Snoop Dogg. Tupac Shakur. Dr. Dre. These names conjure up a lot of different feelings and beliefs depending on one’s background, birthplace, and age. They are all hip hop superstars, legendary rappers who came to prominence during a time when the genre wasn’t the quick route to fame and fortune that it is seen as today. They all helped create and put their stamp on this thing we call rap music. Beside them, though, just a little outside of the brightest part of the spotlight, stood a seemingly quiet young man with a distinct, soulful voice. This man collaborated with the others and played a major part in catapulting each of them to success at the beginning of their careers. His name is Nathaniel Hale. To the world, he is known as Nate Dogg and he passed away yesterday, March 15, 2011. He was only 41.
Words cannot describe Nate’s importance to hip hop. At least, mine can’t. He helped launch so many careers and appeared on so many great and iconic songs. Known for his trademark tied bandanas and his “been there, done that” facial expressions, he could always be counted on to make a good song great. He made singing respectable among the die-hard gangsta types long before anyone had ever heard of T-Pain. Throughout the nineties, he was the go-to man for adding a little softness to an otherwise hardcore record. In the next decade, the quantity of his music may have dropped but never the quality. In life, he was known as a West Coast icon. It took him making the ultimate sacrifice, however, for some to see him for what he really is: a hip hop legend.
It’s ironic. Just the other day I was thinking about Nate’s generation of rappers. Those guys – Ice T, Xzibit, even Jay-Z – all of those guys are middle-aged now. They’re adults with families and responsibilities. I found myself wondering, “How old is too old to be a rapper? Do rappers retire? Or will I one day see those great entertainers in nursing homes and wheelchairs still attempting to ‘rock the mic’ while trying to keep their teeth in?” I laughed at a mental picture I got of Snoop, old with gray hair. It’s just unheard of. When people think of rappers passing on, they typically think of a bloody end. We don’t want to think of rappers as getting old and dying of natural causes. That’s not “cool”. However, as hip hop’s founders and early adopters get on in years, that may become more of a reality – as it should. Nate Dogg was one of the first. His passing was caused by complications following two strokes he had, one in 2007 and one in 2008. Many sources are reporting that his health was said to be improving. His sudden departure caught everyone off guard.
I mean, everyone. I was online late last night when the news broke. I watched as the tweets and articles started rolling out. I witnessed firsthand how artists he had touched and collaborated with reacted when they heard. I looked on as the interest in his music swelled on YouTube. I saw how Nate Dogg instantly became a top trending topic not only in America but around the world. I know, like me, millions of others were numb at the news. I didn’t believe it. I thought maybe Twitter had falsely reported the death of another celebrity. I mean, this is someone who has been around since the beginning, someone whose music still makes its way into iPods and MP3 players. This is someone who has been a fixture in the genre almost since the day it became a genre. This afternoon, rapper The Game tweeted: “NATE was just one of those people you don't expect to hear about passing, so it makes it 10 x harder to accept.” I couldn’t have said it any better. This is truly a sad day for hip hop.
This is a sad day for the world. Nathaniel Hale is not only a great entertainer; he’s also a great person. He’s a father, a son, a cousin, a friend, a neighbor…. He’s unique and remarkable person. And the world has now lost that. I’ve used the word “is” here where many would use “was”. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I disagree with that standard. Just because someone has ceased to live does not mean they have ceased to be. He is, and always will be, still with us. The second reason is that Nate Dogg is a legend and legends never die. He may no longer be able to talk with us or sing to us but the works he left behind are gifts for us to treasure and carry on. So the next time you’re in the mood to listen to some gangsta rap, turn on some Nate Dogg, cut up the volume, and rock it ‘til the wheels fall off.
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