Why Do People Hate Dr. Dre's Compton "Album" So Much?

[Allgold]

I disliked most of the new rappers on the album. It's grown on me though and I enjoy it a lot more now than I did. But that's to be expected when someone finally drops something after years of anticipation and the expectation is so high because of their past work. He doesn't do himself any favors in that regard.

[Soopafly DPGC]

Dre changing his delivery to more of a high pitched sped up Kendrick Lamar type flow killed it for me. It was obvious what Dre was trying to do. He had no faith that his normal cadence would sell records.

[Jay_J]

Dre changing his delivery to more of a high pitched sped up Kendrick Lamar type flow killed it for me. It was obvious what Dre was trying to do. He had no faith that his normal cadence would sell records.

it worked very well on some songs. drug test, darkside, guns blazing... dre sounds really young, fresh and hot!

[Soopafly DPGC]

it worked very well on some songs. drug test, darkside, guns blazing... dre sounds really young, fresh and hot!

I think it just wasn’t what people were expecting or used to. Dre has such a distinct and classic voice and for him to sound totally different wasn’t good for me. Production wise the album was fine. Something about a nearly 60 year old man trying to sound “young and hot ()” as you put it was kind of pathetic to me.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

exactly...although lack of promotion for the album didn't help

Imagine if 2001 had been released with no promo, no radio play, and no video.  I could see that album ending up the same way as Compton.  Like a great album that didn't change the game. 

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The Ol School Chronic era was different though you didn't need all that shit.  It would've changed the game no matter what the fucc they did or didn't do because that was a great time in hip-hop where you had groups like NWA who couldn't even get their songs on radio or videos played and they would still sell double platinum off word of mouth and support in the hood and on the underground... Those were the mutherfuckin dayz when everything was righteous because you didn't need the machine behind you. 

Even Eazy E his whole career I never really saw the guys videos or heard him on the radio but yet he would alway sell platinum and platinum plus and change the game.  There were a lot of examples like this back in the day.

[doggfather]

Imagine if 2001 had been released with no promo, no radio play, and no video.  I could see that album ending up the same way as Compton.  Like a great album that didn't change the game. 

those are important, but the real thing for 2001 is/was a monstre thing is the up in the smoke tour.
the most legendary hip hop tour ever IMO.

that helps every artist back than with their record sales.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

those are important, but the real thing for 2001 is/was a monstre thing is the up in the smoke tour.
the most legendary hip hop tour ever IMO.

that helps every artist back than with their record sales.

It was marketed perfectly... because you "Still Dre" was a great lead single that gave everyone what they wanted and expected from Dre.  Then Eminem was still under-appreciated and many didn't get it till "Forgot About Dre" blew up... finally you had "Next Episode blow up as they were going out on the Up and Smoke Tour

[Jay_J]

Imagine if 2001 had been released with no promo, no radio play, and no video.  I could see that album ending up the same way as Compton.  Like a great album that didn't change the game. 

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i don't agree that. 2001 is a classic and compton is not. you can sell anything with promotion. it doesnt mean it will be remembered as a classic.

look "donda" of kanye. great marketing and great streaming numbers. but its a trash.

[h2k4]

Imagine if 2001 had been released with no promo, no radio play, and no video.  I could see that album ending up the same way as Compton.  Like a great album that didn't change the game. 

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The Ol School Chronic era was different though you didn't need all that shit.  It would've changed the game no matter what the fucc they did or didn't do because that was a great time in hip-hop where you had groups like NWA who couldn't even get their songs on radio or videos played and they would still sell double platinum off word of mouth and support in the hood and on the underground... Those were the mutherfuckin dayz when everything was righteous because you didn't need the machine behind you. 

Even Eazy E his whole career I never really saw the guys videos or heard him on the radio but yet he would alway sell platinum and platinum plus and change the game.  There were a lot of examples like this back in the day.

This is not accurate. Their videos were absolutely getting played. MTV Jams, The Box, BET all played them. Singles were more prevalent in the 80's/90's; meaning you could go to a store and buy the tape/cd single that would also have a b-side to it. Play them for your boys at school or a house party and that's how it spread. Street teams were also more prevalent than now. Nowadays, artists will spam social media and have the occasional billboard but that's as far as it goes. In my opinion, streaming and social media killed the recording industry and mystery behind an artist/album.

[dnjp4life]

I don't hate Compton and revisit it every now and again, but it's not a classic (to me, anyway), and is not as good as The Chronic or Chronic 2001.  That's not to say it isn't a good album, it's important to remember that not every good or great album has to, or can be, a classic of the genre.

We were all guilty of expecting it to sound a certain way, personal to ourselves, and I think it's safe to say that a lot of us wanted guests like Kurupt, MC Ren, King Tee and more Snoop to feature.  There was a thread on here around the time the album dropped with people angry that MC Ren for example didn't have a guest verse on the album, with the logic being that he was part of N.W.A and the Compton album was a soundtrack inspired by the N.W.A film, so he should at least be on there.  It seems ridiculous now looking back, but that was the way of thinking for some, myself included.

If we're honest, we wanted it to sound like a continuation of Chronic 2001 with an updated sound, and I don't think it came out like that, because the time difference between the two albums was a lot.  Dr. Dre is one of those rappers that we want rapping gangsta shit over gangsta beats - there was some of that on this album, but not enough, and the voice and flow changes were grating at times.

I agree with the comments about the sonic level of this album though, it is outstanding in that regard, and it's no surprise considering that is one of Dr. Dre's greatest strengths as a producer.  And the intro is brilliant, but Dre always does great intros for his albums...

[mtbsm]

I liked a lot about it but the two things that stand out:

One, unspectacular features. No scene stealing Snoop or Eminem like with Chronic/2001. The new blood was really forgettable. Justus, Connor, etc.

And two, another thread said it best - production was too bright