On April 28, 1994 Warren G released the song “Regulate” for the “Above the Rim” soundtrack, and it would later be on his debut album “Regulate…G-Funk Era.”
Eventually, the cut would reach the No. 2 position on the Billboard 100 charts and to this day it’s considered a classic.
To examine the G-Funk movement and the Cali rapper’s career, a 24-year-old filmmaker named Karam Gill created a documentary that’s now available on YouTube Premium.
At the time Warren was creating “Regulate,” he had no idea it would get so big but did realize that he was doing something different.
“I didn’t know what we were going to do,” he said in a recent interview. “I just knew we were making great music. I knew it was good but the main thing, I knew it was different. Back then everything was dark and going over heavy drums so I was like, ‘OK, let me find some music that’s not hip-hop and do hip-hop over it.’”
The trailer for the G-Funk documentary is now available online, and it shows interviews from people like Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Ice Cube, The D.O.C., Ice-T and Wiz Khalifa, who despite being only 7 years old when “Regulate” dropped, said the G-Funk sound really influenced him.
“It’s always gonna be a part of me,” he said. “I definitely keep the G-Funk alive.”
Later in his interview, Warren talked about how being Dr. Dre’s step brother still didn’t help him land a deal with Death Row Records, Dre’s former label.
Even though he contributed to the Cali’s producer’s “Chronic” album and grew up with Death Row artists Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg.
According to Warren, he’s glad that Dre didn’t get him on the label, because it allowed him to create his own brand apart from Death Row and his step brother.
“I’m glad he didn’t,” Warren said. “Dre not speaking up allowed me to create my own lane and made me into who I am today.”
“G-Funk” the documentary is out now on YouTube Premium, and you can watch the trailer below.
