Esteemed music producer and artist Warren G shares the rich history of what makes West Coast Hip Hop not just incredibly distinct, but crucial to modern conversations regarding both the music industry and social justice issues in the new documentary titled โG Funk.โ
We had the opportunity to sit down with Warren G to chat about his involvement in the film, and what audiences can take away from his tumultuous, yet inspiring story.
The Knockturnal: Could you tell me a little bit about the documentary and what inspired you to want to share your story?
Warren G: I mean the documentary is just giving you a history on a lot of the West Coast Hip-Hop in the 90โs. And itโs also showing what I contributed with the West Coast Hip-Hop, and all of the people I was involved with as far as Snoop and Nate, and Dre, Corrupt, RBX โyou know, everybody that was involved in that era. And what I want people to get out of it is to be able to see what it takes to be an artist -a superstar in the music industry and learn. You know, itโs a lot of obstacles that you got to learn to keep going past and keep doing what you want to do in the music industry and to be successful.
The Knockturnal: What does โG Funkโ mean to you?
Warren G:ย It means a lot. Itโs going to open up a new view of how people see Hip Hop artists. We get the label of just being thugs, and stuff like that, when weโre not. Weโre businessmen just like everybody else, and this is our job. Itโs going to open up people before me that never new anything about Snoop or any of us. Before me, thatโs people that are my age. Itโs going to show the new generation that this is how things was in Hip Hop, and these are the things we had to go through on the West Coast in order to be called legends today. Itโs good for the culture โthe Hip Hop culture, and West Coast Hip Hop, who donโt really know about it or just think itโs about Snoop and Dre. Thereโs a lot more to it than just Snoop and Dre. You got Snoop, Dre, Ice Cube, Nate Dogg, Warren G, Dog Pound, RBX. A lot of people. You got Ice T. I can name so many artists, and we all put it down, man. Snoop and Dre are just so successful now as a team. It worked out and opened doors for everybody. We all won.
The Knockturnal: When 213 split up and Snoop and Nate Dogg signed with Death Row, what was your reaction? What kept you going and saying I donโt want to give up on my dream?
Warren G:ย I mean, I knew I was dope musically. And I had helped with all their projects that was going on there, so I wanted to move on with what I knew how to do, which was production. So rap, it wasnโt happening over there at the time, so I just had to get into my own zone and be on my music like I knew I could. Thatโs what I did.
The Knockturnal: A lot of people would turn resentful, but you were in the recording studio supporting and cheering Snoop and Nate on, how did you keep your head clear and focused on the big picture for both your respective career and there’s after the contract situation?
Warren G: We was going to let nothing divide and conquer our relationship, so we just said to ourselves, โIโm over here, doing what Iโm doing, and you wanted me to be hereโ and I was like โthatโs cool.โ And so I went and did my thing here and he was over there and Nate was over there too, so it was just weโre not going to let this end our friendship. Weโre going to stay solid with each other. Whenever we get the chance to work again with the companyโs B.S., and we did that. Thatโs when we did the Regulate album. We werenโt going to let nothing divide us. Thereโs a lot trying to divide us; we didnโt let that happen. We still hung out with each other even though we was on two different labels that supposedly had B.S… Weโre not going to let the companies divide and conquer our relationships. I tried to get Snoop cleared on one of my albums and it didnโt happen, so I just had to keep on moving. It wasnโt nothing against Snoop, but it was an executive decision made by his company, so I just took it with a grain of salt and kept pushing, and did what I had to do still.
The Knockturnal: What role do you think politics and social justice topics have in music? Do you see it as making art out of something painful or using music as a tool for conversation and progressiveness?
Warren G:ย It was more like a tool for people in the street to be aware of whatโs going on. It donโt get talked about on a daily basis. [โฆ] We made a lot of stuff feel good at the same time, because you donโt want to be dark just all the time. And the riots was going on for weeks, so we had to talk about those issues. And there was a lot of things going on: police brutality, gang banging โitโs a lot of different things, but we had the party inside of it and the fun side too at the same time. It was definitely a tool for the streets. And for the suburbs to understand what we going through, and they can relate to it to because some kids or people our age was going through it too. We was getting treated a certain way and thatโs happening everywhere, no matter the hood or suburbs. Itโs happening. And we didnโt have the Internet or anything like that or people with phones that can pull up cameras and film everything. So now, sh** is wide open.
The Knockturnal: Evidently, the hip/hop music scene has changed immensely over the years, what would you say the biggest change is and what are you hoping continues to grow?
Warren G:ย Well, I think some of the biggest changes is everybody can do a phone and put it out. The bad part about that is that some of these people canโt even rap. And you have somebody that can rap, that donโt even get a shot. You know, a person that canโt rap do something stupid and it blows up all over the world. And another change is the Internet and being able to make records the next day by just pushing a button. Thatโs incredible. I love it. I love that about the new music business. But as far as, you know, anybody can rap and just do anything they want. Do stupid stuff and you know, thereโs got to be some type of wall put up to separate the real talent from the bullsh**. And that goes back to a lot of artists going double platinum and platinum again. We need a platform to kind of control the piracy, where the only way you can get it is you got to pay for it. But streaming has also created a new lane for artists to survive off of what they do also and create business and stuff like that. I ainโt mad at the new industry. I think they just need to crack down on the B.S. I guess. [โฆ] We got to touch on social issues and teach them whatโs going on and things like that to teach the new generation after them, because if they donโt, by the way this new Hip Hop Generation is looking, itโs just going to be like [โฆ] really dysfunctional. Itโs my job, and the guyโs before me, to try and instill the Hip Hop morals into a lot of artists. Like Kendrick Lamar, he gets it. Drake gets it [โฆ]. J. Cole gets it. You have a lot of the young artists that get it, but you got some thatโs just saying some sh** that donโt even make sense. […] Thereโs just got to be a lot of things ironed out with the next generation.
The Knockturnal: What advice do you have for young, aspiring artists?
Keep working hard. Donโt stop on your dream, just keep working hard. There will be obstacles, but you got to learn how to get around them. And keep working hard and just be dedicated. Get a good lawyer and a good team behind them to make sure that everything that you do is on point. Also, stay humble, stay awake, and just carry yourself the right way, so nobody can say that this person is a f**ed up person in the industry, because you donโt want your name circulating in the industry as a bad guy. Ainโt nobody want to work with you.
โG Funkโ is available on YouTube Premium beginning July 11th. Check out the trailer for the documentary below!
