Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Recorded
  
June 1992

Length
  
3:58

Genre
  
Hip hop

Label
  
Death Row 53816

Released
  
November 19, 1992 (CD Only) January 12, 1993 (Cassette) June 18, 1994 (reissue)

Format
  
12" vinyl, CD single, Cassette

"Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" is a duet by American rapper Dr. Dre and rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg from Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). It is the first single from the album. "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Informer" by Snow, outperforming The Chronic's other singles, "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')", which peaked at #8, and "Let Me Ride", which peaked at #34. The single also reached #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a hit in the UK, where it reached #31.

Contents

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. It was later reissued in June 1994 in certain European countries.

Background

The vocals are shared by Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg, who has sole songwriting credit; they drop in trademark references to Long Beach and Compton, California. The song contains samples from Leon Haywood's "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You", "B-Side Wins Again" by Public Enemy and "Uphill (Peace of Mind)" by Kid Dynamite. On the inside cover of The Chronic, under "Credits", Haywood's name is incorrectly given as "L. Hayward". Snoop Dogg's first single from Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told was a sequel to the song titled "Still a G Thang". Dre and Snoop retooled "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" into the titular theme of their 2001 comedy film The Wash.

Music video

The music video, directed by Dr. Dre, depicts Dre coming into Long Beach, California to pick up Snoop and go to a block party. They arrive at the party and perform the first verses outside while a barbecue cookout and a game of volleyball goes on. A female player's bikini top is pulled down, 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 White Sox ball cap, and screen text.

Kris Kross heavily sampled "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" on their 1993 single "I'm Real". The song "Get It Up" by Silkk the Shocker uses the chorus in a reworked form. Ja Rule's track "Livin' It Up" contains a sample of the song. It was nominated for a Grammy Award. The song was parodied by The Fringemunks to recap Fringe episode 2.04 "Momentum Deferred". The song was featured in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on a fictional radio station, Radio Los Santos.

In January 2011 the humor website Funny or Die posted a parody called "Nuthin' But A Glee Thang" about the TV series Glee, co-written by Glee cast member Heather Morris and co-starring Sofia Vergara, Riki Lindhome and Ashley Lendzion. The video features Glee cast members Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith, Harry Shum, Jr. and Naya Rivera. In 2006 Rapper Young Dro Sampled the Music Video for Shoulder Lean. Also Taylor Gang member Chevy Woods Sampled for his music video 30 Deep.

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

Meg and Ruth perform a parody of the song about genetically modified food in the Family Guy episode "The Finer Strings".

The song was used near the end of the Fresh Off The Boat episode, "Boy II Man".

Accolades

"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is listed in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It is Dre's only song on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, ranked number 419, not counting two other songs that feature Dre as producer and on vocals, N.W.A's "Fuck tha Police" and 2Pac's "California Love". Q magazine listed it as the 24th greatest hip-hop song of all time. In September 2010 Pitchfork Media included it at #3 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s.

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

    References

    Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA