Nathaniel Hale, better known as rapper Nate Dogg, died on Tuesday (Mar 15) after battling health problems that included a massive strokes in 2007 and 2008 that left him partially paralyzed. He was 41.

Hale’s family announced his death on Tuesday, according to hometown newspaper, the Long Beach Press Telegram. The cause was not disclosed.

Hale was a key player in the rise of West Coast rap, also known as the G-Funk sound.

But his biggest success came as a contributor to Death Row Records artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Warren G.
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He lent his deep voice to gangsta hits such as Warren G’s “Regulate” and Dre’s solo debut, The Chronic in 1992.

He broke into music in 1991 as part of the rap trio 213. It also included Snoop Dogg and Warren G.

The group’s demo eventually made its way to Dr. Dre, who liked Nate’s sound and recruited him to participate on his album.

Nate was a four-time Grammy nominee, earning his first nod in 1995 for the legendary Warren G collaboration “Regulate,” followed by another in 2001 for providing a hook to the Dre and Snoop tune “The Next Episode.”

He earned his third nomination in 2002 for singing on Ludacris’ “Area Codes” and another in 2007 for his work on Eminem’s “Shake That,” according to MTV.

He also sang on 50 Cent’s “21 Questions,” and Mos Def’s “Oh No.”

Included in his own releases are 1998’s double-CD G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2, which included contributions from Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Warren G,  2001’s Music & Me and a self-titled album recorded earlier and released in  2008.