Snoop tweets that gangsta crooner who lent his smooth vocals to array of West and East Coast hits was ‘a true legend’ of hip-hop and R&B. By Alvin Blanco Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg in 2004 Photo: Todd Williamson/FilmMagic As the hip-hop nation mourns the death of Nathaniel “Nate Dogg” Hale on Tuesday, the exact cause of death is still unknown, although Hale’s family has noted his history of strokes. What is certain, however, is the indelible impact the singer/rapper’s smooth baritone had on gangsta and G-Funk rap music. Nate Dogg lent his vocal talents to a plethora of songs over the years, with his smooth but gangsta crooning serving as the cherry on top of many a hip-hop hit. The Long Beach, California, native collaborated with both up-and-coming acts and A-listers, including Dr. Dre, Eminem, Tupac and 50 Cent. A number of artists who knew and worked with Nate took to Twitter to express their condolences. And few rappers worked as extensively with Nate Dogg as did Snoop Dogg. The two, along with Warren G, were once part of a group called 213 that sparked Dr. Dre’s initial interest in Snoop. “We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb,” Snoop tweeted . “One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met.” Rapper/actor Xzibit experienced a boost in his profile after appearing on Snoop Dogg’s “B Please,” which featured singing from Nate Dogg. “We lost a [soldier], a father, a legend, a homie,” Xzibit wrote . “My condolences go out to Ms. Ruth and the entire family. Celebrate #NateDogg #FOREVER.” Ludacris also benefitted from a catchy Nate Dogg hook on his 2001 song “Area Codes,” which earned a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category. “There is a certain void in hip hop’s heart that can never be filled,” Luda tweeted . “Glad we got to make history together. RT @SnoopDogg: RIP NATE DOGG.” 50 Cent was traveling and heard about the news when he landed at his destination. “I just landed nate dog is dead damn,” 50 tweeted . “GOD BLESS HIM R.I.P he meant a lot to west coast hiphop. Iv always been a fan of it.” 50 also mentioned that although he wrote the hook Nate sings on “21 Questions,” from his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, he “needed nate to sing it for me. He had a way of making everything feel hard.” Other rappers expressed grief over Nate’s death while also reminding fans of their collaborations. “R.I.P. TO MY HOMIE NATE DOGG!,” Bay Area slang master E-40 tweeted, also providing a link to the video of his song “Nah, Nah,” which featured Nate on its hook. “RIP my brother Nate Dogg,” Cali lyricist Rass Kass wrote , while adding a link to his song “4 Much,” featuring Bad Azz, Tash and Nate Dogg. Nate’s talents spanned the entire hip-hop nation: East Coast, West Coast and everywhere in between, as reflected by the tweets from his many collaborators. “R.I.P. TO MY HOMEBOY NATE DOGG DPGC DOGG POUND GANGSTA 4 LIFE,” fellow Long Beach native Daz Dillinger tweeted . Daz befriended Nate while they were working on “Deeez Nuuuts,” from Dr. Dre’s seminal album, The Chronic. “R.I.P to the homie nate dogg, my condolences to his family,” tweeted G-Unit’s Lloyd Banks, who featured Nate on his songs “Warrior, Part 2” and “Til the End.” “Dam RIP Big Homie nate dogg sleep well gangsta!!” Obie Trice tweeted . The Detroit rapper has a number of songs with Nate, including “Look in My Eyes” and “The Set Up.” Send your well-wishes and condolences by leaving your comments below. Related Photos Nate Dogg: A Life In Photos Related Artists Nate Dogg Snoop Dogg Ludacris 50 Cent
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Nate Dogg Remembered By Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Ludacris, More
