Local rap legend Warren G is now a part-owner of the minor league baseball team planning to make Long Beach its home.
As we detailed earlier this week, the team wants your suggestions for its name ahead of its inaugural season this spring as the 13th team in the independent Pioneer Baseball League.
The suggestion with the most likes on our Instagram post was the “Long Beach Regulators.” Of course, that’s just an unofficial vote. The team is taking submissions for the real contest until Sept. 12.
Warren Griffin III, a Long Beach native better known as Warren G, is widely credited with popularizing the G-funk genre of hip-hop with his 1994 single, “Regulate.”
“This is more than just owning part of a team, it’s about giving back to my city,” Griffin said in a statement. “Long Beach shaped me, and I want to help build something positive for the next generation. Baseball brings people together, and that’s what I’m all about.”
Warren G got his start with the local hip-hop group 213, which featured Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg. The name for the group came from Long Beach’s original telephone area code.
The group’s first hit single “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None) came on Snoop Dogg’s debut album “Doggystyle” in 1993.
“Warren brings not only star power, but a genuine commitment to community,” co-founder of the Long Beach Baseball Club Paul Freedman said in a statement. “He shares our vision of baseball as a way to bring people together, and we’re thrilled to have him as part of the Long Beach Baseball Club family.”
The team is still in negotiations with the city and Cal State Long Beach to share Blair Field. A team spokesperson said they hope to create “a game-day experience” that celebrates Long Beach “through music, food and community events.”
Warren G’s brand Sniffin Griffin’s BBQ may also be a part of the ballpark experience, the spokesperson said.