Too $hort, Warren G, Luniz, DJ Quik, and Snoop Dogg

Since 1982, Too $hort actively produced and released LPs such as ‘Don’t Stop Rappin’, ‘Players’ and ‘Raw, Uncut and X-Rated’, before gaining widespread recognition and an RIAA Gold certification, along with a chart-spot of no. 50 in the US R&B listings, with ‘Born to Mack’. Too $hort’s initial success continued as the explicit rapper achieved numerous accolades throughout the 1990s. The albums ‘Get in Where You Fit In’, ‘Cocktails’ and ‘Gettin’ It (Album Number Ten)’ all peaked at the top of the US R&B charts and received an RIAA Platinum rating, whilst also charting in the top 10 of the US Albums chart. Between 1996-2000, Too $hort achieved five top 10 positions in the US Rap chart with singles such as ‘More Freaky Tales’ and ‘2 Bitches’.

Too $hort continued to release records through the 2000s and 2010s; most notably, his album ‘Blow the Whistle’ peaked at no. 14 on the US Billboard 200. He encountered great success when featuring on tracks with other music artists too; for instance, he rapped on Kelis’s ‘Bossy’ in 2006 which peaked at no. 16 on the US Singles Chart, and he partook on Chris Brown’s ‘Loyal’ which peaked at number nine in 2014.

Too $hort is often compared to E-40, Ant Banks and Mistah F.A.B, and the Californian-born lyricist performed at prestigious settings such as iTunes Festival and Coachella. Too $hort’s talents have also lead him further afield; he played the role of Lew-Loc in the film Menace II Society and voiced the character Fillyacup on the animated sitcom The Siccness Network between 2000-2001, whilst he has also been a mentor at Youth Uprising, an organization serving at-risk youths.

As such a mainstay in the hip-hop scene, Too $hort worked alongside artists such as Twista, Snoop Dogg and Jagged Edge, and is regarded as a true pioneer of the West Coast movement.

Darren G was raised in Long Beach, California listening to his parents’ collection of jazz, funk & soul and began to share their deep love for this style of music. In 1990 he formed the group 213 with his friends Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg. While rapping with 213 and working a full-time job, the young artist used all his free time developing his own musical style and chasing his musical dreams.

The trio 213 dissolved when two of its members signed with Death Row Records leaving Warren to pursue his solo career more aggressively. He had the opportunity to work with esteemed artists like MC Breed and 2Pac from the offset but his big break came when his vocal collaboration with Mista Grimm, on 'Indo Smoke' which appeared on the Poetic Justice soundtrack. Warren's outstanding rap led to a serious collaboration with his stepbrother Dr. Dre. His dedication to hard work meant he featured heavily on Dr. Dre's album 'The Chronic' including sampling for 'Nuthin' but a G-Thang'.

His worldwide success came shortly after this collaboration as his single 'Regulate' featuring Nate Dogg peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Charts and broke top five in the UK. It is now certified as platinum selling in the States, and the album that it was lifted from 'Regulate...G Funk Era' holds a three times platinum certificate. The single earned the young artist a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The following single 'This DJ' was also a chart success and was nominated for the Best Rap Solo Performance Grammy Award.

He fared weaker with every major release after the debut. He did score an international hit with 'What's Love Got To Do With It' from the Supercop soundtrack which peaked at #2 in the UK, a higher position than 'Regulate'. He continued to release original material and tour after this and from June to September 2013, Warren G accompanied Baby Bash, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, DJ Quik, E-40, Mack 10, Suga Free, Tha Dogg Pound, and others on the West Coast Fest tour.

There are more than a few artists around that it’s basically impossible to say anything new about. They have been so scrutinised, so celebrated and so criticised that most of what one can say about them has already been said before. This is very much the case with Snoop Dogg, one of the cast iron legends of Hip-Hop and one of the key influences that make it what it is today, both as a cultural phenomenon, and as (arguably) the dominant force of pop music in the world.

After his rapping caught the attention of Hip-Hop godhead Dr. Dre, the legendary producer gave the up and coming Snoop the exposure of a lifetime by featuring him heavily on his 1992 album “The Chronic”. The California, US native capitalised by releasing the following years “Doggystyle” and promptly became one of the world’s most successful, famous, controversial, and downright feared musicians overnight. Since then his image has softened slightly, he’s more likely to be seen in adverts for Hot Pockets than on trial for murder (as he was in 1996), but he’s diversified to a thrilling degree as a musician.

Not content with giving the world the best G-Funk it’s ever going to get with “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” and “Gin and Juice”, he’s also given it some of its best straight up hip hop with the Pharrell Williams assisted “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and is still unafraid to tread his own path. His most recent reinvention, with a new name (Snoop Lion) and a new reggae sound on the album “Reincarnated”, sees him still going from strength to strength 22 years into his career. With a back catalogue like his, and a bright future to match, you can’t go wrong with the Doggfather himself, Snoop Dogg.