Regulate

Warren G produced it, building it in his North Long Beach apartment on an Akai MPC60, Technics 1200s and an ADAT, with vocals later redone at Track Studio. It samples Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)", interpolates Dr. Dre's "Let Me Ride" and opens with dialogue from the film Young Guns. Chris Lighty of Def Jam asked for a radio-friendly version, which became the 4:08 album cut; the soundtrack and single run 4:11. The story follows Warren driving alone at night in Eastside Long Beach, robbed by dice players until Nate Dogg arrives; the third verse explains G-funk style, and the lyrics are described as semi-autobiographical. Warren told NME they just told the story and let everybody's imagination flow on the hook.

It reached 2 on the Hot 100, 1 on the rap chart, 5 in the UK and Ireland, and is certified two-times platinum in the US and UK. It earned a 1995 Grammy nomination and sits at 98 on VH1's 100 greatest hip hop songs and 108 on Pitchfork's top tracks of the 1990s. The video drew on footage from Above the Rim, with a cameo by Tupac Shakur; Nate Dogg was absent because of the dispute between Death Row and Def Jam. Umphrey's McGee covered it live. Our upload credits Nate Dogg, and we could not tell whether it is the album or soundtrack cut.