'And even when I was close to defeat, I rose to my feet'. 'Still D.R.E', the first single from 2001, is assertive and quick to light a fire beneath those who assumed Dre was down and out of the game following the release of. The album has spawned some of the most popular tracks of the decade, namely 'Still D.R.E' and 'The Next Episode', the latter of which has become almost a rite of passage to rap along to for anyone beginning the partying chapter of their young adulthood. The young Marshall Mathers has one of the best verses and highlight moments on the record, spitting psychopathic greatness on 'Forgot About Dre'.Ī cultural moment as well as an album touchstone, 'Forgot About Dre' showed Dre at his bitter best, while Eminem’s vibe is a perfect snapshot of America’s Most Disturbed at his most venomous. We’re talking Xzibit, Nate Dogg, Kurupt and Snoop Dogg.Įminem, fresh off the back of the Dr. Dre demonstrated his reach in employing an all-star list of ghostwriters ( The D.O.C., Royce da 5’9”, Jay-Z), musicians (Mike Elizondo, Scott Storch, Jason Hann) and vocalists to pull his vision together. Dre would stand solo, sans-N.W.A and without Death Row and Suge Knight behind him.Įstablishing himself as one of the strongest players in the culture, Dr. The record is less concerned with hyping up a lifestyle and serves more as a massive 'fuck you' to anyone who questioned how Dr. What comes out on top is a strong and confident attitude that permeates through the entire piece. Intentional or not, the kind of subject matter acclaimed rappers would never be able to get away with today, is ultimately shadowed by the singles: banger after banger that would drop during the album’s cycle of release. The cringe factor brought on Dre's more graphic lyrics are relegated to the lesser known songs on the album. Two tracks later, we hear orgasms and the voice of male porn star Jake Steed on 'Pause for a Porno', before the interlude breaks into 'Housewife'. The skits linking the 17 album tracks continue the narrative, centred on West Coast hip hop’s thematic triumvirate: weed, sex and violence.Ĭomedian Eddie Griffin is a noted voice on 'Ed-Ucation', possibly the album’s lowest point: a one-and-a-half-minute rant about side-chicks who become pregnant on purpose. Purely cinematic in its presentation, an album like 2001 set a precedent for this type of hip hop record that an artist like Kendrick Lamar would follow in producing seminal works of their own ( Good Kid, m.A.A.d City). 2001 was originally constructed as if it were a film. "A lot of the times the media just takes this and tries to make it into something else when it’s all entertainment first." "I just basically do hardcore hip hop and try to add a touch of dark comedy here and there," Dr. Where 2001 differs is in its compositional weight, the calibre of guests representing the thriving culture of the time, and the reflection of Dre’s evolution as a rapper and the West Coast sound in general. Dre Presents The Aftermath - a compilation album that sold well, but failed to capture the same attention and respect as The Chronic. Dre delivered his second album, 2001.įireFox NVDA users - To access the following content, press 'M' to enter the iFrame.Ī record laden with expectation and anticipation, the album followed 1996’s Dr. Seven years later, in anticipation of the new millennium, Dr. Dre’s production technique and ear for g-funk and gangsta rap progressions, coupled with his staunch flow, turned heads and provided a huge breakthrough for the Death Row Records label Dre founded with Suge Knight and The D.O.C. The release of Dre's debut LP The Chronic in 1992 firmly established him as a hip hop game changer.įrom the shadows of his group N.W.A’s mammoth success emerged a double threat. A future that would be paved with money and fame in excess, and egos to match. Legends in the making who were thriving in a genre that provided an avenue out of the violence and impoverishment of their upbringing. These were the stories of hustlers, young men who had come up from the struggle. Dre, we think of an era of hip hop rooted in decadence, delivered by artists who had lived the experiences that formed the basis of their material. A classic record with some questionable content.
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