Warren G Aims to Get It All Back on Track

Comebacks are a rarity in the fickle realm of rap, where charisma and a history of hits and innovation can be quickly negated by one lackluster effort.

So the hip-hop world was caught by surprise when “I Want It All,” the title track from Warren G’s third album, reached No. 1 on the rap singles chart recently, signaling a return to prominence for the Long Beach rapper-producer-entrepreneur. The album itself entered the Southern California chart last month at No. 2 while registering nationally at No. 21.

After his thoroughly enjoyable, multimillion-selling debut album, 1994’s “Regulate . . . Funk Era,” Warren’s momentum died when 1997’s “Take a Look Over Your Shoulder (Reality)” tanked commercially and critically.

Warren’s easygoing rapping style and irresistible production are the ingredients that have enabled him to shoot back to the top of the charts. But he’s not taking any chances, working hard to establish street-level respect--the foundation for hip-hop loyalty and sales.

“I’m on the grind this time,” Warren, 28, says. “I had [my record] company get me a tour bus. I hit all of the radio stations, because they haven’t ever seen me in person. I’m going to go hard this time and give back to these people who helped me become Warren G, become successful. I’ve been hitting the little record stores, the ones deep off in the ‘hood. I’m trying to put the mash down.”

Warren’s personal push is understandable. No longer recording for industry juggernaut Def Jam, which released his first two albums and is home to DMX and other stars, Warren is now signed to Restless Records, known mainly for its catalog of alternative rock acts such as Flaming Lips and the Replacements.

Fortunately for Warren, “I Want It All” is a solid collection, full of his signature silky, feel-good grooves and lighthearted lyrics. Satisfying collaborations with longtime cohorts Kurupt, Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg, as well as current chart-toppers Eve and Memphis Bleek, figure to please the fans who made Warren a household hip-hop name despite his humble, low-key approach.

“I don’t come out all bigheaded,” he says of his manner. “I’m just being myself. I’ve got dedicated fans, and they remember from way back. People still remember the first album, how good that was. I guess they feel that it’s going to be big again. Plus, I’ve been doing things in between [albums], so the fans know that when I come, I come correct.”

In fact, “I Want It All” may signal the resurrection of the largely dormant West Coast hip-hop scene. After groundbreaking work from N.W.A, Young MC and others in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, only Ice Cube and Mack 10 have maintained a sustained level of success in recent years.

With a number of albums from some of the region’s fallen heroes--most notably Warren’s stepbrother Dr. Dre--expected by the end of the year, California could enjoy its strongest stretch since Death Row Records ruled the industry.

“I think my album is going to help set it off, get some music pumping again from the West,” Warren says. “I’m not trying to come out like I’m the king of the West Coast or put the West Coast on top again. I’m putting out good music. I’m not trying to compete with nobody. I’m proud to be part of the wave with Dr. Dre, Kurupt and Snoop.”

WAYNE’S WORLD?: Another rapper riding a potentially powerful wave is Lil’ Wayne, a member of the immensely popular rap group the Hot Boys. The New Orleans native should continue the recent blockbuster success of Cash Money Records, which is distributed by industry mammoth Universal Records, with the release last week of his debut album, “Tha Block Is Hot.”

The 15-year-old rapper built a name for himself by appearing on albums from labelmates Juvenile, whose year-old “400 Degreez” has sold more than 2.4 million units and is still a fixture high on the pop sales charts, and B.G., whose “Chopper City in the Ghetto” has sold more than 600,000 units.

With a keen knack for incorporating catchy slang into his lively raps and for coining phrases, the squeaky-voiced Wayne has become something of a focal point on his companions’ albums. Now he’s relishing the opportunity to give rap fans his own musical vision.

“On the Hot Boys album you get part of me,” Wayne says. “On the Big Tymers album you get part of me. On B.G.’s album, Juvenile’s album, you get part of me. On this album, you get all of me. It’s all of me, every angle.”

The album, like all Cash Money releases, is produced entirely by Mannie Fresh, whose dance-inducing, percolating tracks have become radio, video and dance-club favorites.

“He’s the best in the world,” Wayne says of Fresh. “He knows what’s right, what’s supposed to be done musically. He’s got the feel for hits.”

The same will probably be said soon of Lil’ Wayne. Already respected and touted in hip-hop circles, he’s gearing up for a promising career.

“I think people like the fact that I’m a young brother speaking about the real stuff,” he says. “I’m not a fluke. I rap about life, how real it gets, how real it is and how real it was.”