Dame Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)Nate Dogg (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011)
I'm sure you've heard of the untimely passing of two entertainers this past week: Hollywood legend Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Nate Dogg, G-Funk rapper & Snoop Dogg's cousin. Call me superstitious, but I have a feeling we'll be hearing about another famous death soon... it comes in threes, as they say. Fingers crossed that it doesn't happen though, I like my entertainers alive and prolific, you smell me?
Anywhoevers, my ultimate memory of Liz Taylor--aside from my academic advisor at school sharing her name ("Where are you going, Lisa?" "To meet with Liz Taylor!")--has to come in the form of her perfume, White Diamonds. My grandma LOVES this fragrance. I'll forever associate it with old school Hollywood glamour and mature older ladies... but mostly with the latter ::Kanye shrug::
Aside from her perfume, Dame Taylor led quite the interesting life. She had eight husbands in her lifetime (when asked why, she replied "I don’t know, honey. It sure beats the hell out of me"), won two Academy Awards, was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and perhaps most legendary, she founded The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Taylor's influence has touched millions, and her legacy will live on through her many charitable endeavors. You will be missed Dame Taylor!
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I first became aware of Nate Dogg's music in elementary school, when Dr. Dre's epic album The Chronic was released. I didn't start really appreciating his flow until college, when a dormmate of mine from California would blast nothing but G-Funk from her room each day (thanks for that, girl! I got hip to mad Cali music from that
).Probably my favorite song of his was this collaboration with his cousin, Snoopy D-O-double Gizzle:
♫ Never Leave Me Alone
Nate's signature, soulful voice was honed in church. Once Dr. Dre heard Nate on a demo tape with Snoop Dogg and their friend, Warren G, he put the wheels in motion to have Nate make his debut on The Chronic. A year later, Nate was signed to the infamous Death Row Records.
Nate was plagued by a series of issues in his last years, including arrests for firearms and drug possession and suffering a stroke and heart attack in 2007. In September 2008, Nate suffered a second stroke that left his fans wondering if he'd ever return to crooning his G-Funk anthems. Ultimately, Nate succumbed to congestive heart failure complicated by his previous strokes.
R.I.P. Nate Dogg, keep the underworld G-Funky for us!
