Nothin' Like a 'G' Thang
By: Joshua Chamberlain
Posted: December 25, 2011
In 1992, I turned 11 years old. I was finishing up elementary school and entering the middle school world of toughness, privilege, and freedom. As I transitioned to middle school, I was open to new things and was in the process of defining myself.
Much to my mother’s chagrin, 1992 was also the year I first heard rap music. Needless to say, my comfortable, upper-middle-class eyes were opened by the lyrics and I was intrigued by the world hidden behind the “PARENTAL WARNING: EXPLICIT LYRICS” sticker on the cassette case.
Looking back now, I wonder what, exactly, appealed to me about these songs. Thus, allow me to present to you my middle school life, as it related to Dr. Dre’s “Nothin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg), one of my favorite songs of 1992:
Ready to make an entrance, so back on up
(Cause you know we 'bout had to rip shit up)
I definitely “‘bout had to rip shit up” while in social studies class. Just ask my teacher, Ms. Fair. I particularly enjoyed “Current Events” film strips.
Compton and Long Beach together, now you know you in trouble
At eleven years old, I had never been to Compton and had never been to Long Beach. At thirty years old, I still haven’t. I ABSOLUTELY knew, however, that I would have been in trouble if they had gotten together.
Ain't nothin' but a G thang, baaaaabay!
Two loc'ed out G's so we're craaaaazay!
I went to a private middle school, so I can’t say for sure that I was a “loc’ed out G,” but I fancied myself one. There was no question, however, that I was the most loc’ed out of anyone in the cul-de-sac.
Unfadable, so please don't try to fade this (Hell yeah)
I always debated whether to rap along with Snoop’s line or Dr. Dre’s throaty “Hell yeah.” I usually just tried to jump quickly from one line to the next. It sounded good in my head.
And before me dig out a bitch I have ta' find a contraceptive
We were just starting sex ed., so this just seemed like sound advice.
Ain't no pussy good enough to get burnt while I'm up in it
Again, sound advice. Of course, middle school boys are perhaps the most awkward creatures on earth, so it would have been hard to convince me of this at the time.
It's the capital S, oh yes, the fresh N-double O-P
D-O-double G-Y D-O-double G ya' see
Show me a guy my age who says he didn’t take pride in being able to recite this lyric, and I’ll show you a liar.
pimpin' ho's and clockin' a grip like my name was Dolomite
Now that I have a daughter, the idea of “pimpin’ ho’s” is a less appealing than it was at that point. Also, I had no idea who Dolomite was but recited it just the same.
I think they in a mood for some mothafuckin' G shit
Who wasn’t?
So Dre. (What up Dogg?)
We gotta give 'em what dey want (What's that, G?)
We gotta break 'em off somethin' (Hell yeah)
And it's gotta be bumpin' (City of Compton!)
Not many songs allow for two middle school boys to display their toughness in duet form. Dr. Dre was an innovator in this regard.
Never let me slip, 'cause if I slip, then I'm slippin'
Well, he’s not wrong, and nobody wants to slip. Dr. Dre: lyrical genius.
So jus' chill, 'til the next episode
When the song ended, I knew that I had accomplished something. I had set a tone. While I can say honestly that my life has in no way followed Dr. Dre and Snoop’s blueprint, save, perhaps, for the fact that if I slip then I am slipping, this all resonated at the time.
At the end of the day, my plan is still to chill until the next episode. Not much has changed in that regard.