Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang

"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Dogg, on Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). As the album's first single it reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 20, 1993, behind "Informer" by Snow, outperforming The Chronic's other singles, "Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", which peaked at number 8, and "Let Me Ride", which peaked at number 34. The single also reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a number 31 hit in the UK. Its music video was directed by Dr. Dre himself.

The song was selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. 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. In June 1994, it was reissued in certain European countries.

Background
Dr. Dre stated that he met Snoop Dogg while the latter was in prison. Warren G brought him a cassette tape of Snoop Dogg. He popped in and listened to it, and he was like “wow I have to meet him”. After meeting Snoop Dogg, he decided to make "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang", the song he was working to as a featured song and asked Snoop Dogg to add vocals on it. Snoop Dogg, while in prison, recorded the original version of the song's vocals on a phone. Dr Dre stated that “The original version of Nuthin but a 'G' Thang, he called in and I take the receiver of the phone to the mic. You can hear jail sounds in the back and everything, he's “1, 2, 3 and to the 4…””.

Critical reception
Peter Paphides from Melody Maker wrote, "The thing that makes Dr Dre's music so ace (in the case of "Nuthin' but a G Thang") is the fluidity of the rhymes and a salubrious touch of swingbeat arrangements that sweeten the blow of the lithe, luminous rhythm section. The subject matter — a slimy soliloquy on how Dre and guest rapper Snoop Doggy Dog like their woman — is best taken with a pinch of salt."

Music video
The accompanying music video for "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang", directed by Dr. Dre, depicts Dre coming into Long Beach, California to pick up Snoop and go to a block party. Mingling at the party, they perform the first verses with a barbecue cookout and a game of volleyball nearby. A female player's (Mercedes Ashley) 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 Chicago White Sox ball cap, and screen text. Many artists appeared in video, including The D.O.C., Warren G, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, RBX and Suga Free.

In popular culture

 * In the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton, the song is shown being improvised by Snoop Dogg (Lakeith Stanfield) and Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins).

Accolades
"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is listed in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2003, it was ranked at number 419 Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, moving up to number 29 in a 2021 update. Q magazine listed it as the 24th greatest hip hop song of all time and is featured in the game Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. In September 2010 Pitchfork Media included it at number 3 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s.

Criticism
In 1998, CBS reported that Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), who sought hearings in the Senate Commerce Science and Transportation Committee, said he was "concerned that the music industry is marketing its most violent and misogynist music to teens." The report added, "While industry executives assert that children are protected from this music, much evidence suggests that most hyper-violent albums are bought by children." Advisory labels were an outcome of the hearings.

Musically, the funk orientation in hip-hop is often linked to "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" but its roots were laid by another rap group, Above the Law. "Nuthin' But a G Thang echoes Above the Law's Never Missin' a Beat" [sic], according to a 2016 article in The Guardian. Both groups interpolated the signature funk grooves of Parliament-Funkadelic.

Live performances
Dre and Snoop performed the song live at the 1993 MTV Movie Awards on July 13, 1993. They also performed the song live at the 1994 Soul Train Music Awards on March 15, 1994.

Track listing

 * 1992 CD single
 * 1) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) – 3:56
 * 2) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (LP Version) – 3:58
 * 3) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Instrumental) – 4:06
 * 4) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) – 4:38
 * 5) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Vibe Instrumental) – 4:30
 * 6) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Freestyle Remix) – 4:11


 * 1994 CD single
 * 1) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) – 3:56
 * 2) "Let Me Ride" (Radio Mix) – 4:22
 * 3) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) – 4:38
 * 4) "Let Me Ride" (Extended Club Mix) – 11:01


 * 1992 12" vinyl
 * 1) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) – 3:56
 * 2) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (LP Version) – 3:58
 * 3) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Instrumental) – 4:06
 * 4) "A Nigga Witta Gun" – 3:56
 * 5) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) – 4:38
 * 6) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Freestyle Remix) – 4:11


 * 1994 UK 12" vinyl
 * 1) "Let Me Ride" (Radio Mix) – 4:22
 * 2) "Let Me Ride" (Extended Club Mix) – 11:01
 * 3) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Freestyle Remix) – 4:11


 * 1994 US 12" vinyl
 * 1) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Radio Mix) – 3:56
 * 2) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Red Eye Mix) – 4:25
 * 3) "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" (Club Mix) – 4:38
 * 4) "Let Me Ride" (Radio Mix) – 4:22