Nate Dogg: The Originator of the Gangsta Hook

Before R. Kelly was writing songs to his dead homies...
Before T-Pain was so hood...
Before Auto-tune had every rapper believing they could sing...

There was Nate Dogg.

Nathaniel Hale aka "Nate Dogg" is the man who made gangsta hooks hot. In the early 90s, he linked up with Warren G and Snoop Dogg to form 213 and started a new movement. Previously a rapper would do his own hook or chorus for a song and if the song did feature a singer, the singer was usually a  female. Nate Dogg came through with something new to offer: a distinct soulful voice and hooks that boasted about life in a way that really wasn't heard of before. Not only did he sing about how thugged out he was and how he "can't be faded...", he did it with so much heart and soul that one couldn't help but to believe that Nate Dogg was one of the realest street dudes in Long Beach. He sang about shooting people and drugs, how much realer could you get?

Throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, Nate Dogg was featured on various artists singles. If you wanted a hot song, Nate Dogg was who you wanted on your record. No one else sounded like him and no one else had his cool demeanor. He was never a braggard and preferred to play the low. While he released three studio albums, very rarely would one hear a solo song from Nate Dogg. He found a niche and filled it perfectly.

As fate would have it, Nate Dogg suffered a stroke in 2007. After his stroke, it was reported that he was depressed and he became some what of a recluse. In 2008, he suffered another stroke which left him partially paralyzed. Any hopes of him resuming his singing career quietly faded.

On March 15, 2011, Nate Dogg passed away at the young age of 41. The cause of his death is currently unknown. While Nate Dogg is now gone, his music lives on and his hooks are still the club's favorites. Need proof? Go in a club and drop  Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode". Then wait. If the DJ dares to cut off Nate's outro at the end, there will be a riot. Everyone (even those who don't smoke weed) eagerly waits to hear Nate's voice at the end..."Hey Hey Hey Hey, Smoke Weed Everyday." 

R.I.P. Nate Dogg. You will be missed.

Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/flyspacequeen
Follow the Mad Bloggers: www.twitter.com/themadbloggers_

Check It (3/15/11): Music from J. Cole, Vandalyzm, e.d.g.e., Big K.R.I.T. and G-Eazy

This is kind of a new style for me to combine some of the dope tracks (and videos) I've received via email or bumped into on the Internets. I'll update Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesday's offering comes from J. Cole, Vandalyzm, e.d.g.e., Big K.R.I.T. and G-Eazy.

I caught this J. Cole "Killers" joint early this morning. According to Cole it's an older joint that comes from the vaults of the previously unreleased. It's dope.
 
Vandalyzm offers up a nothing ass verse with a hook on a beat. Yes, that's the name of the track too. As Vandalyzm wrote, "not going to fake the listener out, this is just me rhyming ill bars over a dope beat that I made, pretty simple right?" Simple concept indeed. Dope too. Look out for Vandalyzm Is The Stepfather soon.

Vandalyzm

If you've been following the blog long enough, you know the homie e.d.g.e. is a regular on the site. A few weeks back he was dropping three tracks per week. He's scaled that back a little. Check out his Shane Eli produced track, "The Opposition". Look out for his All Flow Everything project coming soon.

Big K.R.I.T. offers up another great cut from his upcoming ReturnOf4Eva. On the self produced track K.R.I.T. continues to impress me. Honestly, I haven't met a K.R.I.T. track that I didn't like.

Last but not least, the homie Chad over at DonutsandMilk.com hit me with this joint from G-Eazy off his upcoming The Outsider mixtape. This open letter to Amber Rose is definitely a winner in my book.

Enjoy these five cuts from some dope and talented emcees. Chea!

 J. Cole - Killers


Vandalyzm - Nothing Ass Verse, With A Hook On A Beat


e.d.g.e. - Opposition



Big K.R.I.T. - American Rapstar


G-Eazy - Dear Ms. Rose


Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers

What I'm Watching (3/15/11): Carlitta Durand, Oddisee, Misen Lync and Aloe Blacc

Over the last few days a gang of fresh videos from the likes of Carlitta Durand, Oddisee, Misen Lync and Aloe Blacc have hit my inbox and the Internets!

Carlitta's video comes from her dope project Nostalgic Nights released on Christmas Eve last year. If you haven't listen to that project yet, you're missing out so catch up. Ha! Oddisee also offers up a fresh video featuring Toine (of DTMD) for his "Different Now" track, featured on Mello Music Group's Helpless Dreamer compilation. As Oddisee wrote, "we shot this video just before Thanksgiving back in November, weird for me to see it as I still have braids in it. lol The video was shot in Washington, DC by Zack Schamberg." It's definitely a dope video filmed in one of my favorite places, DC.

The Misen Lync track is also an older track off of the crew's Both Sides of the Mirror project. The cut features Dame Ellzey and is definitely one of my favorite joints from the MKE group. Aloe Blacc offers up some simple visuals for "Loving You Is Killing Me." It's the simplicity of the video and the fresh dance moves that make the video so dope.

Check the videos after the jump. Enjoy!

Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 (Day 30: SXSW Bound)

I guess it had to come to an end someday, huh? Well, Ritchcraft delivers up day 30 of his 30 in 30 series. It's definitely been a dope adventure. Shouts to Ritchcraft on the time and quality he put into such an ambitious project. Wishing the homie the best of luck down at SXSW! Check out my day 15 interview with Ritchcraft. Also get the back story on Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 here. Enjoy day 30. Chea!

www.ritchslapped.com
twitter.com/Ritchcraft

Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers

What I'm Listening to: Brandon Thomas (@Brandon2NICE) "Stylin' On Simpletons"

Again, I must be blessed with the good fortune of tight folks coming at me, cause this guy came out of nowhere and asked how he could get on TMB. Simple: just make that dopeness, and your time shall come. Coming to you from Atlanta (or NewLanta as he puts it) is the dude, Brandon Thomas. And he's only 15. Consider me blown away.

As always, let us know at TMB what you think!



Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers

Check It ... Apathy - "East Coast Rapist"

Apathy spits dopeness with this new track he released into the internets today. Check it.



Follow Apathy

Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers

Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 (Day 29: Producers)

At this point I may be a day off, so with that said this may be one of two posts for Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 series today. On day 29 Ritchcraft pays tribute to the producers, which include Exile, Marco Polo, Pete Rock and others. Day 29 also brings another beat favorite to add to list of my favorite jawns during the series. While you're here, check out my day 15 interview with Ritchcraft. Also get the back story on Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 here. Enjoy day 29. Chea!

www.ritchslapped.com
twitter.com/Ritchcraft

Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers

Check It ... The BrainStormers - "What's Mines is Yours" (Prod. by Reef Ali)

I'm a fan of The BrainStormers with every track I get to hear, pretty much. They continue to put out good music. Check their latest explaining their birth into the music world.

"What's Mines Is Yours" is a track that introduces how we become The BrainStormers (Excluded from The BrainStormers EP). The track, in order of appearance, features Cayoz Da Beast, Praverb the Wyse, A.L. Laureate.

Check It ... Half Past Never Band - Letters feat. Jon?Doe

Letters featuring Jon?Doe isn't a track I normally bump into and I definitely like when I do. It's different, more so production-wise and lyrically, he does a great job telling his story. Overall, it's a good track.

This track from Half Past Never Band is off the album "Cubicle Coma" which will be released in Spring 2011 by Skillstreet Entertainment.

Half Past Never Band - Letters feat. Jon?Doe by Halfpastneverband

Half Past Never Band is a Finnish band from Helsinki, Finland, whose music is a combination of organic sounds, black rhythms, Balkan flavors and eastern atmospheres. All in all, trying to define Half Past Never Band´s music precisely is not easy, but music draws influences from several genres including jazz, hiphop, funk, soul, afro and eastern rhythms. During the years, Half Past Never Band has grown from a one-man project to a band, which combines grooving playing and versatile vocalists.

Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 (Day 28: Kayo - Graffiti Rap)

I feel like I might have missed the post yesterday for Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 series. Either way, it's here today. Right? Right! Anyway, as Ritchcraft begins to wrap up the series with the last couple of videos, he links up with Kayo for a pretty fresh track. According to Ritchcraft, Kayo recorded his verse and they shot the video the same day. Dope. If you're interested, you can check out my day 15 interview with Ritchcraft. Also get the back story on Ritchcraft's 30 in 30 here. Enjoy day 27. Chea!

www.ritchslapped.com
twitter.com/Ritchcraft

Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers

The Mad Video Selection (Week Ending 3/12/11)

Phil Ade - "This Feelin' #PhiladeFriday"

We hope everyone is having a great weekend! I know I am because I had the pleasure of enjoying quite a few artists. I hope you enjoy the next batch of videos I have for you. Hit me at readbeanpie@gmail.com to have your video considered. Enjoy!

Interview: Special Sundays x @CarlittaDurand

Friend of TMB Miss Special out in Cali recently had TMB favorite, songstress Carlitta Durand on her Special Sundays show. They talked about Carlitta's recent project Nostalgic Nights and more. Fresh interview. Enjoy.

twitter.com/MiSS1SPECiAL
www.specialsundays.podomatic.com

Follow the madness: twitter.com/themadbloggers_
Check out more from The Mad Bloggers