G-Funk Classics, Vol. 2: The Prodigal Son

Audio Mixers: Lance Pierre; Nate Dogg.
Recording information: Dogg Foundation Studios, Dogg Pound, CA.
Over the course of The Prodigal Son, the listener is given a tour of the hip-hop world as seen through the eyes of Nate Dogg, and it's an illuminating journey indeed. While Dogg doesn't shy away from the realities of the gangsta world in his lyrics, his rapping M.O. is miles away from the in-your-face style of many of his peers. The arrangements are sparse and understated; there's no PE-style polyphony here, but there are precious few jeep-beats either. Nate Dogg's musical aesthetic is informed by old-school soul and even a touch of jazz, making for some unassumingly seductive backdrops to his lyrical observations. It doesn't hurt that Dogg receives some assistance here from the likes of Snoop and Warren G, but ultimately, it's Dogg's own low-key style that makes his music signify. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine