The Story Behind The Sample: How Warren G created ‘Regulate’
Warren G was one of the integral producers of West Coast hip-hop, with many hits to his name that helped define an era of the genre. Alongside Dr. Dre, Warren G was a pioneering force behind the creation of G-funk, a sound characterized by its heavy reliance on sampling old funk records.
Sampling has always been at the heart of hip-hop, shaping its unique sound from the very beginning. It’s incredible how you can be grooving to a beat and not even realise it’s a sample until a friend points it out, adding a whole new layer of appreciation to the music.
With that notion, we return to one of Warren G’s most well-known productions, ‘Regulate’, featuring Nate Dogg and standing out as a prime example. Much of its structure is actually derived from a track by Michael McDonald, showcasing how a classic sample can be transformed into a new hip-hop classic.
‘Regulate’ samples Michael McDonald’s 1982 single ‘I Keep Forgettin” from his album If That’s What It Takes and was featured on the soundtrack for the film Above The Rim. The music video for the track also includes scenes from the movie, blending the worlds of hip-hop and cinema.
During an interview with Billboard, the rapper and producer (real name Warren Griffin) revealed how he came across the record. According to Griffin, he purchased the vinyl from a dealer outside of Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in L.A. and recognised the song immediately, disclosing, “I was like, ‘Wow, this is an incredible record—plus it’s a record my stepmom and my pops used to play,” Warren says. “It brought back feelings for me of living with my parents when we lived in North Long Beach. They used to jam with some good music, man.”
Still within LA county, but over a decade prior, in 1982, the sampled song was recorded in Warner Bros Recording Studio in North Hollywood. Recorded as the lead single for McDonald’s album, the song was highly successful upon release and reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
The most important part of the song, and indeed the most catchy part, is the bass riff, which was, in fact, not played by McDonald but by the renowned bassist Louis Johnson. Johnson was considered the best funk bassist in the world during his tenure and was one of the leading session players used for the world’s best-selling album, Thriller, by Michael Jackson.
Although Johnson is credited as the song’s bass player, the song was released under McDonald’s name. In an interview years after the release of ‘Regulate, McDonald recalled that on one occasion, he was recognised and lauded by Griffin for his work, revealing, “The fact that he saw me on the street and recognised me, I thought, was kind of funny. I wouldn’t think of myself as a recording artist that, in his generation, you’d know what I look like.”
Speaking to Billboard about McDonald, Griffin stated, “I’m a fan. I’m still a fan. I really love his work, man. I think he’s one of the greatest of all time. His voice is incredible.” His sister Maureen McDonald assisted McDonald with vocals for ‘I Keep Forgettin’.
In a 2011 interview with DJ Skee for Dash Radio, Griffin revealed that the song was recorded inside a closet in his apartment on Long Beach Boulevard. You can hear the sample and the entire track below.