Friday, Nov. 04, 2011

'Nuthin' but a G Thang'

The opening line "1, 2, 3 and to the 4/ Snoop Doggy Dog and Dr. Dre is at the door" is a fitting intro to the single that would usher in a new era of sound. "Nuthin' but a G Thang" was the first single on Dre's 1993 release The Chronic, the album that marked the beginning of his post-N.W.A. solo career and introduced the world to his handpicked protégé, Snoop Dogg. The former is now considered rap's greatest album, and the latter a superstar. Lyrically, Dre and Snoop trade profanity-laden verses about bragging rights. But the magic of the track, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, is in its music. It popularized Dre's own G thang, called G-Funk, a form of hip-hop that earned its name for its stylistic similarities to '70s and '80s funk music.