![]() ![]() We should also thank Dre for introducing a whole generation of kids to the symphonic genius of the late David Axelrod, through his brilliant sampling of Axelrod’s “The Edge.” 2001 is a similarly collaboration-heavy album Snoop Dogg, now a superstar, is only on four songs this time around, but the reduced quantity is hardly noticeable because two of those songs are “Still DRE” and “The Next Episode,” two of the most definitive songs not only in Dre’s catalog but in the entire canon of West Coast hip-hop. Another collaborative effortīut for all The Chronic achieved, it also laid the groundwork for Dre’s stunning follow-up. The Chronic also features some of the most iconic songs of the decade – singles that are still in constant rotation on California radio, and on airwaves all over the world. Daz Dillinger and Kurupt also appear on a handful of tracks, and they would go on to assist on Snoop’s Doggystyle before releasing their own debut albums. N.W.It’s billed as a solo album, but with Snoop on nearly every track, The Chronic feels like a collaborative album. ‘Straight Outta Compton’ film about N.W.A echoes the past and presentįROM THE ARCHIVES: Striking tales of black frustration and pride shake the pop mainstream It shows the business skills he’s gained through decades building his Aftermath Records and Beats Entertainment empires, and more recently as an executive at Apple Music.ĭre even embedded a sly ad for the service into the album’s closing track, “Talking to My Diary.” Implicitly addressing the problem of compensation in the streaming era, he raps, “I used to be a starving artist so I would never starve an artist - this is my passion, it’s where my heart is.”įROM THE ARCHIVES: N.W.A keeps progressing, it may become the most raw, compelling L.A. It’s also, at least for the time being, an exclusive to Apple Music, which means that Dre is generating cross-platform attention. It was announced suddenly, never leaked and arrived on time as promised, quite literally the complete package. Dre fans’ ears with the skill of an expert surfer riding a smooth wave. Keenly marketed to promote both the album and Apple Music’s new platform, “Compton” glided into Dr. Such lessons, both musical and lyrical, are all over “Compton,” but equally impressive was the album’s arrival. Dre’s ‘Compton: A Soundtrack’: Eminem, Snoop Dogg and more Eminem honors his mentor on “Medicine Man” and rapper-actor Xzibit shines on “Loose Cannons.” Snoop, whose essential early work was produced by Dre, stars in the throwback-grooved “Satisfiction” with creepy voices echoing in the background and a weird beat, the former Dre protégé delivers what he calls “another lesson from your Uncle Snoop, what what what.” up, come on.”įor his part, fellow Compton rapper Lamar, whose recent album “To Pimp a Butterfly” served as another reminder of the Compton talent pool, confirms his import and skills on three tracks. “The only time they wanna turn the cameras on is when we’re. “The police don’t come around these parts - they tell me we’re a bunch of animals,” sings Paak. He’s especially potent in “Animals,” on which he and Dre address media invisibility and institutional racism over a crawling DJ Premier co-produced track. Most notable is Ventura County artist Paak, who appears on a number of “Compton” tracks. He does so by ceding to talented upstarts. “Would you look over Picasso’s shoulder and tell him about his brushstrokes? Those opinions, I don’t trust those.”ĭre, though, understands the deal, and for reasons both artistic and savvy, he works to stay away from seeming like a “kids these days” grandpa. He traces his rise from hanging at swap meets to collecting cars while remembering the price on “Darkside/Gone.” On “Deep Water,” Lamar and Justus trade verses and choruses and Dr. On “Medicine Man,” the rapper indicts contemporary culture, decrying in one quick verse Internet addiction, underpaid teachers, hip-hop fakers, fame, government databases, teenage girls acting like they’re 22, grown men who act like boys and money leeches. It’s also so verbally dense that to attempt to wrestle it into shape after only a few serious listens is as ridiculous as skimming David Foster Wallace’s “Infinite Jest” synopsizing the plot.ĭre’s heavy, workman-like verses fill the record, and he uses his pulpit without hesitation. ![]() Maybe this is why Dre announced on Thursday that all profits earned from the new album - released in conjunction with the forthcoming N.W.A film, “Straight Outta Compton” - will help fund a new arts center in his hometown.įULL COVERAGE: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and N.W.A’s legacyĪs fit and tightly flexed as the man himself, “Compton” is sturdy with untrendy beats built in collaboration with a producing team that includes DJ Dahi, DJ Premier and Dem Jointz.
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