Nuthin' But A "G" Thang

"Nuthin' But A G Thang" is a gangsta rap classic dealing with the lifestyle of music, money and violence (the "G" stands for "Gangsta"). These were all topics Dr. Dre covered in his band N.W.A, but this track has a very different feel. Smooth and laid-back, it channels the '70s with a funky sample of Leon Haywood's 1975 hit, "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You."

This is the song that brought G-funk to the masses. It was played in dance clubs, on R&B radio, and even on some of the more adventurous Pop stations. N.W.A had a substantial hit with "Straight Outta Compton" in 1988, but "G Thang" was much bigger, climbing to #2 on the Hot 100, held off the top spot by the Canadian reggae rapper Snow's "Informer." (At the time, Snow was serving jail time in Toronto for assault.)

Dr. Dre's protégé Snoop Doggy Dogg features on this track. Dre introduced him on the 1992 cut "Deep Cover," but for most of us, "Nuthin' But A G Thang" was the first time we heard Snoop, who changed the game by coming hard with a mellow flow that contrasted well with Dre's gruff delivery. Snoop, who raps on several Chronic tracks, soon became a superstar but had to beat a murder rap along the way. He was arrested in August 1993 after his bodyguard shot and killed a rival in a Los Angeles park, and didn't get his innocent verdict until 1996.