Nate Dogg


Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, better known by his stage name, Nate Dogg, was an American singer, rapper and songwriter. His smooth vocals made the hooks of numerous artists' rap songs, especially in the West Coast's G-funk era in the 1990s.
Nate was in 213, a trio formed in 1990 with Snoop Dogg and Warren G. Once Snoop joined Death Row Records as a solo artist, Nate complemented some of his guest verses on Dr. Dre's debut album, The Chronic, and Snoop's debut, Doggystyle. Nate's greatest musical success arrived in 1994 as his cowritten duet with Warren G, the single "Regulate," which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. As a featured artist, Nate charted 16 times on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2003 reached number one via 50 Cent's "21 Questions."
In December 2007, Nate sustained a stroke, weakening his body's left side, while his cognition and voice remained intact. Several months later, he sustained another stroke. In 2011, Nate died of heart failure at age 41.

Early life

Nathaniel Dwayne Hale was born on August 19, 1969, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. At the Life Line Baptist Church—where his father Daniel Lee Hale was pastor and his mother Ruth Holmes led the choir—Nate began singing in childhood.
At age 14, following his parents' divorce, he moved to Long Beach, California, where he continued singing at the New Hope Baptist Church. While friends with Warren G and RBX, he was a cousin of Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger, Butch Cassidy, and Lil' ½ Dead.

Military career

At age 17, Hale dropped out of high school, left home, and 30 days later enlisted in the Marines. He was stationed at Camp Schwab, in Okinawa, Japan, in the Material Readiness Battalion of the 3rd Force Service Support Group, which supplied ammunition to most of the Pacific. After three years as an ammunition specialist, he was discharged in 1989. Hale would recall that he had joined the military since he had "wanted to see if he was a man."

Entertainment career

213 trio

In 1990, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Warren G, formed a rap trio called 213. They recorded their first demo tape in the back of the famed V.I.P. record store in Long Beach. The demo was later heard by Dr. Dre at a bachelor party.

Solo career

Nate Dogg debuted on Dr. Dre's first solo album, The Chronic, in 1992. Nate's trademark singing, complementing the new gangsta rap sound G-funk, was well received by fans and critics alike, and he signed to Dre's label, Death Row Records, in 1993. Nate Dogg also featured on Snoop Dogg's debut solo album, Doggystyle, in 1993, his singing prominent on the track "Ain't No Fun."
In 1994, Nate Dogg cowrote his duo with Warren G, the single "Regulate." Nate was also featured on 2Pac releases, including his group's, also released in 1994. In July 1998, amid his departure from Death Row Records, the label released his double album, delayed about two years, G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2. In 2001, his Elektra Records followup, Music & Me, peaked at #3 on the Billboard hip-hop chart. He also had an eponymous album that saw unauthorized release in 2003.

Collaborations

Nate Dogg was often sought to sing on other artists' tracks, usually to sing the hook. As a featured artist, he charted 16 times on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2003 reached #1 via 50 Cent's "21 Questions."
Otherwise, his successful collaborations are numerous, including 2Pac's "All Bout U," Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode," Westside Connection's "Gangsta Nation," Mos Def's "Oh No,", Fabolous' "Can't Deny It," Ludacris's "Area Codes," Kurupt's "Behind the Walls," Mark Ronson's "Ooh Wee," Houston's "I Like That," Eminem's "'Till I Collapse," his "Never Enough", his "Shake That," and Mobb Deep's "Have a Party."
Further, in 2002, appearing on television, Nate Dogg was on a celebrity episode of The Weakest Link, where, finally eliminated by Xzibit and Young MC, he was among the final three.

Legal troubles

Nate Hale was charged for a 1991 robbery of a Check Changers shop and for a 1994 robbery of Taco Bell in San Pedro, but was acquitted. Yet in 1996, he was convicted of a drug offense in Los Angeles County.
On June 17, 2000, for allegedly assaulting his former girlfriend and setting her mother's car afire in Lakewood, Hale was charged with kidnapping, domestic violence, terrorist threats, and arson. Andre "Dr. Dre" Young posted $1 million bond. The charges were dismissed while he pleaded no contest to illegal gun possession by a felon, and received a $1,000 fine and three years probation.
On April 12, 2002, a tour bus carrying Hale, while outside of Kingman, Arizona, was found with two pistols and four ounces of cannabis, whereby he was booked and then released on $3,500 bond. The next month, the weapon charges were dropped for his guilty plea on a drug charge, and he was sentenced to probation, community service, and drug counseling.
In July 2006, Hale was charged with misdemeanor aggravated trespassing, telephone harassment, battery assault, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, and breaking a restraining order. On March 20, 2008, pleading guilty to trespassing and battery, he lost gun-ownership rights for 10 years, received three years probation, and was ordered to a domestic-violence intervention program.
On June 23, 2008, after allegedly threatening his estranged wife by emails and chasing her on Interstate 405, Hale was charged with two felony counts of criminal threats and one count of stalking. He pleaded not guilty. In April 2009, as the alleged victim had failed to contact prosecutors, the charges were dropped. Incidentally, he was also convicted of driving under the influence of drugs.

Health problems and death

On December 19, 2007, Hale suffered a stroke. After a week in Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, he entered a rehabilitation facility. Although his body's left side was weakened, neither his cognition nor voice were affected and a full recovery was expected.
Hale sustained another stroke on September 12, 2008. On March 15, 2011, Hale died at age 41 in Long Beach, California, of complications of multiple strokes, or by congestive heart failure. He was interred in Long Beach at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
In 2013, Nate Dogg's son Naijiel Hale committed to play football at the University of Arizona. A couple of years later, in 2015, Nate's other son, Nathaniel Jr., having adopted the stage name Lil Nate Dogg, released his own album, Son of a G.

Discography

Solo albums

Nate Dogg was nominated for four Grammy Awards.
CategoryGenreSongYearResult
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap"Shake That"2007
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap"Area Codes"2002
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Rap"The Next Episode"2001
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Rap"Regulate"1995