Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang
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"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" | |
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Song |
"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is a duet by American rapper Dr. Dre and rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg from Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). It is the first single from the album. "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Informer" by Snow,[3] outperforming The Chronic's other singles, "Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", which peaked at #8, and "Let Me Ride", which peaked at #34. The single also reached #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a hit in the UK, where it reached #31.
The song was selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.[4] XXL magazine named it the top hip-hop song of the decade. The song samples "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" by Leon Haywood. It was later reissued in June 1994 in certain European countries.
Background
The vocals are shared by Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg, who has sole songwriting credit; they drop in trademark references to Long Beach and Compton, California. The song contains samples from Leon Haywood's "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You", "B-Side Wins Again" by Public Enemy and "Uphill (Peace of Mind)" by Kid Dynamite. On the inside cover of The Chronic, under "Credits", Haywood's name is incorrectly given as "L. Hayward". Snoop Dogg's first single from Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told was a sequel to the song titled "Still a G Thang". Dre and Snoop retooled "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" into the titular theme of their 2001 comedy film The Wash.
Music video
The music video, directed by Dr. Dre,[5] depicts Dre coming into Long Beach, California to pick up Snoop and go to a block party. They arrive at the party and perform the first verses outside while a barbecue cookout and a game of volleyball goes on. A female player's (Mercedes Ashley)[6] bikini top is pulled down by "T-Dubb", an original member of the Long Beach rap group Foesum, exposing her breasts. For the next verses they go inside the house. A small sequence of events shows a snobbish female party-goer humiliated by being sprayed with shaken-up malt liquor. The video ends with Dre dropping Snoop off back at his house, with Snoop staggering up the driveway. The MTV edit censors nudity, drug paraphernalia, Warren G with a blunt, copyrighted logos, a White Sox ball cap, and screen text.
In popular culture
Kris Kross heavily sampled "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" on their 1993 single "I'm Real". The song "Get It Up" by Silkk the Shocker uses the chorus in a reworked form. Ja Rule's track "Livin' It Up" contains a sample of the song.[7] It was nominated for a Grammy Award.[8] Mariah Carey's song "You Had Your Chance" samples this song as well. The song was parodied by The Fringemunks to recap Fringe episode 2.04 "Momentum Deferred".[9] The song was featured in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on a fictional radio station, Radio Los Santos.
In January 2011 the humor website Funny or Die posted a parody called "Nuthin' But A Glee Thang" about the TV series Glee, co-written by Glee cast member Heather Morris and co-starring Sofia Vergara, Riki Lindhome and Ashley Lendzion. The video features Glee cast members Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith, Harry Shum, Jr. and Naya Rivera.[10] In 2006 Rapper Young Dro Sampled the Music Video for Shoulder Lean. Also Taylor Gang member Chevy Woods Sampled for his music video 30 Deep.
In the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton, the song is shown being improvised by Snoop Dogg (Lakeith Stanfield) and Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins).[11]
Meg Griffin and Ruth Cochamer perform a parody of the song about genetically modified food in the Family Guy episode "The Finer Strings".
The song was used near the end of the Fresh Off The Boat episode, "Boy II Man".
Accolades
"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is listed in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It is Dre's only song on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, ranked number 419, not counting two other songs that feature Dre as producer and on vocals, N.W.A's "Fuck tha Police" and 2Pac's "California Love". Q magazine listed it as the 24th greatest hip-hop song of all time.[12] In September 2010 Pitchfork Media included it at #3 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s.[13]
Track listing
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) - 3:56
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (LP Version) - 3:58
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Instrumental) - 4:06
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) - 4:38
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Vibe Instrumental) - 4:30
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Freestyle Remix) - 4:11
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Acapella) - 3:48
- 1994 CD single[16]
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) - 3:56
- "Let Me Ride" (Radio Mix) - 4:22
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) - 4:38
- "Let Me Ride" (Extended Club Mix) - 11:01
- 1992 12" vinyl[17]
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) - 3:56
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (LP Version) - 3:58
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Instrumental) - 4:06
- "A Nigga Witta Gun" - 3:56
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) - 4:38
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Freestyle Remix) - 4:11
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Acapella) - 3:48
- 1994 UK 12" vinyl[18]
- "Let Me Ride" (Radio Mix) - 4:22
- "Let Me Ride" (Extended Club Mix) - 11:01
- "Nuthin' But A "G" Thang" (Freestyle Remix) - 4:11
- 1994 US 12" vinyl[19]
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) - 3:56
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Red Eye Mix) - 4:25
- "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) - 4:38
- "Let Me Ride" (Radio Mix) - 4:22
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Chart (1992-1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[20] | 63 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] | 39 |
UK Singles (OCC)[22] | 31 |
US Billboard Hot 100[23] | 2 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] | 1 |
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[25] | 1 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1993) | Position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100[26][better source needed] | 11 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[28] | Platinum | 1,300,000[27] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
See also
References
- ^ Draper, Dominick 'King Dom' (June 1, 2017). "Hip-hop tracks to jumpstart your summer playlist". AllHipHop. Retrieved October 25, 2017 – via The News Journal.
- ^ Anderson, Errol (January 11, 2013). "Classic Albums: Dr Dre - The Chronic". Clash. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
- ^ The Hot 100 : Mar 20, 1993 | Billboard Chart Archive
- ^ "Experience the Music: One Hit Wonders and the Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
- ^ "Dr. Dre - "Nuthin' but a 'G' thang"". mvdbase.com. December 1, 1992. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ Ashley, Mercedes (December 1, 2010). "To answer, yes this is me in the "Nuthing but a G Thang. Dr Dre Video. Yep, yep. I was 22 at the time". @mercedesashley. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ Friday After Next (2002) - Soundtracks
- ^ GRAMMY.com
- ^ Fringemunks Web site
- ^ "Nuthin' But A Glee Thang with Heather Morris, Matthew Morrison & Sofia Vergara from Heather Morris, Sofia Vergara, Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith, Naya Rivera, Harry Shum Jr, Riki Lindhome, Ashley Lendzion, David Bernad, Isaac Hagy, BoTown Sound, Shauna O'Toole, Funny Or Die, Keith Schofield, Brian Mulchy, and Christin Trogan". Funnyordie.com. January 10, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ http://www.reviler.org/2015/08/14/straight-outta-compton-movie-review-three-takes/
- ^ * * * Q Mag: 150 Rock Lists * * *
- ^ Pitchfork Top 200 Tracks of the 90s
- ^ Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A "G" Thang (CD) at Discogs
- ^ Images for Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang
- ^ Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang (CD) at Discogs
- ^ Images for Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A "G" Thang
- ^ Dr. Dre - Let Me Ride / Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang (Vinyl) at Discogs
- ^ Images for Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- ^ ""G"+Thang&cat=s Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Nuthin' but a "G" Thang". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Dr. Dre Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Dr. Dre Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Dr. Dre Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ . Billboard.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1993. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
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(help) - ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. 106 (3). BPI Communications: 73. January 15, 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "American single certifications – Dr. Dre – Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- Single chart usages for UKchartstats
- 1992 singles
- 1993 singles
- Dr. Dre songs
- Snoop Dogg songs
- Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles
- Billboard Rap Songs number-one singles
- Songs about California
- Song recordings produced by Dr. Dre
- Songs written by Snoop Dogg
- Gangsta rap songs
- G-funk songs
- 1992 songs
- Death Row Records singles
- Songs written by The D.O.C.
- Songs written by Leon Haywood
- Songs written by Dr. Dre