Ty Dolla $ign has said that he feels “honoured” to have been labelled “the new Nate Dogg” by Snoop Dogg.

“I just talked to my other homie that told me that he talked to Snoop on his birthday, and Snoop said that. Snoop said I’m the reincarnation of Nate Dogg,” Ty Dolla explained. “When I heard that, I was like alright, Snoop saying it? That means everything, man. Like I said, it’s an honour.

“I feel like Nate Dogg was carrying a huge torch and he passed it down.”

He added: “It’ll be passed on again, so I just encourage for the next artist out there to be yourself – be a one of one. There’s a lot of people that sound like the next artist, but it’s always good to hear somebody that is original and I encourage it.”

You can listen to the full conversation above.

Nate Dogg, whose real name was Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, died back in 2011 at the age of 41. He was one of Snoop’s closest collaborators, and also worked with the likes of  Eminem, Ludacris, Tupac Shakur and Warren G.

Following his passing, Snoop hailed Nate as “one of my best friends” and “a true legend in hip-hop and R&B”. “I love you buddy. You will always be with me forever and a day,” he added.

In a four-star review of ‘Featuring Ty Dolla $ign’, NME wrote: “…It’s a victory lap for Ty Dolla $ign’s quietly influential career to date, the sound of an artist embracing the worldview he has helped to curate.”

• Read More: Nate Dogg Remembered: 1969 – 2011