Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang ft. Snoop Dogg

“Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” is the fifth track from producer, songwriter and rapper Dr. Dre’s 1992 album “The Chronic” The rack features rapper Snoop Dogg, who also wrote the track along with Dr. Dre and songwriter Tracy Curry. The song has received critical claim and is considered to be one of the best hip-hop tracks created.

Musician Colin Wolfe, who had worked with Dr. Dre on “The Chronic” album, spoke to WaxPoetics online magazine about how the song came together: “I think Warren G. brought the Leon Haywood sample around for “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang.” Matter of fact, I was the first one to hear the song’s lyrics. Snoop was in jail and used to call up to the house. I picked up one time and Snoop was like, ‘Yo, man, I just wrote this rap called ‘G’ Thang.’ Check it out–tell me if you think Dre gon’ like it.’ He rapped it for me and I said, ‘Hell f*ckin’ yeah!’ We had to record that song three different times, I believe one time the tape was left in the car and got messed up. Another time it got accidentally erased. The only live instrument on there was me playing the [synth] string part and live bass. Dre added an 808 to the kick to make it thump harder.” The track consists of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre talking about each other and their lives and work. The beat is built around a sample from Leon Haywood’s “I Want’a Do Something Freaky To You”.

The music video was directed by Dr.Dre, and consists of Dr.Dre and Snoop Dogg at a party in Long Beach, California. The music video does feature a lot female nudity, drug paraphernalia and logos that are copyrighted, therefore being one censored version of the track and the original, explicit one. Colin Wolfe also spoke about the music video in the interview with WaxPoetics: “Me and Dre were deep into movies. He used to own this thing…a Lucasfilm CD sound library. It cost about $5000. We first used these in the NWA sessions. That’s where all the different sounds came from. Like offices, police stations, and various shit. That inspired Dre to want to get into movies at some point. We actually wrote a script then called The Root of All Evil with [director] Ben Bazmore. Some film people looked at it and there was interest. But we never pursued it or anything.” As of August 2019, the music video has almost 49 million views since its upload on YouTube in May 2009 by UPROXX Video.

Release Date: 19th November 1992

Songwriter/s: Andre Young (Dr. Dre), Tracy Curry & Calvin Broadus (Snoop Dogg)

Producer/s: Dr. Dre

Label/s: Death Row / Interscope / Priority

Music Video Upload Date: 31st May 2009

Music Video Director: Dr.Dre

Chart Rankings, Certifications & Accolades: “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang charted at #1 in two different charts in the US: the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Billboard Hot Rap Songs, as well as #2 in the US Billboard Hot 100. The track also charts at #63 in Australia, #39 in New Zealand and #31 in the UK. The song is certified Platinum in the United States and was selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that has shaped rock and roll. XXL magazine named it as the top hip-hop song of the decade, and in September 2010, Pitchfork Media included it at #3 on their “Top 200 Tracks of the 90s” list.