Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath [PA]

Performer: Various Artists/Dr. Dre
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Producers include: Dr. Dre, Mel-Man, Bud'da, Floyd Howard, Flossy P, Maurice Wilcher. Engineers include: Keston Wright, Lamont Hyde, Glove. The first release on Dr. Dre's label, Aftermath Entertainment, introduces some promising new acts, and gets an immediate boost from the presence of Group Therapy, a supergroup featuring Nas, RBX, Krs-One and B. Real. There's also a great new Dr. Dre track, "Been There Done That." This is exciting new territory for the man who may be the best producer in hip-hop. Dr. Dre has provided the tracks for some of the most successful acts in hip-hop, including N.W.A. and Snoop Doggy Dogg, and was a bedrock presence on Death Row Records. With PRESENTS... THE AFTERMATH, he moves forward to a label of his own. Personnel: Dr. Dre (background vocals); Nicole Johnson, RC (vocals, background vocals); Sid McCoy (vocals); King Tee (rap vocals); Stan the Guitar Man, Victor Johnson (guitar); Maurice Wilcher (keyboards, background vocals); Stu-B-Doo, Alex Singleton, Chris "The Glove" Taylor, Camara Kambon (keyboards); Carl "Butch" Small (percussion); DJ T. (scratches); D-Ruff, Flossy P, Hands-On, Ruben Cruz, Kim Summerson, Mike Lynn, Whoz Who, Cassandra McCowan, Jheryl Lockhart (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Dr. Dre; Lamont Hyde; Keston Wright; Steve Robbins; Chris "The Glove" Taylor; Brad Haehnel. Recording information: Daddy's House Recording Studio, New York, NY; Hit Factory, New York, NY; Longevity Studios, North Ho; Quad Studios, NY, NY; Record One, Sherman Oaks, CA. Photographers: Mario Castellanos; Mario Castellano; Victor Hall; Michael Benabib. Dr. Dre shifted directions drastically halfway through 1996, leaving Death Row Records and abandoning gangsta rap, claiming that he had "Been There, Done That." So, Dre founded a new record label, Aftermath, and built an artist roster consisting entirely of new, unproven talent. He also decided not to concentrate on rap, signing urban R&B acts as well as hip-hop. Aftermath's initial release was the various-artists compilation Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath and one listen proves that Dre wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't interested in gangsta anymore. There are a number of rappers on The Aftermath, even a handful of hardcore rappers, but nothing fits into the standard G-funk template. The true revelation of the album is Dre's skill for urban R&B and soul, all of which sounds fresh and exciting compared to several of the fairly pedestrian hip-hop tracks. Despite the success of these urban productions, none of the actual performers make much of an impact -- the tracks are impressive only because they demonstrate Dre's musical versatility and skill. In fact, the two tracks that really stand out -- Dre's stately, sexy "Been There Done That" and the powerful "East Coast/West Coast Killas," which features cameos by B-Real, KRS-One, Nas, and RBX -- are a combination of terrific production and personality, which is usually what results in great singles. But that doesn't mean that The Aftermath is a washout. Instead, it's a promising fresh start for Dre that is full of potential and enough great music to make it a vital listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Entertainment Weekly (12/13/96, p.80) - "...A compilation that hints at the diverse things to come from Aftermath's young talents, the album features both rap and R&B....Mostly, Dre stays behind the boards, laying down the deep bass and off-kilter keys that are the foundation of his signature G-Funk sound..." - Rating: B+

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25