Nate Dogg

Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. Hale began his career as a member of the Long Beach, California rap trio 213, alongside his longtime friend Warren G and cousin Snoop Dogg. He eventually pursued a solo career, and released three solo albums, G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 in 1998, Music & Me in 2001, and Nate Dogg as a bootlegged album in 2003 and on CD in 2014.

He was known for his deep, low-pitched singing voice, and for performing hooks, frequently collaborating with other artists such as Dr. Dre, Eminem, Warren G, Tupac Shakur, Westside Connection, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Ludacris, Xzibit, and Shade Sheist on many hit releases. Nate Dogg is regarded as one of the pioneers of G-funk and West Coast hip hop.

Hale died in 2011 due to complications from multiple strokes.

Early life
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 19, 1969. He moved to Long Beach, California when he was 14 following his parents' divorce. He was friends with rappers Warren G, RBX, and Daz Dillinger and cousin of Butch Cassidy, Snoop Dogg, and Lil' ½ Dead. He began singing as a child in the New Hope Baptist Church in Long Beach and Life Line Baptist Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi where his father Daniel Lee Hale pastored and his mother Ruth Holmes was leading the choir.

Military career
At the age of 17, Hale dropped out of high school, left home, and 30 days later enlisted in the Marines. Hale was stationed in Okinawa, Japan at Camp Schwab as part of the Material Readiness Battalion of the 3rd Force Service Support Group, which served as the supplier of ammunition to the majority of the Pacific. He served three years as an ammunition specialist, and was discharged in 1989. Hale said he joined the military because he "wanted to see if he was a man".

Early career with 213
In 1990, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Warren G, formed a rap trio called 213. They recorded their first demo in the back of the famed V.I.P. record store in Long Beach. The demo was later heard by Dr. Dre at a bachelor party.

Solo career
Nate Dogg made his debut on The Chronic. Singing in what later became his trademark style, he was well received by fans and critics alike, and would go on to sign with Death Row Records in 1993. Nate Dogg was additionally featured on Snoop Dogg's 1993 album Doggystyle such as the track "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)". Nate Dogg was also featured on Mista Grimm's "Indosmoke" with Warren G. Then in 1994 he produced his first hit single "Regulate" with Warren G. Nate Dogg was also featured in many 2Pac releases, including his collaboration record Thug Life: Volume 1. Then in 1998 after a tumultuous time at Death Row Records he released another album. The double album was titled G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2 and was followed up in late 2001 with Music & Me on Elektra Records. Music & Me peaked at number three on the Billboard hip-hop charts in 2001. After a number of delays and an original release date of April 2004, his self-titled album was released under the Affiliated Entertainment Group on June 3, 2008.

Television appearances
In 2002, Nate Dogg appeared on a celebrity episode of the Weakest Link, making it to the last three players before being eliminated by Xzibit and Young MC.

Collaborations with other artists
Nate Dogg was well known for his collaborations with other artists, where he would usually perform the hook. As a featured artist, Nate Dogg charted on the Billboard Hot 100 sixteen times, and reached number one on the chart in 2003, when he was featured on 50 Cent's "21 Questions". According to Rolling Stone, along with 21 Questions, Nate Dogg's most successful collaborations include 2Pac's "All About U", Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode", Westside Connection's "Gangsta Nation", Mos Def's "Oh No", Fabolous' "Can't Deny It", Ludacris' "Area Codes", Kurupt's "Behind The Walls", Mark Ronson's "Ooh Wee", Houston's "I Like That", Eminem's "'Till I Collapse", "Never Enough", and "Shake That", and Mobb Deep's "Have a Party".

Legal troubles
In the early 1990s, Nate Dogg was arrested and charged with two separate robberies: the Check Changers robbery in 1991 and the robbery of a San Pedro Taco Bell in 1994. He faced a maximum of nearly eleven years in prison, but was subsequently acquitted of both charges.

In 1996, Nate Dogg was convicted of a drug-related offense in Los Angeles County.

On June 17, 2000, Nate Dogg was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting his former girlfriend and setting fire to her mother's car in Lakewood. He was then arrested by a SWAT team at his home in Pomona. He was accused of kidnapping, domestic violence, making terrorist threats and arson. He spent a night in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles before he was released on a $1 million bail posted by Dr. Dre. These charges were later dismissed, but he faced jail time for a new charge, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. An unmarked firearm was found in his home during the June 17 arrest. He pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge, and was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

On April 12, 2002, Nate Dogg was arrested when he was stopped by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers outside of Kingman, Arizona, while traveling on a tour bus. He was charged with firearms-related and drug-related offenses after two pistols and four ounces of cannabis were found. Nate Dogg was booked into Mohave County Jail and subsequently released on a $3,500 bond. Weapon charges against him were dropped as an exchange for a plea of guilty on a drug possession charge. Nate Dogg was subsequently sentenced to probation and community service. He was also ordered to attend drug counseling sessions in May 2002.

In July 2006, Nate Dogg was arrested and charged with misdemeanor aggravated trespassing, telephone harassment, battery assault, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and violation of a restraining order. In March 20, 2008, Nate Dogg pleaded guilty to trespassing and battery and was ordered to complete a domestic violence treatment program, three years of probation, and was stripped of gun ownership rights for the next ten years.

On June 23, 2008, Nate Dogg was arrested and charged with two felony counts of making criminal threats after allegedly sending threatening emails to his estranged wife, and one count of stalking after allegedly chasing her by car on Interstate 405 in the previous month. He initially pleaded not guilty to these charges, which were eventually dropped in April 2009, because the alleged victim did not contact prosecutors in the case.

Additionally, Nate Dogg had a conviction of driving under the influence of drugs.

Health problems and death
On December 19, 2007, Nate Dogg suffered a stroke, according to a coordinator from his recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise. He was released from the hospital on December 26 and was admitted to a medical rehabilitation facility to assist him in his recovery. On January 18, 2008, it was officially reported that the stroke had rendered the left side of his body paralyzed. Doctors believed there would be a full recovery, and his voice was not affected. On September 12, 2008, he suffered a second stroke, causing him to lose his voice and paralyzing him entirely. Nate Dogg died on March 15, 2011, in Long Beach, California, at the age of 41. On March 17, his attorney Mark Geragos confirmed that the cause of the death was from complications of multiple strokes. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Long Beach.

In 2015, Nate Dogg's son Nathaniel Dwayne Hale Jr. released his own album Son of a G under the name Lil Nate Dogg. His other son, Naijiel Hale, attended the University of Arizona to play football.

Solo albums

 * G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 (1998)
 * Music & Me (2001)
 * Nate Dogg (2003)

Collaboration albums

 * The Hard Way with 213 (2004)

Filmography

 * Doggy Fizzle Televizzle as singer of the theme song for the sketch "The Braided Bunch" (2002–2003)
 * Head of State as himself (also singer/composer of theme song) (2003)
 * The Boondocks (2008)

Awards and nominations
During his career, Nate Dogg was nominated for four Grammy Awards.