Hip-hop star Nate Dogg, who has just died at the age of 41, isn't as familiar a name as his friend and long-time collaborator Snoop Dogg, who even your Grandma has heard of. But Nathaniel D Hale, always an immaculate figure in his suit and trademark bowler hat, had his gangsta croon all over dozens of hit records. A former US marine, in 1991 Nate Dogg formed a group called 213 with then-obscure friends Snoop and Warren G, and when Dr Dre brought Snoop onboard for his classic gangsta rap album The Chronic, Nate came along for the ride. The Chronic sold more than 3m copies, and Nate was on his way, moving centre stage on the Grammy-nominated Regulate with Warren G in 1994, which reached No 4 in the UK.
His solo albums – which included collaborations with Tupac and Ludacris – weren't as memorable as the countless cameos he performed on hit after hit. He lent his unmistakable tones to tracks by Eminem, 50 Cent (21 Questions), The Game, Xzibit, Mariah Carey, Eve, Ludacris (Area Codes), Lil' Jon, Nelly, Redman and Mos Def; he stole the show on Ooh Wee from Mark Ronson's first LP; and was obviously on speed dial whenever Dr Dre (The Next Episode) or Snoop wanted a soulful verse.
Why? His rugged baritone was hip-hop through and through, delivering something powerful and credible that other soul singers just couldn't. He was like a rapper simply singing his lyrics. And his lifestyle was hip-hop too – the inevitable drug and firearms charges in 2002, and an early death, following strokes in 2007 and 2008. You might not have known how familiar you were with Nate Dogg's work, but we should feel his absence keenly.
