Regulate... G Funk Era is the debut studio album by American rapper Warren G. It was released on June 7, 1994, by Violator Records and distributed by Rush Associated Labels. The album's biggest hit was the eponymous single "Regulate", a gritty depiction of West Coast gang life which samples singer Michael McDonald's hit "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" and featured Nate Dogg. The album also contained the top ten hit "This D.J." The song "Regulate" was also featured on the Above the Rim soundtrack, which was released on March 22, 1994. An altered version of the song "So Many Ways" appeared in the 1995 film Bad Boys.
| Regulate... G Funk Era | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 7, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1993–1994 | |||
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| Length | 34:50 | |||
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| Producer | Warren G | |||
| Warren G chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Regulate... G Funk Era | ||||
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The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1995 Soul Train Music Awards.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [2] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | B+[3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[4] |
| NME | 8/10[5] |
| Q | [6] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[7] |
| Rolling Stone | [8] |
| USA Today | [9] |
The album received generally positive reviews from critics. Spin highly recommended the album, concluding: "Truth be told, Warren G. wasn't cut out to be a hardass. He's a romantic, in love with soft sound."[10] Critic Robert Christgau commented positively regarding the coolly menacing nature of the music.[3] Warren G also received two Grammy nominations: "This D.J." was nominated for a 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance, while "Regulate" was nominated for a 1995 Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at #2 on the US Billboard Top 200 albums chart, selling 176,000 in its opening week. The album later went on the sell over 3 million copies in the US and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
2014 re-release
The album was re-released in 2014, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the album. It includes 3 additional mixes of "Regulate"; the "Destructo & Wax Motif Remix", featuring Motif, the "Photek Remix" featuring Nate Dogg, and the "Jauz Remix", also featuring Nate Dogg.
Track listing
- All songs produced by Warren G.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Regulate" (featuring Nate Dogg) | 4:08 | |
| 2. | "Do You See" |
| 3:59 |
| 3. | "Gangsta Sermon" (featuring B-Tip and Ricky Harris) |
| 0:36 |
| 4. | "Recognize" (featuring The Twinz) |
| 2:59 |
| 5. | "Super Soul Sis" (featuring Jah Skills) | W. Griffin | 2:56 |
| 6. | "'94 Ho Draft" (featuring B-Tip and Ricky Harris) |
| 1:00 |
| 7. | "So Many Ways" |
| 3:24 |
| 8. | "This D.J." |
| 3:23 |
| 9. | "This Is the Shack" (featuring The Dove Shack) |
| 4:05 |
| 10. | "What's Next" (featuring Lil Malik) |
| 3:26 |
| 11. | "And Ya Don't Stop" | W. Griffin | 3:22 |
| 12. | "Runnin' wit No Breaks" (featuring Jah Skills, Bo Roc, G Child and The Twinz) | W. Griffin | 3:32 |
| Total length: | 36:50 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Regulate (Remix)" (featuring Nate Dogg) | 4:19 |
| 2. | "Do You See (Stepz Remix)" | 5:15 |
| 3. | "Do You See (Old Skool Mix)" | 5:17 |
| 4. | "This D.J. (Remix)" (featuring O.G.L.B.) | 3:46 |
| 5. | "This D.J. (Dobie's Rub Part 1)" (featuring O.G.L.B.) | 4:02 |
| 6. | "What's Next (Instrumental)" | 3:29 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Regulate (Destructo & Wax Motif Remix)" (featuring Motif) | 4:56 |
| 2. | "Regulate (Photek Remix)" (featuring Nate Dogg) | 3:54 |
| 3. | "Regulate (Jauz Remix)" (featuring Nate Dogg) | 5:40 |
Personnel
- Warren G - Vocals, Producer
- Nate Dogg - Vocals
- Chris Lighty -Executive Producer
- Paul Stewart -Executive Producer
- John Philip Shenale - Editing
- John Morris - Assistant Engineer, Mixing, Mixing Assistant
- Greg Geitzenauer - Keyboards, Mixing, Engineer
- Mike Ainsworth - Assistant Engineer
- Ulysses Noriega - Assistant Engineer
- George "Yorrgi" Gallegos - Assistant Engineer
- Christopher C. Murphy - Assistant Engineer/Runner
- Tony Green - Bass
- Daniel Shulman - Bass
- Che Laird - Guitar
- Andreas Straub - Guitar
- Morris O'Connor - Guitar
- Sean "Barney" Thomas - Keyboards
- Carl "Butch" Small - Percussion
- The Dove Shack - Vocals, Vocals (Background)
- Ricky Harris - Vocals
- B-Tip - Vocals
- Deon - Vocals
- Dewayne - Vocals
- Lady Levi - Vocals
- Jah-Skilz - Vocals
- G-Child (Warren G) - Vocals (Background)
- O.G.L.B. - Vocals (Background)
- Bernie Grundman - Mastering
- Michael Miller - Photography
Samples
Regulate
- "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" by Michael McDonald
- "Sign of the Times" by Bob James
- "Let Me Ride" by Dr. Dre
Do You See
- "Bicentennial Blues" by Gil Scott-Heron
- "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume
- "Mama Used to Say" by Junior
Super Soul Sis
- "Don't Stop (Ever Loving Me)" by One Way
- "Why Have I Lost You" by Cameo
- "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang (Freestyle Remix)" by Snoop Dogg
94 Ho Draft
- "Groove to Get Down" by T-Connection
This Is The Shack
This D.J.
- "Curious" by Midnight Star
- "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume
- "Paid in Full" by Eric B and Rakim
And Ya Don't Stop
- "Janitzio" by Don Julian
Runnin' Wit No Breaks
- "Go On and Cry" by Les McCann & Eddie Harris
- "N.T." by Kool & the Gang
- "Tha Next Episode (Unreleased)" by Snoop Doggy Dogg & Dr. Dre
So Many Ways
What's Next
- "Adventures of Super Rhyme (Rap)" by Jimmy Spicer
- "Mind Blowing Decisions" by Heatwave
- "Conjunction Junction" by Bob Dorough feat. Jack Sheldon and Terri Morel
Recognize
- "Doggy Dogg World" by Snoop Dogg feat. Kurupt, Daz Dillinger and The Dramatics
- "Genius Is Back" by Mix Master Spade and Compton Posse
Charts
Year-end charts
| Chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 73 |
| US Billboard 200[23] | 32 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[24] | 9 |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Do You See" | Billboard Hot 100 | #42 |
| 1994 | "Regulate" | Billboard Hot 100 | #2 |
| 1994 | "This D.J." | Billboard Hot 100 | #9 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[25] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[26] | Gold | 100,000* |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[27] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[28] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||