“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” is a song by gangsta rapper Dr. Dre from his debut solo album, The Chronic. It features rapper Snoop Dogg and is the first single from the album. This track reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, outperforming The Chronic’s other singles, “Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody’s Celebratin’)“, which peaked at #8, and “Let Me Ride“, which peaked at #34. The single also reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a hit in the UK, where it reached #31. The song was selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll, and XXL magazine named it the top hip-hop song of the decade. The song samples “I Want’a Do Something Freaky to You” by Leon Haywood and was later reissued in June 1994 in Europe (taken verbatim from Wikipedia).
Ain’t nothing but a G thang, baby.
Two loced out Gs, so we’re crazy.
Death Row is the label that pays me.
Grammar: The Verb ‘Think’ and Transferred Negation
Yeah, and it don’t quit.
I think they (are) in the mood for another one of those G hits.
Hell yeah!
In the above lyrics, Snoop Dogg uses think to introduce a positive clause.
Subject + think/thinks/thought* + main clause
*When think means believe, we don’t use it in the progressive/continuous tense.
- I think you look beautiful!
- I think it will rain tomorrow.
- I think they’re in the mood for some G-funk!
However, when you want to introduce a negative clause with think, we normally put not with think and not with the main clause.*
- I don’t think you look beautiful.
I think you don’t look beautiful. - I don’t think it will rain tomorrow.
I think it won’t rain tomorrow. - I don’t think they’re in the mood.
I think they’re not in the mood.
But, it’s possible and natural to express surprise with thought…not
- I didn’t think you were coming to the concert. = I thought you weren’t coming to the concert.
Writing Task
Do you think Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are great rappers? Why or why not? Which one is better? Explain your reasons with I think and I don’t think.