View source for G-funk

{{Short description|Music genre}}
{{About||the record label|G-Funk Entertainment|the documentary|G-Funk (film)}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = G-funk
| stylistic_origins = {{flatlist|
* [[West Coast hip-hop]]
* [[gangsta rap]]<ref name="genre overview"/><ref name="thesource">{{Cite web|date=2017-12-15|title=Today in Hip Hop History: Dr Dre's 'The Chronic' Was Released 25 Years Ago|url=https://thesource.com/2017/12/15/today-hip-hop-history-dr-dres-chronic-released-25-years-ago/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=The Source|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="vibe">{{Cite web|last=Rogulewski|first=Charley|date=2013-12-11|title=A Return To G-Funk: Snoop Dogg & Dam-Funk Look Back To Move Forward|url=https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/return-g-funk-snoop-dogg-dam-funk-look-back-move-forward-197058/|access-date=2021-08-06|website=VIBE.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[funk]]<ref name="thesource"/><ref name="vibe"/>
* [[psychedelic funk]]<ref name="xxl">{{cite web |author1=Christopher Hunter |date=March 16, 2017 |title=Warren G Is Releasing a Documentary on the History of G-Funk - XXL |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/warren-g-documentary-g-funk/ |website=XXL Mag |language=en |access-date=2021-06-17}}</ref>
}}
| cultural_origins  = Late 1980s, [[Greater Los Angeles]], [[California]]
| instruments       = {{flatlist|
{{hlist|[[Disc_jockey#Equipment|DJ equipments]]}}
{{hlist|[[Turntablism|turntable]]s|[[DJ mixer]]|}}
{{hlist|[[Sampler (musical instrument)|sampler]] and [[Music sequencer|MIDI sequencer]]}}
{{hlist|[[Akai MPC60]]|[[E-mu SP-1200]]}}
{{hlist|[[drum machine]]}}
{{hlist|[[Roland TR-808]]}}
{{hlist|[[synthesizer]]}}
{{hlist|[[Minimoog]]}}
{{hlist|[[electric piano]]}}
{{hlist|[[electric guitar]]}}
{{hlist|[[electric bass guitar]]}}
}}
| regional_scenes   = [[Greater Los Angeles]], [[California]]
| local_scenes      = {{hlist|[[Compton, California|Compton]]|[[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]]|[[Watts, Los Angeles|Watts]]|[[South Los Angeles|South]]}}
| other_topics      = * [[Mobb music|Mobb]]
* [[hyphy]]
* [[funktronica]]
}}
[[File:Oceanside.wav|thumb|262x262px|Example of a G-funk instrumental]]
'''G-funk''', short for '''gangsta funk''', (or '''funk rap'''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://c-litchmo.medium.com/why-g-funk-is-so-damn-important-61bfc540e3fd | title=Why G-Funk is So Damn Important | date=17 October 2017 }}</ref>) is a sub-genre of [[gangsta rap]] that emerged from the [[West Coast hip-hop|West Coast]] scene in the early 1990s. The genre is heavily influenced by the [[synthesizer]]-heavy 1970s [[funk]] sound of [[Parliament-Funkadelic]] (aka P-Funk), often incorporated through samples or re-recordings.<ref name="xxl" /> It is represented by commercially successful albums such as [[Dr. Dre]]'s ''[[The Chronic]]'' (1992), [[Snoop Dogg]]'s ''[[Doggystyle]]'' (1993), and [[Tupac Shakur|2Pac]]'s ''[[All Eyez on Me]]'' (1996).

==Characteristics==
G-funk, which uses [[funk]] with an artificially altered [[tempo]], incorporates multi-layered and melodic [[Synthesizer|synthesizers]], slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, heavy use of the snare drum, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of [[P-Funk]] tunes, and a high-pitched [[portamento]] saw wave synthesizer lead. G-funk is typically set at between 90 and 100 [[Tempo|BPM]].<ref>[http://www.hiphopmusichistory.com/subgenres/g-funk/ G funk] hiphopmusichistory.com Retrieved 20 May 2024</ref> The lyrical content depended on the artist; it could consist of sex, drug use (especially [[marijuana]]), love for a city, and love for friends. There was also a slurred "lazy" or "smooth" way of [[rapping]] in order to clarify words and stay in [[rhythmic cadence]]. Many R&B and pop singles of the 1990s incorporated the G-funk sound to their music.

The trademark West Coast G-funk style of hip-hop was a very defining element of the region's music. The genre helped distinguish West Coast hip-hop from the rivaling rap scene on the East Coast. In essence,  the smooth, slow-tempo sound of G-funk accompanied the perceived "laid-back" stereotype of Californian culture whereas East Coast hip-hop typically featured more aggressive attitudes alongside a fast-paced tempo (e.g. [[hardcore hip-hop]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcheights.com/2018/03/25/east-coast-west-coast/,%20https://www.bcheights.com/2018/03/25/east-coast-west-coast/|title=East Coast, West Coast - The Heights|first=Emily|last=Himes|website=Bcheights.com|date=25 March 2018|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/style/east-coast-rap-ma0000002563|title=East Coast Rap Music Genre Overview|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref>

Unlike other earlier rap acts that also utilized funk samples (such as [[EPMD]] and [[the Bomb Squad]]), G-funk often utilized fewer, unaltered samples per song.<ref>{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Ethan |url=https://archive.org/details/queensreignssupr00brow |title=Queens Reigns Supreme: Fat Cat, 50 Cent, and the Rise of the Hip Hop Hustler |date=November 22, 2005 |publisher=Anchor |isbn=1-4000-9523-9 |chapter=Straight Outta Hollis |quote=[Unlike] popular hip-hop producers like the Bomb Squad, Dre instead utilized a single sample to drive a song. |url-access=registration}}</ref> Music theorist Adam Krims has described G-funk as "a style of generally West Coast rap whose musical tracks tend to deploy live instrumentation, heavy on bass and keyboards, with minimal (sometimes no) sampling and often highly conventional harmonic progressions and harmonies".<ref>{{cite book |last=Krims |first=Adam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gg8UiSodjz8C&q=%22g-funk%22&pg=PA75 |title=Rap Music and the Poetics of Identity |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2000 |isbn=0-521-63447-4 |location=Cambridge |page=74 |access-date=2008-08-02}}</ref> [[Dr. Dre]], a pioneer of the G-funk genre, normally uses live musicians to replay the original music of sampled records. This enabled him to produce music that had his own sounds, rather than a direct copy of the sample.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hilburn |first=Robert |date=September 23, 2007 |title=The Dr.'s Always In |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-dre23sep23-story.html}}</ref>

==History and origins==
===1988–1992: Beginnings===
Although it is a predominantly West Coast sound, one of the earliest examples of hip-hop making strong use of synths over funky samples is "The R"; the track was released in mid-1988 by New York duo [[Eric B. & Rakim]]. The origins of the style, however, are mainly attributed to [[Dr. Dre]]. Dr. Dre produced tracks by [[N.W.A]] such as "[[Dope Man]]" (1987) and "[[Gangsta Gangsta]]" (1988), both of which sampled the squealing synth solo from [[Ohio Players]]' "[[Funky Worm]]" that would later go on to be sampled many times by other artists, including Michigan duo [[MC Breed & DFC]] on their mid-1991 hit "[[Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin']]". This solo, moreover, provided the blueprint for G-funk's distinctive synth tone in later years. Dre also produced [[the D.O.C.]]'s "[[It's Funky Enough]]" and "[[The Formula (song)|The Formula]]" in 1989,<ref>{{cite web |author1=Trent Fitzgerald |date=June 30, 2018 |title='Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang, Baby: Watch 'G Funk' Official Trailer |url=https://theboombox.com/watch-g-funk-official-trailer-video/ |website=The Boombox |language=en |access-date=2021-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s - Page 4 |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-1980s/?page=4 |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Pitchfork | date=10 September 2018 |language=en}}</ref> the former being an early minor hit for the genre, reaching No. 12 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The D.O.C. |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-d-o-c/chart-history/bsi/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Two years later, in 1991, N.W.A released another early example of the genre with their album ''[[Niggaz4Life]]'';<ref>{{cite web  |date=2015-07-28 |title=efiL4zaggiN: N.W.A.'s 4gotten Masterpiece |url=https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.2951/title.efil4zaggin-n-w-a-s-4gotten-masterpiece |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=HipHopDX}}</ref> the album reached No. 1 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]],<ref>{{cite magazine |title=N.W.A |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/n.w.a/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and No. 2 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=N.W.A |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/n.w.a/chart-history/blp/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The same year, Ice Cube's diss track towards N.W.A, "[[No Vaseline]]", was made in the style.<ref name="fact" /> Dr. Dre, who produced ''[[No One Can Do It Better]]'' and ''Niggaz4Life'', is often seen as the originator/creator of the G-funk sound.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dr. Dre {{!}} Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dr-dre-mn0000805274/biography |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref><ref name="genre overview">{{cite web |title=G-Funk Music Genre Overview |url=https://www.allmusic.com/style/g-funk-ma0000011824 |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> However, these claims have been disputed with [[Cold 187um]] (a member of [[Above the Law (group)|Above the Law]]) claiming that he came up with the name and sound.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dr. Dre Perfected G-Funk, But He Didn't Invent It—Gregory Hutchinson Did |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2017/07/the-inventor-of-g-funk-interview |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Complex |language=en}}</ref>

===1992–1997: Mainstream peak===
The genre experienced a breakout year in 1992, with Dr. Dre dropping his album ''[[The Chronic]]''. The album was a massive success.  It had three top 40 singles: "[[Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang]]", the Eazy-E diss "[[Dre Day]]", and "[[Let Me Ride]]."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Dr. Dre - Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dr-dre/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> It also reached No. 3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]],<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Dr. Dre - Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dr.-dre/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Dr. Dre - Top R&B/Hip-Hop |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dr-dre/chart-history/blp/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album was eventually certified Triple Platinum by the [[RIAA]] in 1993 for selling three-million copies;<ref>{{cite web |title=Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=RIAA |language=en-US}}</ref> it has also been selected by the [[Library of Congress]] for preservation in the [[National Recording Registry]] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{cite news |date=March 25, 2020 |title=National Recording Registry Class Produces Ultimate 'Stay at Home' Playlist |work=[[Library of Congress]] |url=https://loc.gov/item/prn-20-023/ |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> Though G-funk had previously existed, Dr. Dre's [[The Chronic]] is often seen as the beginning of the genre.<ref>Stephen Thomas Erlewine. [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p26119|pure_url=yes}} "Dr. Dre"], [[AllMusic]]. Retrieved December 2, 2008.</ref><ref name="genre overview" /> 
[[File:Dr. Dre in 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Dr. Dre]], considered a pioneer of G-funk.]]

The following year had numerous successful songs and albums, [[Ice Cube|Ice Cube's]] songs "[[It Was a Good Day]]" and "[[Check Yo Self]]"; both made it to the top 20 (peaking at No. 15 and No. 20 respectively)<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Ice Cube - Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/ice-cube/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and were both certified at least gold.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ice Cube - RIAA |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=RIAA |language=en-US}}</ref> "It Was a Good Day" is commonly placed high on best of lists for the genre, being considered "one of the best G-Funk tracks ever made".<ref>{{cite web |date=2017-03-02 |title=Ice Cube has launched a charity clothing range to support autism |url=https://www.factmag.com/2017/03/02/ice-cube-charity-clothing-range-autism-speaks/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Fact Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="fact">{{cite web |date=2016-07-26 |title=The 30 best G-Funk tracks of all time |url=https://www.factmag.com/2016/07/26/best-g-funk-tracks/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Fact Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Snoop Dogg released his first album ''[[Doggystyle]]'', which debuted at No. 1 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Snoop Dogg - Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/snoop-dogg/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album contained the hits "[[Gin and Juice]]" and "[[What's My Name? (Snoop Doggy Dogg song)|What's My Name?]]"; both songs reached No. 8 on the Hot 100.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Snoop Dogg - Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/snoop-dogg/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album was certified Quadruple Platinum, and both singles were certified gold.<ref>{{cite web |title=Snoop Dogg - Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=RIAA |language=en-US}}</ref> Eazy-E released the G-funk-influenced album ''[[It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa - Eazy-E {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic |website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/its-on-dr-dre-187um-killa-mw0000105113 |language=en |access-date=2021-06-11}}</ref> which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Eazy-E |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/eazy-e/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and contained the No. 42 hit "[[Real Muthaphuckkin G's]]",<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Hot 100 Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1994-01-08 |access-date=2021-06-11 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> which was made as a response to Dre's song "Dre Day" from the previous year.<ref>Sacha Jenkins, Elliott Wilson, Gabe Alvarez, Jeff Mao & Brent Rollins, eds., ''[[Ego Trip (magazine)|Ego Trip]]'s Book of Rap Lists'' (New York: [[St. Martin's Press]], 2014), [https://books.google.com/books?id=sB3SAgAAQBAJ&dq=Real+Muthaphuckkin'+G's+Dre+Eazy+Dresta+Knocc+Out&pg=PA237 p 237].</ref>

The genre's popularity grew even bigger in 1994. This was early because of [[Warren G|Warren G's]] song "[[Regulate (song)|Regulate]]", which was featured on the [[Above the Rim (soundtrack)|''Above the Rim'' soundtrack]]. The single reached the top 10 peaking at No. 2.<ref name="w100">{{cite magazine |title=Warren G - Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/warren-g/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> His album ''[[Regulate... G Funk Era]]'' which also contained the song, and another top 10 hit "This D.J.", reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.<ref name="w200">{{cite magazine |title=Warren G - Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/warren-g/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Popular rapper [[MC Hammer]] went for a more gangsta image and G-funk sound on his album ''[[The Funky Headhunter]]'',<ref>{{cite journal |last=Aaron |first=Charles |date=April 1994 |title=Hammer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1SsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA99 |journal=Vibe Vixen |publisher=[[Vibe Media Group|Vibe Media]] |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=99–100 |issn=1070-4701 |access-date=June 1, 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Juon |first=Steve 'Flash' |title=Hammer :: The Funky Headhunter – RapReviews |url=https://www.rapreviews.com/2020/09/hammer-the-funky-headhunter/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |language=en-US}}</ref> which contained the No. 26 single "[[Pumps and a Bump]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=M.C. Hammer |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/m.c.-hammer/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The G-funk group [[Thug Life (band)|Thug Life]], featuring [[Tupac Shakur|2Pac]], released their first and only album, ''[[Thug Life: Volume 1]]''; it peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Thug Life - Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/thug-life/chart-history |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album had minor hit single with "Cradle to the Grave". The song charted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and on the Hot Rap Songs charts; it placed No. 91 on the former and No. 25 on the latter.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Thug Life - R&B/Rap |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/thug-life/chart-history/bsi/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Thug Life - Hot Rap |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/thug-life/chart-history/rap/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> West coast rapper [[Coolio]] released his debut album ''[[It Takes a Thief (album)|It Takes a Thief]]'' in 1994. The album peaked at No. 8;<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Coolio - Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/coolio/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> it contains the Top-10 hit "[[Fantastic Voyage (Coolio song)|Fantastic Voyage]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Coolio - Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/coolio/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>

In 1995, [[Tupac Shakur|2Pac]] released the album ''[[Me Against the World]]''; although it is not entirely G-funk, the album has been described as having "half the record [resound] to the boom and bap of New York" while having "the rest [shimmer] in a G-funk haze". The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200,<ref name="B200">{{cite magazine |title=2Pac |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and was certified Double Platinum.<ref>{{cite web |title=Me Against the World - Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=RIAA |language=en-US}}</ref> Later in the year,<ref>{{cite web |last=Allah |first=Sha Be |date=2015-12-03 |title=The Source {{!}}Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac's "California Love" Featuring Dr. Dre Turns 20 |url=https://thesource.com/2015/12/03/today-in-hip-hop-history-tupacs-california-love-featuring-dr-dre-turns-20/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=The Source |language=en-US}}</ref> he released the G-funk classic<ref name="fact" /> "[[California Love]]" which as a double A-side with "[[How Do U Want It]]", hit No. 1 on the Hot 100.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=2Pac |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/2pac/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> In October 1995,  [[Tha Dogg Pound]] released their debut album ''[[Dogg Food]]'' and it debuted at No. 1 on the billboard, continuing G-funk's dominance in the mainstream with the top 50 singles "[[New York, New York (Tha Dogg Pound song)|New York, New York]]" and "[[Let's Play House]]".

In 1996, the super-group [[Westside Connection]] released ''[[Bow Down]]''. The album had two hit singles, "[[Bow Down (Westside Connection song)|Bow Down]]" and "[[Gangstas Make the World Go Round]]", which peaked at No. 21 and No. 40, respectively.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Westside Connection - Hot 100 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/westside-connection/chart-history/hsi/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> The album itself peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Westside Connection - Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/westside-connection/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> and was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 1997.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bow Down - Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=RIAA |language=en-US}}</ref> 2Pac released his album ''[[All Eyez on Me]]'', which has been described as "lush G-funk" and as having a "commercial G-funk sheen".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Best Tupac Songs |url=https://www.complex.com/music/the-best-tupac-songs/ |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=Complex |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web  |date=2015-11-05 |title=Makaveli & Riskie: A Conversation with Death Row Graphic Artist Ronald "Riskie" Brent |url=https://hiphopdx.com/interviews/id.2807/title.makaveli-riskie-a-conversation-with-death-row-graphic-artist-ronald-riskie-brent |access-date=2021-06-12 |website=HipHopDX}}</ref> The album hit No. 1.<ref name="B200" /> In 1997, Warren G released his second album, ''[[Take a Look Over Your Shoulder]]'', which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200;<ref name="w200" /> it had two Top-40 singles, a cover of "[[I Shot the Sheriff]]" and "[[Smokin' Me Out]]".<ref name="w100" />

Although the majority of G-funk music has come out of [[California]], the overall sound has been utilized by additional US rappers and hip-hop groups that were based in other states across the U.S. during the time of the style's popularity in the 1990s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1433897/scarface-former-geto-boy-keeps-gangsta-rap-alive/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412022124/http://www.mtv.com/news/1433897/scarface-former-geto-boy-keeps-gangsta-rap-alive/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2022|title=Scarface: Former Geto Boy Keeps Gangsta Rap Alive|website=Mtv.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> Some of the most notable of these artists include [[Outkast]] ([[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sites.utexas.edu/leahkatelynrose/2018/11/25/the-southern-variety-of-outkast-and-dj-screw/|title=The Southern Variety of Outkast and DJ Screw|website=Sites.utexas.edu|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> [[G-Slimm]] ([[Louisiana]]),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2016/06/new-orleans-rap|title=Beyond Soulja Slim: Remembering the Lost Heroes of New Orleans Rap|website=Daily.redbullmusicacademy.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.3038/title.charles-big-boy-temple-passes-away-as-cash-moneys-most-legitimate-rival-new-orleans-hip-hop-pioneer|title=Charles "Big Boy" Temple Passes Away As Cash Money's Most Legitimate Rival & New Orleans Hip Hop Pioneer|date=25 September 2015|website=HipHopDX|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> [[Bone Thugs-n-Harmony]] ([[Ohio]]),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/2022/3/10/22970562/bone-thugs-n-harmonys-e-1999-eternal-a-midwestern-g-funk-classic|title=Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's 'E. 1999 Eternal,' a Midwestern G-Funk Classic|first=Brandon|last=Jenkins|date=10 March 2022|website=The Ringer|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/undefined|title=Still Creepin'|website=MemphisFlyer|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@zaccschlegel/raw-take-on-e-1999-eternal-by-bone-thugs-n-harmony-44881963016f|title=Raw take on "E. 1999 Eternal" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony|first=Zacc|last=Schlegel|website=Medium.com|date=30 October 2018|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> [[Tela (rapper)|Tela]] ([[Tennessee]]),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alibris.com/search/music/upc/724384985622|title=The World Ain't Enuff (2000): Tela|website=Alibris.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> [[Top Authority]] ([[Michigan]]),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nts.live/artists/57243-top-authority|title=Top Authority &#124; Discover music on NTS|website=Nts.live|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skeyelandenterprises.ning.com/page/top-authority-1|title=Top Authority|website=Skeyelandenterprises.ning.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> [[E.S.G. (rapper)|E.S.G.]] ([[Texas]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/the-portal/xl-middleton-guide-tog-funk|title=XL Middleton's Guide To G-funk - The Wire|website=Thewire.co.uk|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/user/notbuzzzila/album/74035-ocean-of-funk/|title=notbuzzzila's Review of 'Ocean of Funk' by E.S.G.|website=Album of The Year|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> and [[DMG (rapper)|DMG]] ([[Minnesota]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_rigormortiz.html|title=DMG :: Rigormortiz :: Face II Face/Rap-A-Lot Records|website=Rapreviews.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref>

In the 1990s, [[Houston]], [[Texas]], had a small, but noteworthy, G-funk scene at the peak of the genre's popularity. Artists from the city include the [[Geto Boys]], [[Blac Monks]], [[E.S.G. (rapper)|E.S.G.]], [[5th Ward Boyz]], Street Military, [[Big Mello]], [[Scarface (rapper)|Scarface]], [[Ganksta N-I-P]], [[Bushwick Bill]], Big 50, [[5th Ward Juvenilez]] and [[South Circle]].<ref>[https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/houston-rap-20-year-anniversary-scarface-ug] {{dead link|date=April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegoodoldayz.com/artist/big-50/949.html|title=Big 50 (Tray Duce Records) in Houston &#124; Rap|website=Thegoodoldayz.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref>

===1997–present: Influences on modern hip-hop===
In the late 1990s and 2000s, G-funk music significantly declined in mainstream popularity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://centralsauce.com/g-funk-producers-samples|title=Anatomy of the Funk: G-Funk Deconstructed|date=17 June 2019|website=CentralSauce Collective|access-date=25 April 2022|archive-date=30 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130165740/https://centralsauce.com/g-funk-producers-samples|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehundreds.com/blogs/content/the-true-home-of-g-funk-long-beach|title=Long Beach :: The True Home of G-Funk|website=The Hundreds|date=24 August 2014 |access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> Dr. Dre's 1999 album ''[[2001 (Dr. Dre album)|2001]]'', produced by [[Mel-Man]], was noted as "reinvent[ing] his sound, moving away from G-funk to something more gothic and string-heavy."<ref>[https://genius.com/a/how-suge-knight-forced-dr-dre-to-change-his-album-title-to-2001 Knowledge Drop: How Suge Knight Forced Dr. Dre To Change His Album Title To ‘2001’]</ref>

In 2001, Warren G released his fourth studio album, ''[[The Return of the Regulator]]''. The album includes "[[Here Comes Another Hit]]" , (which featured [[Nate Dogg]] and [[Mista Grimm]]) and [[Lookin' at You]] (featuring [[LaToiya Williams]]). The album can be considered a return to the roots of G-funk West Coast gangsta music, but it sold less than the rapper's two previous albums.

Midwestern rapper [[Tech N9ne]] made use of the G-funk style on his early releases, most notably his second studio album, ''[[The Worst (Tech N9ne album)|The Worst]]'' (2000).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/is-tech-n9ne-in-top-10-territory-news.115255.html|title=Is Tech N9ne In Top 10 Territory?|date=31 July 2020|website=HotNewHipHop|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/xxl-presents-the-30-most-essential-tech-n9ne-songs/|title=The 30 Most Essential Tech N9ne Songs - XXL|first=B. J. SteinerB J.|last=Steiner|website=XXL Mag|date=25 July 2013 |access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> His 2001 follow-up album, ''[[Anghellic]]'', incorporated the subgenre's characteristics to a much lesser extent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.strangemusicinc.com/2011/02/tech-n9ne/say-hello-to-tech-n9ne-an-in-depth-look-at-anghellic-reparation/|title='Say Hello To Tech N9ne' – An In-Depth Look At Anghellic: Reparation|website=Strange Music Inc.|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref>

Most recently, starting in the 2010s, many contemporary West Coast rappers have released albums which contain strong G-funk influences. Examples include [[Kendrick Lamar]] with ''[[Good Kid, M.A.A.D City]]'' as well as ''[[To Pimp a Butterfly]]'', [[YG (rapper)|YG]] with ''[[Still Brazy]]'', [[Schoolboy Q]] with ''[[Blank Face LP]]'', [[Nipsey Hussle]] with ''[[Victory Lap (Nipsey Hussle album)|Victory Lap]]'', [[Buddy (rapper)|Buddy]] with ''[[Harlan & Alondra]]'' and [[Tech N9ne]] with ''[[The Gates Mixed Plate]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/the-l-a-roots-of-kendrick-lamars-to-pimp-a-butterfly|title=The L.A. Roots of Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly'|date=25 March 2015|website=Kcet.org|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/with-to-pimp-a-butterfly-kendrick-lamar-brushes-all-hip-hop-rivals-aside/2015/03/17/6228c1c6-ccd5-11e4-8c54-ffb5ba6f2f69_story.html|title=With "To Pimp a Butterfly," Kendrick Lamar brushes all hip-hop rivals aside|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2426200-Tech-N9ne-Collabos-The-Gates-Mixed-Plate|title=Tech N9ne Collabos - The Gates Mixed Plate|access-date=25 April 2022|website=Discogs.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2018/07/buddy-and-artists-keeping-g-funk-alive/|title=Buddy & The Artists Keeping G-Funk Alive in 2018|website=Complex.com|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=16 May 2018 |title=The Story Behind Kendrick Lamar's 'good kid m.A.A.d city' |url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/2016/10/26/kendrick-lamar-good-kid-maad-city-analysis/ |website=Highsnobiety.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Gangsta rap]]
* [[Golden age hip-hop]]
* [[List of G-funk artists and producers]]
* [[Ice-T]]
* [[Ice Cube]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{hiphop}}
{{Funkmusic}}
{{P-Funk}}

[[Category:G-funk| ]]
[[Category:1990s in music]]
[[Category:2000s in music]]
[[Category:2010s in music]]
[[Category:2020s in music]]
[[Category:Hip-hop genres]]
[[Category:Funk genres]]
[[Category:Music of California]]
[[Category:Music of Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Music of the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:West Coast hip-hop]]
[[Category:1990s neologisms]]