Nate Dogg

Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American R&B singer, rapper, and songwriter. He gained recognition for providing soulful choruses and other guest vocals on several well-known rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning him the honorific title "King of Hooks". Hale began his career in 1990 as a member of 213, a hip-hop trio formed with his cousin Snoop Dogg and friend Warren G until their disbandment due to his death in 2011. Hale received attention for his appearance on the latter's 1994 single "Regulate", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards. Hale became a fixture on the West Coast hip-hop scene, frequently collaborating with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Xzibit in the 1990s; his deep vocals became sought after for hooks, and began working with other artists throughout the 2000s including Eminem, 50 Cent, Fabolous, Mos Def, and Ludacris. As a featured artist, Hale performed on 16 Billboard Hot 100 chart entries, which includes his appearance on the number one-single "21 Questions" by 50 Cent. Hale also guest appeared on the singles "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre, as well as "'Till I Collapse" and "Shake That" by Eminem. Hale released three studio albums, as well as a string of moderately successful singles as a primary artist in the 1990s. On March 15, 2011, after suffering multiple strokes, Hale died at the age of 41 of congestive heart failure.