ThaFormula.com - Why did you sign to Universal. I mean what happened to Restless?

Warren G - I mean Restless just wasn't my cup of tea.  Me being the type of caliber artist that I am, I need to be with a machine.  So that's why I chose to move with Universal because Restless didn't have the type of machine and the type of uh knowledge of working with an established artist so I couldn't deal with it.  

ThaFormula.com - Did the last album go Gold or Platinum?

Warren G - Ima be real wit you man, I don't know what the last album did.

ThaFormula.com - A question and rumor that always circled around was you signing to Aftermath.  How come you never signed with Dre seeing that he was your brother?

Warren G - I mean Dre got at me, but he told me that if I did join his label, their would be a wait and I'm not into waiting. I'm an established artist.  Why should I have to wait.  You know that's my people and I love em but I got to keep pushin.  Just like with Snoop, im pushin.  I gotta do my thang.

ThaFormula.com - So how come on the production side of things, you ain't doin nuthin for Snoop, The Eastsidaz or the Dogg Pound?

Warren G - I like you! I mean your sayin shit that uh, I mean you are recognizing alot of shit that I can't even speak on.  But you know I don't really understand it man.  You know I ride with Dre, I ride with Snoop, I ride with Nate.  You know I understand that every body is doin their own thang, but it's like hey if they don't holla at me then hey what can I do!

ThaFormula.com - So is there no communication right now or what?

Warren G - That basically sums it up, but I got love for all of them, they my people. But I guess they don't understand Warren G. I guess they look at me like little Warren, you know what im sayin.  I mean I don't understand it myself.

ThaFormula.com - The production know says Dre and Mell Man.  Why was it never Dre and Warren back in the day?

Warren G - Hey I can't even explain it man, but hey Dre chooses who to work with. I don't know if it was that I just wasn't qualified or somethin, but  I got major luv for him cause thru out it all he still stood by my side when I had hard times, you know what Im sayin. Dre!  

ThaFormula.com - So what's up with the Return of the regulator LP?

Warren G - It's off the hook.  Whew! It's big.  I done about 85% of the production.  Dr. Dre did a track and Soopafly did a track.

ThaFormula.com - What mc's are on the track?

Warren G - Well, I went back to the essence and got Mr. Grimm.  I got DJ Rectangle.  I went back and scooped him back up.  I got George Clinton, Dre, Snoop, Nate Dogg, uh, El Debarge, CPO Aka Boss Hog.    

ThaFormula.com - What happened with the 5 footaz and the Twinz.

Warren G - I mean the 5 footaz are still caught up in the Restless thing that I had, but they gettin ready to get out of that and the Twinz, uh, hey their doin their thang.  Snoop said he was gonna deal with them so I said if you all wanna work with Snoop cool.  I ain't got no problems with that, you know.  And Dove Shack, I don't know what's up with them.  I know Bo Rock is in jail and I think the others were trying to do somethin but I don't know.  My whole thing is I got alot of love for everybody.  Things might not have worked out and they might not be workin out right now like it should and everybody should be one, instead of this person doin that, that person there and egos everywhere.  Everyone should be one, but I love all them niggaz, you know.

ThaFormula.com - Will there ever be a 213 album?

Warren G - I don't know.  It depends on my partners. I mean I talk about it but I don't know if my homeboys talk about it.  Look I am totally in the Black Hole.  I don't know what's goin on, but I'm wt it.  I'm with whatever.  If Dre want me to come work with him, if Snoop want me to come work with him and Nate. I'm wit it!  Until that happens Imma keep pushin and doin what I have to do to survive.  

ThaFormula.com -How is Universal treating you?

Warren G - They nice. I got big respect for Universal because they came and got at me.  They came at me and their was a few other people that was hollerin at me at the same time so I was like O.K. Ima see what they talkin about. I went up to Universal and they showed me major love.  And that's all I wanted, you know, was a family.  I think I got the machine and the family that I always wanted with Universal.  And Im going to keep, pushin, producin, rappin, you know whatever I need to do to make things great for everybody out there.

ThaFormula.com - Now you had a hand in building up Def Jam man.  Why did you leave? 

Warren G - You are askin some big shit (Laughs) I ain't trippin.  I asked Russell and I asked Lyor and I told them I didn't want to stay on anymore.

ThaFormula.com - You sold them like 7 million records didn't you?

Warren G - It was 8 million and the whole thing was like I was ready to dip. You know, you all are talkin about you all are gonna put me out in 2000 or 2001.  I can't deal with that.  I mean I'm an artist.  I have to work, I have to survive.  I can't just be sittin on the burner.  I'm an artist, I'm not trying to be like all the artists in the past that done this record, that record and didn't do no more records.  You know, "Oh yeah that was another artist, let's throw him away".  I'm going to keep pushin regardless.  It's not one record that I put out that's gonna be wack.  I'm puttin out shit that's gonna make you move.  That's what I do!  I perfected that!  

ThaFormula.com - How come you don't go independent like Daz?

Warren G - If I had the knowledge and the cheese to really, uh, I mean I got the knowledge, but if I had the cheese to really do things like per say the companies are doing.  

ThaFormula.com - Did Daz have that money to put up when he dropped the R.A.W. LP?

Warren G - I mean he might have had a company go in and do it for him, but then he gets a percentage of it.  If I do that, I wanna have my own money so I get my money like P did.  I wanna get mine! I don't wanna get this 50 % of my shit. I wanna get 100 or 95% of my shit.  I give people love, but it's crazy man.  Their's so much cut throat in the business that people don't understand.

ThaFormula.com - All the homies you had in the beginning, how many stayed in the end when you finally reach that level where their's alot of money involved?

Warren G - I don't know man, I ain't got alot of money so I can't say that.  

ThaFormula.com - But with the 8 million records you sold, I mean?

Warren G - Nothing!! Not like that.  I ain't on major status like that.  I mean you live and you learn.  I've learned and it won't happen again, you can believe that!  I'm not the type to linger on that.  Ok, you got me homie, now I'm going to charge that to the game.  People will see on this new record.  That's why it's the return of the Regulator!

ThaFormula.com - When is it droppin?

Warren G - November 27th! It's off the hook.  Dre looked out for me on the first single cause that's my dog! He was originally supposed to be on the single, but Jimmy Iovine rejected it.  Dre was originally on the track, but Jimmy Iovine and them wouldn't let it happen.  That kind of fucked with me, but I ain't trippin.  I understand how this game go.  I'm gonna just keep doin what I do and keep pushin.

ThaFormula.com - So during the Up In Smoke Tour all you guys were together.  After the tour did everybody just go their own way?

Warren G - Yeah, I mean Dre and Snoop they doin stuff, but ain't nobody called me to do nothin so I'm cool, I ain't trippin.  My record is one of the tightest albums commin out cause it's non stop.  Every song on their could be a single.  I'll say it like that or can be a single and that's what I tried to do.  That's just makin a good record. I mean I got up tempo and mid tempo records on their.  It's a different Warren G and you all are gonna see that.  Just like that new single.  That's a little different for Warren.  I stepped it up cause their's alot of youngsters out their that's puttin it down.

feedback: info@thaformula.com

Be  sure to join the over 600,000 Industry Heads that have signed up to our exclusive mailing list!!  Click here to join and receive exclusive interviews only available to members. Leave contact info ( name, email address, city, state, and country) at info@thaformula.com.