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Regulate (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Regulate
| cover = Warren G - Regulate.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Warren G featuring Nate Dogg
| album = Regulate... G Funk Era Above the Rim (soundtrack)
| released = April 28, 1994
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:11
| label =
* Death Row
* Interscope
| writer =
* Nate Dogg
* Warren G
| producer = Warren G
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc =
}}
"'Regulate'" is a song performed by American rapper Warren G featuring American singer Nate Dogg. It was released in the spring of 1994 as the first single on the soundtrack to the film 'Above the Rim' and later Warren G's debut album, 'Regulate... G Funk Era' (1994). It became an MTV staple and the song reached No. 2 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and No. 8 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
The track makes heavy use of a four-bar sample of the rhythm of Michael McDonald's song "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)". It also samples "Sign of the Times" by Bob James and "Let Me Ride" by Dr. Dre. One mix of the song, called the Jamming Mix, includes full vocal samples from "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)".
The song also starts with a read introduction referencing dialogue from the film 'Young Guns'. The music video featured scenes from 'Above the Rim', including an appearance by Tupac Shakur.
It was number 98 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop and number 108 on 'Pitchfork Media's "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s".
Background
In an interview with 'NME', Warren G explained the thought process behind the song. "That record was things that I went through, and friends of ours went through. We'd witnessed that and we'd been a part of it. We just told the story, and then on the hook we just let everybody's imagination flow. After hearing that you're going: 'Wow, he went through this' and then: [sings] 'I laid all them busters down, I let my gat explode' and you roll right back into it. It's on again!"
Synopsis
On a cool, clear night (typical to Southern California) Warren G travels through his neighborhood, searching for women with whom he might initiate sexual intercourse. He has chosen to engage in this pursuit alone.
Nate Dogg, having just arrived in Long Beach, seeks Warren. Ironically, Nate passes a car full of women who are excited to see him. He insists to the women that there is no cause for excitement.
Warren makes a left at 21st Street and Lewis Ave, where he sees a group of young men enjoying a game of dice together. He parks his car and greets them. He is excited to find people to play with, but to his chagrin, he discovers they intend to relieve him of his material possessions. Once the hopeful thieves reveal their firearms, Warren realizes he is in a considerable predicament.
Meanwhile, Nate passes the women, as they are low on his list of priorities. His primary concern is locating Warren. After curtly casting away the strumpets (whose interest in Nate was such that they crashed their automobile), he serendipitously stumbles upon his friend, Warren G, being held up by the young miscreants.
Warren, unaware that Nate is surreptitiously observing the scene unfold, is in disbelief that hes being robbed. The perpetrators have taken jewelry and a name brand designer watch from Warren, who is so incredulous that he asks what else the robbers intend to steal. This is most likely a rhetorical question.
Observing these unfortunate proceedings, Nate realizes that he may have to use his firearm to deliver his friend from harm.
The tension crescendos as the robbers point their guns to Warrens head. Warren senses the gravity of his situation. He cannot believe the events unfolding could happen in his own neighborhood. As he imagines himself escaping in a surreal fashion, he catches a glimpse of his friend, Nate.
Nate has seventeen cartridges (sixteen residing in the pistols magazine, with a solitary round placed in the chamber and ready to be fired) to expend on the group of robbers. Afterward, he generously shares the credit for neutralizing the situation with Warren, though it is clear that Nate did all of the difficult work. Putting congratulations aside, Nate quickly reminds himself that he has committed multiple homicides to save Warren before letting his friend know that there are females nearby if he wishes to fornicate with them.
Warren recalls that it was the promise of copulation that coaxed him away from his previous activities, and is thankful that Nate knows a way to satisfy these urges. Nate quickly finds the women who earlier crashed their car on Nates account. He remarks to one that he is fond of her physical appeal. The woman, impressed by Nates singing ability, asks that he and Warren allow her and her friends to share transportation. Soon, both friends are driving with automobiles full of women to the East Side Motel, presumably to consummate their flirtation in an orgy.
The third verse is more expository, with Warren and Nate explaining their G Funk musical style. Warren displays his bravado by daring anyone to approach the style. There follows a brief discussion of the genres musicological features, with special care taken to point out that in said milieu the rhythm is not in fact the rhythm, as one might assume, but actually the bass. Similarly the bass serves a purpose closer to that which the treble would in more traditional musical forms. Nate displays his bravado by claiming that individuals with equivalent knowledge could not even attempt to approach his level of lyrical mastery. Nate goes on to note that if any third party smokes as he does, they would find themselves in a state of intoxication almost daily (from Nates other works, it can be inferred that the substance referenced is marijuana). Nate concludes his delineation of the night by issuing a threat to busters, suggesting that he and Warren will further regulate any potential incidents in the future (presumably by engaging their antagonists with small arms fire).
Critical reception
Bill Speed and John Martinucci from the 'Gavin Report' noted that here, the hip hop artists "tap blue-eyed soulman Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin'" for the music bed and the familiar groove fuels the duo's narrative raps as they "Regulate"." Pan-European magazine 'Music & Media' commented, "Sung in a Bill Withers meets pioneer rapper Kurtis Blow timbre, there's something lovely old-fashioned about this soul number off the 'Above The Rim' soundtrack." Alan Jones from 'Music Week' described it as a "mellow" song/rap sung over a sample of the 1986 remake. He added, "Sterling support from 2 Pac, Lord G and Treach/Riddler make this an excellent single." James Hamilton from the magazine's 'RM' Dance Update deemed it a "lovely languid 0-95.3bpm US smash gangsta rap with catchy whistling".
Track listing
'Regulate' was released as a maxi single by Interscope, catalog number 6544-95917-0 (12-inch vinyl) and 6544-95917-2 (CD), along with three other tracks.
# "Regulate" - Warren G (feat. Nate Dogg)
# "Pain" - 2Pac (feat. Stretch)
# "Mi Monie Rite" - Lord G
# "Loyal to the Game" - 2Pac (feat. Treach, Riddler)
Impact and analysis
"Regulate" became Def Jam's biggest single.'[https://books.google.com/books?id=S89ND17oBSEC&pg=PT149 Life and Def: sex, drugs, money, and God]' by Russell Simmons, Nelson George
During much of the summer of 1994, the video stayed number one on the MTV charts.'[https://books.google.com/books?id=DjDIw2pxjiMC&pg=PT221 Experiencing music video: aesthetics and cultural context]' by Carol Vernallis In the video as played on MTV, the lyrics are censored with the word "cold" being blanked from the line "Nate Dogg is about to make some bodies turn cold"; an action that 'Spin' equated with racism because more explicit songs by white artists like Johnny Cash were not being censored."[https://books.google.com/books?id=8X17JjiXfYYC&pg=PA135 Platter du jour]" 'SPIN' Sep 1994 The video contained "everyday footage" from the film 'Above the Rim', as well as new footage, although guest vocalist Nate Dogg did not appear due to conflict between Suge Knight and Def Jam.'[https://books.google.com/books?id=9To9DDfyPhEC&pg=PT494 The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop]' by Dan Charnas
The lyrics have been described as "a surreal pastiche of half-sung lyrics about fighting and fucking". Craig Marks recommended "Regulate" for its "lite rock synth lines and rippling bass" but thought that Warren G's rapping abilities were "average".
The mockumentary series 'Yacht Rock' featured Regulate in its episode No. 7,[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKcrGM_yWMI&t=19s Yacht Rock - 'I Keep Forgettin', episode #7] where Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins make a bet about the popularity of the song, "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)". Ten years later, the Long Beach-based rappers accidentally hit McDonald with their car and kidnap him back to their house, where they sample McDonald's smooth keyboard groove.
Awards and nominations
'1995 MTV Movie Awards'
*Best Movie Song "Regulate" by Warren G and Nate Dogg (nominated)
'1995 Grammy Awards'
*Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group - "Regulate" by Warren G and Nate Dogg (nominated)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1995)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|France (SNEP)
|60
|}
Certifications
Remixes and covers
* The song was covered live by Umphrey's McGee as early as 2007.
References
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