It took me a minute to get to this because it's still slowly setting in that my homeboy Nate Dogg is no longer here with us. I didn't want to come off disrespectful or inconsiderate to Nate or his (immediate) family, so I've mostly remained quiet in my activities, while watching others use this truly tragic event as just that.. an event (to benefit from.) While I'm on Twitter expressing my disdain for the industry's ill-regard for Nate and our coast as a whole, I run across the few inconsiderate remarks from individuals, who don't know me, yet criticize me.. for what?? For being fortunate enough to be introduced to the public by one of the same great artists I grew up idolizing? My favorite line of criticism is "If it wasn't for Nate, (that) record wouldn't even have been a hit." In the voice of Charlie Sheen.. "DUH!" Nate Dogg "Made" EVERY SINGLE RECORD he blessed his voice on.. period. He was THAT Great. He was even greater to me, considering all that he did with and (for) me. The same way Snoop and Warren looked out for their Dogg, I feel he did the same for me. No questions, ever. Anytime he rolled up in one of his limos and had that box of *Good* with him, he always walked up happy. I don't ever remember a time he brought negative energy to the lab, backstage, a set or ANYWHERE. "Buddy Luv" was always cool. Literally. And I would be lying if I didn't admit that it's a combination of Snoop, Warren and Nate's (not to omit K-Dee) "coolness" that helped mold my own musical style. I grew up on "Indo Smoke" and "Aint No Fun" ..I mean, I worshipped those records. Nate Dogg is 2nd on the list of reasons of why I love those records so much, the 1st being the tracks of course. I once watched Nate Dogg show N.U.N.E. his whole method of recording vocals and I thought that was the coolest sh*t ever. An artist will not typically share techniques and whatnot as this is considered sacred information.. but Nate had no problem teaching Greatness to his peers. And that's what makes Nate the Great Man he is. I regret not visiting him once the information finally surfaced where he was rehabilitating. I will be the first to admit that I did not go. However, my reasons are my own and though I am at no obligation to explain myself to anyone but GOD.. in this case, I don't really mind. I really did not want to see my Dogg in that condition when one of my last memories of him is chillin with me, Mizza and Ludacris in a club out of state, playing pool, smokin hella blunts and loving life and the point we were at in it. In my heart, I really believed Nate was going to return to a much better condition than he was in.. and I promised myself I would emerge from my emotional shadows and finally drop in once that happened. Maybe I should've known better, but am I the only one to have made this mistake? Ironically yet still fortunately, my last memories of Nate remain as I would like them to. Going through all the unreleased material we recorded and watching all the vhs tapes of shows we did on TV, I truly realize how much this man looked out for me and my well-being. And he did it all cause that's just how he was.. COOL LIKE THAT.
I always hit him with a copy of finished product as he prepared to leave the studio at the end of many nights. He showed his gratitude by blastin it out his limo windows as he pulled off into the night. I can only imagine what type of music he is making upstairs right now.. but there iz one thing I'll bet on.. the homie Nate will have a copy waiting for me once we reunite.
You may send donations to Nate Dogg's family here:
Ruth Holmes, PO BOX 17264 Long Beach, CA 90807
