Warren G Albums (5)
'In the Mid-Nite Hour'
Release Date 9/13/2005
Tracks 19
Label Lightyear
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
In the Mid-Nite Hour is Warren G's first foray into the land of independent releases and, consequently, marks a huge shift in approach from the too-many-cooks-in-the-kitchen approach that had sunk his final album for Universal, The Return of the Regulator. This album is 100 percent Warren G, make no mistake, and its D.I.Y. feel seems fitting for the sort of guy who produces his own beats as well as raps his own songs. Granted, In the Mid-Nite Hour isn't going to re-establish Warren as the hitmaker that he was for a quick second back in the G-funk era when "Regulate" was the jam. It's simply too real to get picked up by urban radio or music television -- that is, real like that beat-head dude living down your street who makes mixtapes in his bedroom and hands CD-Rs of them out to friends as well as complete strangers. For that reason, In the Mid-Nite Hour isn't going to interest the majority of rap listeners. Sadly, Warren lost his coolness a long time ago. But for older, more grown-up rap listeners who fondly remember when "Regulate" was the jam (and how about "Hey DJ"?), In the Mid-Nite Hour no doubt will be a curious listen. From the bedroom beat-making and Everyman rapping, to the home-PC graphic design and semi-professional photo shoots gracing the inner booklet, this album is street, so to speak, and that makes it very easy for most folks to empathize with Warren. He's no bling-blinger anymore -- he's just another dude at this point, albeit one with tight friends like Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, who both contribute heavily and bring some major-league charisma to this minor-league charmer. Perhaps Warren should have went indie long ago. The pay probably isn't as nice, but he and his music seem better for it. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'The Return of the Regulator'
Release Date 12/11/2001
Tracks 16
Label Uptown/Universal
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Return of the Regulator is Warren G's go-for-broke comeback attempt, one that looks good both on paper and in concept as well as in title. Warren has returned here to the basics and reunited with many of those who he initially began his career with, namely Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, and Snoop Dogg. His concerted efforts, as both a rapper/vocalist and a producer/songwriter, are clearly evident. If anything, Return of the Regulator is certainly a considered album. It begins on a high note with a radio-ready Dre production, "Lookin' at You," that finds Warren dueting with Ms. Toi. The next few songs feature collaborations with many of the West Coast's most talented hired hands: Nate Dogg, Soopafly, and Butch Cassidy. George Clinton makes an appearance on "Speed Dreamin'," and Warren reunites with his old-school homies Nate Dogg and Snoop (originally a trio known as 213) on one of the album's highlights, "Yo' Sassy Ways." Elsewhere, "Ghetto Village" interpolates Stevie Wonder's "Village Ghetto Land" quite notably. From beginning to end, you can sense Warren's sense of purpose here -- he knows a rapper's shelf life is brief, and his is running out. He gives you everything he's capable of, from a radio-ready duet to a pop-rap interpolation. Warren wanted this to be a strong comeback album. That's obvious. And that's also partly what feels so uneasy about Return of the Regulator -- you can sense the desperation as well as the calculation. The album is too self-conscious for its own good at times, and as much as he tries, Warren still struggles to rap as eloquently as his colleagues. The end sum of Return of the Regulator then isn't quite equal to its many parts. Its assembly is nonetheless still a feat, making this Warren's most labored effort to date, even if it isn't the red-carpeted return he'd like it to be. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After a disappointing sophomore album that failed to cement his superstar status, Warren G. returned to what made him famous -- his production skills -- and for the most part, left the rapping to his many guests. For listeners who haven't kept up with the rapper/producer since his 1994 chart run, I Want It All will sound completely familiar. It's an album of impeccably produced deep-groove G-funk, with tight harmonies anchoring the choruses of highlights like "Gangsta Love" (featuring Kurupt, Nate Dogg, and RBX), "I Want It All" (featuring Mack 10), "You Never Know" (featuring Snoop Dogg, Phats Bossi, and Reel Tight), and "We Got That" (featuring Eve, Drag-On, and Shadow). While scads of guest shots are the norm on hip-hop albums and often grow tiresome, most all of them work on I Want It All simply because Warren G. is, above all, a great producer. He knows how to team rappers together and he knows which types of productions best emphasize their delivery talents. Though I Want It All occasionally skirts the borders of hip-hop lite, it's chocked with quality mid-tempo productions and excellent rapping. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'Take a Look Over Your Shoulder'
Release Date 3/25/1997
Tracks 17
Label Def Jam
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Regulate...G Funk Era'
Release Date 6/7/1994
Tracks 12
Label Def Jam
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Anchored by the laid-back G-funk anthem "Regulate," Warren G's appropriately titled Regulate...G Funk Era embodies the mid-'90s era of Cali sunshine, endless blunts, and switch-hittin' lowriders with a welcome and somewhat surprising sense of kind-heartedness. Unlike most of his West Coast G-funk peers, Warren doesn't celebrate drive-by gang-bangin', dirty-money stackin', nor G's-up, hoes-down pimpin'. Sure, he says the F word once in a while and puffs on the cheeba-cheeba when it's passed his way, but he's essentially a good-natured, all-ages rapper, interested in nothing more than good ol'-fashioned hip-hop. He professes his demeanor succinctly on the catchy hook to "This DJ," the other era-defining highlight here: "It's kinda easy when you're listening to the G-ed-up sound/Pioneer speakers bumpin' as I smoke on a pound/I got the sound fo yo' ass and it's easy to see/That this DJ be Warren G." Like his stepbrother Dr. Dre, Warren is a more talented producer than rapper, and it's his by-the-book G-funk beat-making that truly shines here. For instance, another album highlight, "Do You See," boasts an elastic bassline and whistling synth hook, capturing the essence of G-funk as only Dre himself could. Warren further compensates for his middling rapping with a couple of guests, a few skits, and a brief running time. Even if "Regulate" and "This DJ" tower far above everything else here, Regulate...G Funk Era is nonetheless a minor gem among the myriad G-funk albums of the mid-'90s, and Warren embodies the style itself here with a precision perhaps second only to his older brother and does so with a refreshing air of harmlessness. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
