2006 update

[mellowmanisback]

What's going on everyone.  Just wanted to drop by real quick and throw out a few thoughts.  This isn't going to be a long stay for me.  Things are going good for me. I hope all is well with all of you.  I'm working on a lot of music and enjoying the fruits of my work over the years. Peace of mind wise I am feeling great.  While I am proud of every track I have ever worked with Dre and am forever humbled and blessed with his friendship and musical kindship, as well as honored to continue to do music with him, I love doing some other music that's different than what I've been doing with Dre. As usual this board and a lot of the names have changed.  I spent a few minutes reading some posts and must say I don't recognize many names.  A lot of you are really passionate about hip hop especially west coast, and although I disagree with a lot of things you guys say I definitely love to hear your thoughts and other viewpoints.  I know the main question most of you have is when is Detox coming out.  Well I wish I could tell you.  The only person who knows that is the man himself.  I've been in and out so i'm not sure what his thinking is at this point, but Dre is not going to put it out until he's ready.  I know he is wanting Detox to be his final testament, his defining moment and the pinnacle of his career.  Not to mention the incredible amount of pressure and scrutiny he's under by everyone to make the greatest record ever made.  He knows that's what everyone expects, and although that is an impossible standard to live up to he's going to do his best.  That's why Detox will only come out when Dre has put every ounce of energy and his heart and soul into the record and thinks the final product is the best he can do.   No matter what he does I'm sure he'll get criticized from people left and right.  Dre's legendary musical catalogue is both his gift and his curse.  My opinion on Detox is that it will be well worth the wait.  The last time I was in the studio with him he played some great stuff.  Some of the stuff he and we have done over the last few years is so far ahead of everyone else and current time its nuts, but the big dilema is how experimental and crazy will be too much.  A lot of fans may hate it because its not classic Dre.  I love Legend of the Fall.  But a lot of people won't like it because its so different and experimental. It's not a regular track, it is much closer to a movie on wax.  Will people want to hear orchestra's and  unique live instruments on Detox? If so please comment that you want that because if Dre decides to do what he is thinking of doing it will be apocolyptic and crazy and be unlike any hip hop you've ever heard.  But it won't be classic Dre. Please comment on this and I will pass on your opinions.   But be patient because Dre will give you everything he has even it if it don't come out until 2007, which it probably won't. I can't wait for everyone to hear Detox, whichever sound Dre decides to go with and whenever he puts it out.  I'm schedule to go back in with Dre soon and looking forward to hearing some new music and working with Dre to create more crazy sonic soundscapes for Detox.
One of the things that bothers me most on this board is the constant criticism of Dre that he abandoned the west coast.  Grow up people.  Without Dre there would be no westcoast hip hop as you know it, there would be no dubcc.  Dre recently brought in and blew up Game and he's is now working hard with Bishop. Dre don't care where you are from.  If you got skills and are willing to put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears and sacrifice a lot of things Dre will work with you.  A lot of artists are not willing to put that forward, including almost all of the artists Dre has dropped over the years.  So shut the fuck up about Dre not caring about west coast hip hop.  He's given his life to putting west coast hip-hop on the map.  It's time for others to step up.  Dre keeps doing music because he loves it not because he needs it.  One of these days Dre isn't going to be around.  When is someone else gonna stand up and take some responsibility?  Don't depend on Dre to keep things going.  No more excuses. Be thankful for all Dre his given you over the years and be thankful he's still putting out music. Now don't take that as a request not to be critical about Dre sometimes, just be respectful and fair. 
On a personal level I am not doing as much hip-hop anymore because quite frankly I think most of it is horrible.  Big label politics, including ----------'s is pissing me off.  Take Busta's new album for example.  Dre had to put a few dumb pop songs on the album and throw off much more quality tracks to appease higher ups.  the second single Interscope picked is horrible. In a perfect world Dre would take Aftermath independent, and put out the albums the way he wants them and when he wants them and not have to wait for lesser artists and albums to come out.  But that's not gonna happen because there is too much uncertainty and right or wrong Dre doesn't want to have to start over this late in life.  Personally and peace of mind wise he and his family is in a great situation with Interscope and I don't really blame him for staying.  Fortunately, at this point Dre still has total control on Detox.  It will come out in the form he wants it and he has been promised it will be a first priority release when its ready.
In a personal plea I urge everyone to support rap artists and albums that have something of substance to say.  There are not that many of those any more and you have to fight through a lot of bullshit music to find it .  Rap is being replaced by hip-hop and it is dying.  Instead of talking about killing people, bling, gold teeth, pussy or material bullshit talk about something positive, something that can make a difference and force big labels to quit putting watered down rap out. Instead of supporting your favorite gangsta rapper go buy Mos Def, the Roots, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Common and others that put out rap that really means something. Even Dre is really trying to put out much more substance and lyrically Detox will be for the most part a 180 from The Chronic. 
A lot of people are wondering what happened to Nightmares and a lot of people will wonder what happened to Imagine (which is a standout track). The official word will be clearance issues, which is in part true, but the real reason could be, among other reasons, saving a beat for someone else and/or saving a track for a different album, but I don't have any idea .
Well thats my update for this year.  I may post for a couple more minutes but other than that I will be gone once again for quite some time. Hopefully I can stop by again in 2007 with news of an impending release of some album which you have never heard of before by some guy named Andre Young.
Peace, love and happiness to all of you and yours.   


 

[Suga Foot]

Nice post,

as far as expectations on Detox,

I wanna hear more grown-up music on Detox.  Nobody makes hip hop for grown-ups.  I don't know exactly how that can be done, but it would be cool to hear.  The Dre/Bacharach stuff was cool, if it were stuff like that I'd be happy.  I like the idea of orchestras and live instruments.  Hip Hop (and it's fans) is growing up, we need artists to grow up with it.

[Fonky Fresh]

blablabla

[acgrundy]

why didn't dre make it to the video shoot for cali is active?

[mauzip]

Will people want to hear orchestra's and  unique live instruments on Detox?

Fuck yeah!! Some of the greatest hip hop tracks have classical music in the instrumentals.

[GangstaBoogy]

So shut the fuck up about Dre not caring about west coast hip hop.  He's given his life to putting west coast hip-hop on the map.  It's time for others to step up.  Dre keeps doing music because he loves it not because he needs it.  One of these days Dre isn't going to be around.  When is someone else gonna stand up and take some responsibility?  Don't depend on Dre to keep things going.  No more excuses. Be thankful for all Dre his given you over the years and be thankful he's still putting out music.

THANK YOU!

damn i wish mellowman would speak on the Game/Geffen rumors

[Nima - Dubcnn.com]

Good post man. That's crazy that "Imagine" isn't gonna be on the album, I was really looking forward to that one!

[Avalanche]

well hopefully since dre cares about the west, he wont be putting 50 cent on detox... i'd much rather see up and comming artists such as crooked i, sly boogy, chace infinite, and others instead of all the big names who are already established. let's be honest here mellow, nobody from the west is going to get their foot in the door without approval from snoop and dre. if somebody is going to step it up for the west whenever dre is done, then they are going to have the torch passed to them. sorta like how dre brought snoop into it with exposure on earlier records that led to doggystyle, and records that helped daz n kurupt make dogg food big. if hes going to use name artists id like to see him return to the people that helped make that westcoast sound. i'm lookin forward to detox, but dre should make a record he likes and can be proud of, dont play into the expectations of other people. if hes trying to live up to others expectations then he will never succeed because people hold unrealistic goals. Personally, i think he should look to warren and dj quik to help with this record.

[mellowmanisback]

just a quick follow up before i fade out for good.  as far as the game rumours i think that's false but I don't know.  However, it wouldn't surprise me either way. the game/50 situation took a lot out of dre. he tried to handle it all in private and in house but obviously neither one really listened.  without going into details you can read between the lines and tell whats going on.
I agree with you avalanche. dre needs to do the record he wants to do. not what other people want him to.  In the end I think Dre will follow his own heart and put out the Detox album that he wants to release. Thats why I appreciate your support for the more experimental/orchestrated sounds.  If Dre goes that direction Detox will blow you away.  If not it will still probably be a classic, but not the music changing album it could have been.
As far as passing the torch Dre has done that with snoop, doggpound, warren g, game and others already. Dre is grooming bishop to be the next thing and putting a lot of energy into that.  I think you'll be happy with what that outcome is. but like I said no more excuses.  Others have to step up.  You can't rely on Dre. But thats just my opinion. People will blame Dre regardless, but there is only so much he can do.
I gotta go.  it's been fun. I'll probably talk to you all somewhere down the road.  If not I wish everyone all the success in the world. peace.

[dameons]

Support Ice Cube's album...His best ever,and, it is independently released, so Cube held nothing back. Dr Dre is rich and powerful and could throw his weight around more if he wanted to. If not Interscope, another powerhouse wuld pay him just as much, and he would get ALL the creative control.

[GangstaBoogy]

Support Ice Cube's album...His best ever,and, it is independently released, so Cube held nothing back. Dr Dre is rich and powerful and could throw his weight around more if he wanted to. If not Interscope, another powerhouse wuld pay him just as much, and he would get ALL the creative control.

ok a couple of things here...

1. It's not Cube's best album
2. What the hell does Cube have to do with anything mentioned in this thread?

[Timmeeeehh]

Thanks for posting man, I really appreciate that. Don't know if you're gonna read this, but anyway
Keep it up, and I have no problems with experimental music, as long as it's banging and makes me want to move it's cool

[dameons]

LOOK cLOSELY at the post. It said " to support artists who aren't controlled by the powers that be" and that don't have to follow certain cheesy routines( Busta's shitty 2nd single). Cube did his shit independently and held nothing back.

[ZILLA THA GOODFELLA]

Does this guy ever give direct information about anything? Everything seems to be fuzzy or an opinion of his. Whatever though....

[k1000]

Do you take risk by revealing Aftermath/Detox news or you are the official Aftermath messenger ?