A send off worthy of a hip-hop hero: Music stars gather to say goodbye to rapper Nate Dogg

By Anita Bennett


Farewell to a friend: Snoop Dogg and his wife Shante Broadus attend Nate Dogg's funeral today in Long Beach, California


Family and friends including superstar rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G and The Game braved rainy weather to say their goodbyes to West Coast hip-hop star Nate Dogg.

About 2,000 people, including several hundred fans gathered today in Long Beach, California to pay their respects to the 41-year-old musician whose birth name was Nathaniel Dwayne Hale.

As Nate Dogg's loved ones gathered at the Queen Mary Dome, a popular cruise ship terminal, a white hearse arrived carrying the late musician's body.

Nate Dogg helped pioneer the G-funk or gangsta-funk, genre of hip-hop which samples funk music with singing, multi-layered melodic synthesizers and heavy bass.

Nate also had an amazing singing voice which was featured on a string of hip-hop hits.

The music legend died on March 15, after a lengthy battle with stroke-like symptoms.

He first suffered a stroke in 2007, which the left one side of his body paralysed.

Then in 2008, he endured his second stroke and remained out of the spotlight up to his death.

Before becoming ill, he collaborated with some of the biggest names in rap music including Dr. Dre, Eminem, Ice Cube, Xzibit, Ludacris, often singing the hooks on their songs.

The day that Nate Dogg died, his buddy Snoop Dogg paid tribute via Twitter, describing him as a ‘true legend of hip-hop and R&B.’

He added: ‘[Nate] was one of my best friends and a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at Poly High [Long Beach Polytechnic High School] where we met.

Hometown goodbye: The hearse carrying Nate Dogg's body arrives at the Queen Mary Dome, a popular landmark in Long Beach

Paying respects: Rapper Warren G who was part of the group 213 with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg also attended the funeral


'I love you buddy. You will always be with me forever and a day. You put the ‘G’ in ‘G funk’, you put the ‘1’ in ‘213’ and you put your stamp on everybody you ever did it with.

I miss you because I am so sad but so happy I got to grow up with you, and I will see you again in heaven, because you know the slogan ‘all dogs go to heaven.’ "

After hearing of his death, R&B singer Erykah Badu also tweeted: ‘Nate Dogg… freshness period. Rest in beats’.

Remembering a fellow musician: Rap artist The Game also attended the funeral

Touching: Hundreds of fans gathered to say goodbye to Nate Dogg at a public viewing of his casket which was held earlier in the day


While comedian Dave Chappelle wrote: ‘Moment of silence for a hip-hop legend; RIP Nate Dogg. You will be missed, G Funk Era forever. #natedogg.’

Nate Dogg first found fame on Dr Dre’s album The Chronic, on which he was a guest and his hit Regulate with Warren G reached No 5 in the charts in 1994.

He then released three solo albums, the first in 1998 titled G-Funk Classics, Vol 1 & 2, Music And Me in 2001 and a self-titled LP in 2004.

Friends for life: Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg, seen here in 2004





source:dailymail