Record Review - Warren G: The G Files

“They say just live your life, but I’ma live mine twice,” goes the hook on “True Star,” off of Warren G’s latest album, The G Files. For someone so closely associated with ’90s G-funk this is a tall task, as G has been unable to revitalize his career unlike such Cali vets as Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, G’s stepbrother. The G Files continues in the mellow vein of his last album, 2005’s In the Mid-Nite Hour. Instead of G-funk, it offers sleepy R&B with only the faintest hints of West Coast flavor. “Let’s Get High” is a tired ode to bud, while “Drinks Ain’t Free” is a purportedly humorous club satire that makes one wonder how G is holding up financially these days. “100 Miles and Runnin’” is a winner, featuring a rejuvenated Raekwon and a gothic-sounding harpsichord beat from G. But for the most part, these tracks just make you want to dust off your copy of Regulate...G Funk Era. (Ttl Records) 2 stars out of 5