Warren G facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warren G
Warren G in 2015
Born	Warren Griffin III (1970-11-10) November 10, 1970 (age 54) Long Beach, California, U.S.
Other names	G-Child
Education	Jordan High School
Occupation	Rapper songwriter record producer disc jockey actor
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Tennile Griffin ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	6, including Olaijah
Relatives	Dr. Dre (step-brother)
Musical career
Genres	West Coast hip-hop gangsta rap G-funk
Labels	G-Funk Violator RAL Def Jam

Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970), known as Warren G, is an American rapper, songwriter, and DJ. He helped make West Coast hip-hop popular in the 1990s. Warren G was a pioneer of G-funk music. He became very famous with his 1994 song "Regulate", which featured Nate Dogg. He is also known for helping Snoop Dogg get started in music. Warren G introduced Snoop Dogg to record producer Dr. Dre.

His first album, Regulate... G Funk Era (1994), was a huge hit. It sold 176,000 copies in its first week. The album has sold over three million copies in total. The song "Regulate" stayed on the top music charts for 18 weeks. It reached number two for three weeks. His next song, "This D.J.", reached number nine. Both songs were nominated for Grammy Awards in 1995.

Songs from his second album, Take a Look Over Your Shoulder (1997), also did well. His 1998 song with Nate Dogg, "Nobody Does It Better", was also popular. Both Take a Look Over Your Shoulder and his 1999 album, I Want It All, sold over 500,000 copies. His fourth album, The Return of the Regulator (2001), was not as successful. Warren G, Snoop Dogg, and Nate Dogg formed a group called 213. They released the album The Hard Way in 2004.

His albums In the Mid-Nite Hour (2005) and The G Files (2009) were released independently. In 2015, he released Regulate... G Funk Era, Part II. This album included old recordings of Nate Dogg, who passed away in 2011. The song "Regulate" became multi-platinum in 2017. This means it sold over two million copies, thanks to digital downloads.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Warren Griffin III was born on November 10, 1970. He grew up in Long Beach, California. He had three sisters and was the only son. His father was an airplane mechanic, and his mother was a dietician. His parents divorced when he was four years old. Warren lived with his mother and sisters in East Long Beach.

In 1982, Warren moved to North Long Beach to live with his father. His father's new wife, Verna, had three children. One of them was Andre Young, who later became Dr. Dre. By 1984, Dr. Dre was part of a famous DJ group. Warren was a student at Jordan High School. He played football and spent time with friends.

In 1988, at age 17, Warren faced a difficult time. After this, he started using the nickname Warren G. At this time, Dr. Dre was becoming very successful. He was a writer and producer for a record label. Once Warren was out, he worked at the Long Beach shipyards. He started focusing on music after Dr. Dre taught him how to use a drum machine.

By 1990, Warren G formed a music group called 213. He formed it with his friends Nathaniel "Nate Dogg" Hale and Calvin "Snoop Dogg" Broadus. The group 213 helped create the G-funk sound in rap music. The group later split up after Warren G introduced his friends to Dr. Dre. This led to solo careers for Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Nate Dogg also signed with Dr. Dre's record label. Warren G helped out there at first. But he wanted to make his own path. So, he signed with Def Jam Recordings in New York City.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with 213

Around 1990, Warren G formed the music trio 213 in his hometown of Long Beach, California. The group included Nathaniel "Nate Dogg" Hale and Calvin "Snoop Dogg" Broadus. They named themselves 213 after the area code for Los Angeles. They recorded demo tapes in a small studio in Long Beach. Dr. Dre, who was already famous, did not listen to Warren's requests at first.

Soon, copies of 213's songs spread around Los Angeles county. But no record label signed them. One day, Warren called Dr. Dre and found him at a party. Warren offered Dr. Dre the 213 tape. Dr. Dre liked it and welcomed the trio. Days later, 213 moved into Dr. Dre's house, which had a recording studio.

In April 1992, Dr. Dre's first solo song, "Deep Cover", introduced Snoop Doggy Dogg to America. Warren helped Dr. Dre find sounds for his first solo album, The Chronic. This album also featured Snoop. Snoop became a superstar in 1993 and 1994 with his own album, Doggystyle. By then, Nate Dogg also joined Dr. Dre's label. Warren returned to Long Beach to find his own way. In 2004, the 213 group finally released an album together, The Hard Way.

Becoming a Solo Star

In 1993, Warren G met John Singleton, the director of the movie Boyz n the Hood. Singleton asked Warren to produce a song for the soundtrack of his new film, Poetic Justice. Warren produced the song "Indo Smoke" by Mista Grimm. It featured Warren G and Nate Dogg. This song's success led to Warren signing a record deal with Russell Simmons's label, Def Jam Recordings. Also that year, Warren and Nate appeared on a track on Snoop's Doggystyle album.

In April 1994, the song "Regulate" was released. It was a duet written and performed by Warren G and Nate Dogg. This song was a huge hit. It spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was in the Top 40 for 18 of those weeks, reaching number two for three weeks in May. It was the top rap song of that summer. It sold over a million copies by August 1994. In January 2017, it sold over two million copies through digital downloads. In the summer of 1994, it was number one on the MTV charts. Warren G found that fans in Japan knew all the lyrics, even if they didn't understand English. "Regulate" remained Def Jam's biggest hit single for a long time. Russell Simmons, a founder of Def Jam, said, "Warren's music was worldwide because the melody plays no matter what the language."

Warren G's music was different from other G-funk artists. He focused on simpler topics. His rapping style fit his lyrics well. "Regulate" was the main song from Warren G's first album, Regulate... G Funk Era. The album came out in June 1994. It sold a million copies in just three days. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 album chart. By August, it had sold over two million copies. Its second song, "This D.J.", sold over 500,000 copies by September. It reached number nine on the charts in July. Both songs were nominated for Grammy Awards in March 1995. The album's other song, "Do You See", reached number 42 in January. By August, the album had sold over three million copies. Warren G also worked with other artists from Long Beach that year.

Later Albums and Projects

Warren G's second album, Take a Look Over Your Shoulder, was released in March 1997. It sold over 500,000 copies by May. The song "What's Love Got To Do with It", featuring singer Adina Howard, was a hit. It reached number two in the UK and number 32 in the U.S. Another song, "Smokin' Me Out", featuring Ron Isley, reached number 35. "I Shot the Sheriff", a new version of a Bob Marley song, reached number 20. While some songs were popular, the album did not reach the same level of success as his first.

In July 1998, Warren G appeared on Nate Dogg's song "Nobody Does it Better". This song reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. Warren's third album, I Want It All, came out in October 1999. Warren mainly produced the music on this album. Many guest artists sang on it, including Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Eve. The album sold over 500,000 copies by November 1999. The song "I Want It All", featuring Mack 10, reached number 23. This was Warren's most recent song to reach the Top 40.

His albums from 1997 and 1999 have sold over 500,000 copies each. None of his later albums have reached this sales level. Warren's fourth album, The Return of the Regulator, was released in December 2001. It featured many artists, including George Clinton and a song produced by Dr. Dre. The album reached number 83 on the Billboard 200. This was his last album released by a major record label.

Independent Music Career

In the Mid-Nite Hour, Warren G's fifth album, came out in October 2005. This was his first album without a major label. It featured his friends from the 213 group, Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg. Critics said this album showed Warren G's true style. However, it did not get much attention beyond his fans.

His sixth album, The G Files, was released in September 2009. Warren explained that it kept the classic G-funk sound but added a modern electronic feel. He wanted to bring back a soulful sound to rap music. The song "100 Miles and Running" featured Nate Dogg, recorded before Nate's health issues in 2007 and 2008. It also featured Raekwon from the Wu-Tang Clan.

From June to September 2013, Warren G toured in the West Coast Fest. This tour included other famous artists like DJ Quik and Mack 10. Warren also acted in the TV show Newsreaders. In August 2014, he directed a music video for the South Korean boy band BTS on a reality TV show.

Fans often asked Warren for more classic G-funk music. They also wanted more songs featuring Nate Dogg. The song "My House" was released on July 13, 2015. It was the first song from Warren G's first EP. The EP, called Regulate... G Funk Era, Part II, was released on August 6. It featured artists like E-40, Too Short, and Bun B. Nate Dogg was featured on all four songs. Nate had a special way of understanding Warren's music ideas. He left behind some of Warren's favorite recordings.

Personal Life

Warren G has six children with his wife, Tennile Griffin. As he gets older, Warren G enjoys cooking and telling stories. He values his family and having fun together.

His oldest son, Olaijah, played college football for the USC Trojans. He played as a cornerback from 2018 to 2020. He received awards for his play in 2019 and 2020. In April 2021, Olaijah signed with the NFL team Buffalo Bills.

In 2019, Warren G started his own line of barbecue sauces and rubs. It is called Sniffin Griffin's BBQ. He was inspired by his father, who was a cook in the U.S. Navy and loved to barbecue.

Discography

Studio albums

• Regulate... G Funk Era (1994)
• Take a Look Over Your Shoulder (1997)
• I Want It All (1999)
• The Return of the Regulator (2001)
• In the Mid-Nite Hour (2005)
• The G Files (2009)

Collaborative albums

• The Hard Way (with 213) (2004)

Film and Video Game Appearances

• The Show (1995)
• Speedway Junky (1999)
• Little Richard (2000)
• The Parkers (2000)
• Old School (2003)
• All of Us (2005)
• BTS American Hustle Life (2014)
• The Eric Andre Show (2016), 1 episode

Video games

• Rap Jam: Volume One (1995)
• Def Jam: Fight for NY (2004)
• Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (2006)

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

Other Awards

See also

In Spanish: Warren G para niños