On this day (April 28) in 1994, Warren G released “Regulate” as his debut single. It quickly became one of the most successful singles in hip-hop history. More than three decades later, listeners of all ages are still spinning the smooth track with gritty lyrics.
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Warren G and his friend and collaborator Nate Dogg captured lightning in a bottle with “Regulate.” On one hand, gangsta rap was incredibly popular in the early 1990s. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg were bringing the genre to the masses. The track’s lyrics no doubt attracted those who were already tuned in to the West Coast rap scene. At the same time, the sample of Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” and Nate Dogg’s singing create a laid-back vibe, making it a perfect track for late spring and early summer.
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Before Warren G released “Regulate” as the lead single from his debut album Regulate… G Funk Era, it appeared on the Above the Rim soundtrack. The movie, starring Tupac Shakur, and its soundtrack were hits. As a result, the song found an even larger audience than it would have without the added exposure from the film.
“Regulate” was a big hit for Warren G. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart and No. 2 on the Hot 100. It was also a top 10 hit in France, Germany, Iceland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and several other countries.
Warren G Borrowed from Three Sources to Create “Regulate”
Warren G built “Regulate” on two samples and an interpolation. The song begins with Warren whistling “Sign of the Times” by Bob James. Then comes the iconic dialogue “Regulators. We regulate any stealing of this property. We’re damn good, too…” That quote comes from the 1988 film Young Guns. The character Charlie Bowdre, a regulator, played by Casey Siemaszko, delivers the line. Warren sampled it from a VHS copy of the film. A looping four-bar sample of “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)” is the backbone of the laid-back instrumental.
The lyrics, however, were true-to-life. In an interview with Billboard, Warren revealed that the song was largely autobiographical. However, the part about being robbed during a dice game happened to a friend of his. “That’s how we do–be with the girls, hanging out with our buddies,” he said. “Back then, it was a lot of haters, ‘cause we had women and stuff like that. You’re in different neighborhoods, and there’s crime in those neighborhoods. It was rough back then,” he added.
Featured Image by Daniel DeSlover/Shutterstock
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