Dr. Dre - Dr. Dre 2001 (The Source Review)

[West Coast Veteran]

DR. DRE
Dr. Dre 2001
Aftermath/Interscope
Producers: artist and Mel-Man



   Did you forget about Dre? Did you get wrapped up in the multiplatinum success of Jay-Z, DMX, Nas and the slew of other '90s-rap cats benefiting from the thug/party blueprint Dre himself laid with N.W.A? Did it slip your mind about just who crafted the unforgettable sonic landscapes for Snoop, Cube, D.O.C. and, most recently, Eminem? If it did, then Dre's latest offering, a sumptuous millenial appetizer called Dr. Dre 2001, will quickly refresh your memory.

   The good Dr.'s latest effort...2001 is all about Dre's pursuit of perfection. And if he has achieved it before (consult '88's seminal Straight Outta Compton and '92's The Chronic) then the bar is raised 10 times higher than for any rap artist/producer alive. So even when he makes a stellar album with no fast forward factor, like this one, naysayers will still scrutinize, and playa haters will still playa hate. Such is the life of a legend.

   First of all, 2001 should not be compared to the "original," The Chronic, which transformed rap for five years and remains a top album in any genre. This LP is a decidedly delicious and introspective rewrite that finds Dre merely refining his past exploits of explicit sexcapades, inhaling premium marijuana and, most importantly, releasing four years of steam out his chest. And despite being plagued by setbacks (Dre's feud with Death Row about the Chronic trademark; Dre's own meticulous nature), 2001 firmly reestablishes him as the unequivocal Ali of hip-hop producers.   

   Since 1987, when Eazy-E first launched Ruthless Records and Dre left the club-and-skating-rink scene in LA to join N.W.A, he has unleashed a bevy of classic songs: "Dopeman," "Keep Their Heads Ringin'," "Dre Day," "Let Me Ride," "Natural Born Killaz," and the list goes on.

   Mesmerized as a teen by the funky humor and style of '70s icons like Parliament/Funkadelic and the fuck-for-free antics of Dolemite, which he inhaled growing up in Compton, much of Dre's music is amoral and anti-establishment. And critics will hate on this: Is gangsta rap - that fiery flame of guns, girls and gloss - still relevant in this 2G millenium? Is it cool in a progressive America to continue calling women "bitches" and packin' a gat? California playas such as myself will holla back: Of course it is, muthafucka, especially if you can make gangsta shit sound so crystal clear and futuristic, like Dre has.

   The album's two leadoff singles deal specifically with that aforementioned memory. "Still D.R.E.," featuring Snoop - the Robin to Dre's Batman - and "Forgot About Dre," with his Detroit road dawg Eminem, are both attacks on doubting Thomases. And while 1996's "Been There Done That" alienated some of his hardcore fans with a preachy overview of the gangsta game, "The Watcher," an eerie warning to big mouth niggas, finally lets Dre get personal and reveal his fears. He addresses everything from Suge Knight drama to new-school producers eyeing his No. 1 spot: "How would you feel if niggas wanted you killed?/ You'd probably move to a new house on a new hill/ And choose a new spot if niggas wanted you shot/ I ain't a thug/ How much Tupac in you, you got?/ I ain't no bitch either/ It's either my life or your life/ And I ain't leaving/ I like breathing...Nigga, if you really wanna take it there, we can/ Just remember you fuckin' with a family man/ I got a lot more to lose than you/ So remember that when you wanna fill these shoes..."

   Slinky-voiced Devin, a.k.a The Dude, anchors the scandalous "Fuck You," a revamped version of "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)." This song perfectly illustrates how Dre not only produces intoxicating music, but also acts as a teacher, bringing out the best in any MC who blesses his tracks. On "Some L.A. Niggaz," a true West Coast posse backbreaker, DeFari, Xzibit, King T and others represent, but MC Ren teases us with a too brief intro and not even 16 full bars. If you're fiendin' for that ol' Death Row flair, then take a toke of "The Next Episode," featuring Snoop and Nate Dogg on the hook.

   The album's highlight, "What's The Difference," finds Dre reflecting on two friends: "Back when Cube was rolling with Lorenzo in a Benz O/ I was bangin' with a gang of instrumentals/ Got the pens and pencils/ Got down to business/ But sometimes the business end of this shit can turn your friends against you/ But you was a real nigga/ I could sense it in you/ I still remember the window of the car that you went through/ That's fucked up/ But I'll never forget the shit we been through/ And I'm gonna do whatever it takes to convince you/ 'Cause you my nigga D.O.C., and Eazy, I'm still with you/ Fuck the beef, nigga/ I miss you."

   And if you've lost a close family member to violence like Dre did with his brother, then "The Message," complete with Mary J. Blige's urgent moanings, will have you remembering a cut called "Dead Homiez".

   Musically, where old favorites like "Gangsta Gangsta" were simply thick guitars and straight bass, the Dre of 2001 is sneakier, offering layered tracks brimming with strings and horns. Other times, like on the standout cut "XXPLOSIVE," Dre drops the bass and lets the track ride.

   Now, the bad news. We know Dre ain't never been a Rakim on the mic. Yet if his 2001 has one glaring flaw (other than too many skits), it's that we don't hear him alone enough. The overload of guests makes some tracks sound cluttered. Dre's protege, Hittman, whose offbeat and drunken flow is entertaining, appears nine times. Hittman should've saved some rhymes for his solo LP.

   Initially, Dre's latest opus might feel a little disjointed and too long, evidence of Dre making over 90-plus tracks and selecting the best. But even with its drawbacks, 2001 still gets high marks. If we ever had reason to give out four and three-fourths mics, this would be it. Dre's back with a vengeance in 2000, y'all, raising the producer stakes in hip-hop, 'cause in case you forgot, the D-R-E is still the king of this shit here.  

[caTASHtrophe]

imo its a 4 mic album, starts off great then goes really weak just over half way.

I ain't listened to this album in over 2 years and to be honest i still don't feel like listening to it.

[Jome]

5 mics definately, a timeless classic.
I would even go so far to say it's one of the best albums ever.

[NewJack]

Gotta agree with Jome, may not be greatest ever, but it's sure up there. I lost my 2001 CD about two years ago, and I just got into mIRC downloading about a month ago, it was the first CD I d/l'd and once I got it I couldn't turn it off for like 2 weeks. I jus' listen to it straight through.

The Watcher
Fuck You
Still DRE
Big Egos
Xplosive
What's the Difference
Forgot About Dre (played out, but it still makes my cut)
Next Episode
Let's Get High
Murder Ink
Housewife
Bang Bang
The Message

I don't have the track listing in front of me, and there's prolly 1-2 more, but every one of those tracks are 4.5/5 or better for me. I love this album lol.

[_That_Cracka_J]

Again, I'm VERY surprise that The Source even went back and gave this 5 mics.  I agree with caTASHtrophe.  IMO it's a 4.  I might give it 4.25/5.

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

5 mics definately, a timeless classic.
I would even go so far to say it's one of the best albums ever.

I agree 1000000000% with ya brah

[Twentytwofifty]

9.5/10

Only problem are the useless skits and bad intro.  You cut those out and maybe slice 2 tracks, it's flawless.

[KVB]

4.75/5 - Classic


Only complaints:

- Too much Hittman (He's good, but 10 appearances was a bit overwhelming)

-  It wasn't exactly a lyrical masterpeice.

-  4 annoying, unnecessary skits.


The best song is "What's The Difference".

It's classic, but far from one of the best albums ever...

IMO
Peace

[T.J.]

9.5/10

Only problem are the useless skits and bad intro.  You cut those out and maybe slice 2 tracks, it's flawless.

yeah, but leave in pause 4 porno....  

[E. J. Rizo]

5 mics definately, a timeless classic.
I would even go so far to say it's one of the best albums ever.

no doubt man thats exactly how i feel look at my albums below....IMO are the best albums ever.....no doubt....2001 is just such a sick album non stop bumpin from start to finish....

[Hittman2001]

i give this album 5 stars

[CharlieBrown]

4/5 because the skits are shit (but the beats on Pause 4 Porno and Ed-Ucation are dope). The intro is shit (but i like the instrumental version, dunno why). Lets Get High is an awful song and it doesn't fit in with the sound of the album. Murder Ink is also poor and again doesn't fit in with the sound of the album.

[NewJack]

Murder Ink is one of my favs on the album, and the way Car Bomb and it go together is hot. That's the only skit I like on the album, and Murder is a hot song, I love the beat, but then again almost every beat on the album is great.

[Vigilante]

9.5/10

Only problem are the useless skits and bad intro.  You cut those out and maybe slice 2 tracks, it's flawless.

[_That_Cracka_J]

The skits are one thing, but I think there were a few average tracks on the album + I really don't dig Hittman that much.  That's why I can't give it 5/5 (a perfect album.