Warren G admitted he was frustrated that his longtime collaborators Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg wouldn’t take his call the day of the 2022 Super Bowl.
During an interview with Ugly Money TV, the “Regulate” rapper explained Snoop hooked him up with a ticket to the game, but when it came time to go backstage, nobody would pick up the phone. He had his son with him and was eager to reunite with his West Coast brethren.
“I couldn’t even backstage,” he said. “I called everybody I knew. Nobody would answer they phone. I couldn’t get backstage—none of that. I didn’t give a f### about performing, I just wanted to take my son down to see all my folks, just to be around and s###. That’s what I was on. I didn’t care about performing. That’s how Dre wanted it.”
The 2022 Super Bowl halftime show took place at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. It marked the first time Hip-Hop took center stage at the NFL’s marquee event. Headlined by Dr. Dre, a Compton native, the event assembled a powerhouse lineup that included Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and a surprise appearance by 50 Cent. The nearly 14-minute spectacle celebrated the genre’s dominance in popular music and its deep roots in Los Angeles.
The set design itself paid homage to local landmarks like Tam’s Burgers and the Compton courthouse, further grounding the performance in Dre’s West Coast heritage. The show opened with Dre and Snoop performing “The Next Episode” and “California Love,” setting a festive tone that continued through 50 Cent’s “In Da Club,” Blige’s R&B anthems and Lamar’s high-energy segment, before culminating with Eminem and a return to Dre’s own catalog.
Warren G would’ve been a welcome addition. After all, he’s also a pivotal figure in West Coast Hip-Hop and one of the architects of the G-funk movement that defined the genre in the 1990s. Rising to fame with his 1994 hit single “Regulate,” featuring Nate Dogg, Warren G brought a smooth, funk-infused style to rap that resonated with a broad audience and helped propel his debut album, Regulate… G Funk Era, to triple platinum status.
Before his solo breakthrough, Warren G was a member of the influential trio 213, alongside Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, and played a crucial role in connecting Snoop Dogg with Dr. Dre, his stepbrother, which led to Snoop’s signing with Death Row Records.
Beyond his success as a rapper, Warren G is recognized for his work as a producer, collaborating with artists like Snoop, 2Pac and Eminem as well as his entrepreneurial ventures, such as launching Sniffin Griffin’s BBQ.
Related
