Friday, Nov. 04, 2011

Warren G

I have a very fond memory of watching Warren G in a Raiders poncho perform at a bar in Rosarito, Mexico, during my college years. The ticket cost $10, but the experience was priceless. Warren G is the West Coast rapper, who despite having released seven albums is still best known for his 1994 hit "Regulate," which he performed with longtime friend and fellow rapper Nate Dogg. The pair, along with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and others, helped bring forth G-funk, a derivative of '90s West Coast gangsta rap. Not only did Warren have a G in his name and help pioneer a G style of music, he also defended his rights to the letter G in court. In October 1997, Warren G and Garth Brooks sued each other over the trademark rights to the lowercase version of the letter, each saying the other was stealing his identifying symbol. The suits were dropped the following year, but the fact that Warren G was willing to sue for the right to use the seventh letter pretty much makes him the best of all the G's.