
Hale was quickly mourned by many, including longtime collaborator Snoop Dogg. "We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb," he tweeted. "One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met [sic]."
Nate rose to prominence as a smooth-voiced hook singer with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Warren G during the explosion of West Coast hip-hop and gangster rap in the early 1990s. A staple of Death Row Records, Nate debuted on Dre's classic 'The Chronic' and scored a timeless smash collaborating with Warren G on the ever-popular 'Regulate.' That record alone basically saved an ailing Def Jam Records upon its release in 1994.