. On Monday morning he was in Nanaimo gearing up for his next gig, with his first-ever show in Whistler right around the corner.

"I'm comin' out here to rock the show tonight and have fun with the crowd and enjoy myself, and let Canada enjoy me, and just have a good time and get back to the people who made it possible," he said.

See, Warren G has his head on right: he doesn't feel any pressure to one-up himself, or anyone else in the industry.

"I just go in there and work," he said, "'cause I know how to make music that people like."

The G-Files , his sixth solo album, is a definite feel-good party album, featuring collaboration tracks with some good, longtime friends like Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg (on "Swagger Rich" and "100 Miles and Runnin'" respectively).

"It was great, you know what I'm sayin', it was real great and it was just good to be around my guys," Warren said.

This acclaimed musician was raised in Long Beach, California, and came up with the notable hip hop pioneers - and good friends - Snoop and Nate.

"We just was focused on what we wanted to do and actually we had a choice, we could either focus on doing music and really making something out of ourselves or we could gangbang 24-7 and that wasn't what we wanted to do, so we was talented in our music field so we went ahead and pursued that and just did it to the fullest and just everything go just to make it," he reflected. "We let a lot go and we went and worked, and worked and worked and worked, and it paid off."

It also didn't hurt that he was surrounded by a few very musical family members (Dr. Dre is his stepbrother).

"I can't even tell you when I got hooked, I just know that I was basically born in it, you know what I'm saying? Since I was a kid, a baby, I was born in it, just hearing it from my brother Dre, him doing it. I got introduced to it through him as I was a young kid, and then I also got introduced to it from my neighbourhood, just the guys that we call 'ol' G's' ridin' around in the hood, bangin'."

And, of course, that distinct g-funk (gangsta funk) sound was largely influenced by the collection of his parents' jazz, soul and funk records that he grew up listening to. Couple that with G's laidback lyrical delivery and signature Long Beach swagger, and it's no wonder that he's still doing his thing two decades in. And though he's done stints with a few major labels, he opted to go the independent route with his last project.

"I just did this independent record just to test it out, because a lot of people was like, 'Warren, go independent, just try it, try it,' so I tried it and it was cool." He paused. "I mean, it was a lot more hands-on and it's kind of like I'm so used to the major company doing everything and I didn't know that I was going to have to put in so much work."

Aside from being a strong onstage presence and recording artist, Warren G has established himself as a very sought-after producer, working with virtually every major name in the industry.

"I was producing before I was rappin', so just to be able to do a record and you got maybe 30,000 people in an arena bouncin' to your record, that's like the greatest high ever," he said.

"The production is something I've really been on real tough. As I get older I don't want to keep rappin', you know what I'm sayin'. I want to make it possible and open up the lanes for the up-and-coming artist that could be the next Warren G or the next Snoop Dogg or the next Dr. Dre."

So, what artist is he keeping an eye on?

"I like Drake, Drake is good. I like him because he knows how to make a song, he knows how to say shit that people can relate to, and I really respect that. He reminds me of me in 1994, a solo artist who's really comin' with a story."

Even though it looks like G is entering into a new phase of his career, offering new artists a hand up and expertise behind the scenes, fans shouldn't get too concerned: we haven't heard the last of the G-Funk.

"I'm still young and I'm starting over; I'm revampin' it."

In fact, he already has a new project in the works: a "greatest hits-plus" album, featuring five new bonus tracks.

"I'm onto the next. I'm working on a new project, and this project is going to be incredible," he said. "It's actually going to be more than just a record; I'm going to do a documentary with it, just on my whole career, because I'm kind of underrated; motherfuckas be really kinda underratin' me, so I'm going to do the documentary just to let people see the history and know what I do and who I am."