2001 [Edited]

Performer: Dr. Dre
Artist: Snoop Dogg; Eminem; Defari; Kurupt; Nate Dogg; King T; RBX; Xzibit; Devin; Mary J. Blige; Tray-Dee; Hittman; Six-Two; Eddie Griffin; Ms. Roq; Traci Nelson; Mel-Man; Charis Henry; Knoc-Turn'al; Kokane; Mc Ren; Time Bomb; Jake Steed; Rell
Producer: Dr. Dre; Mel-Man
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Hittman, Kurupt, Nate Dogg, King T, Sticky Fingas, Ms. Roq, RBX, Defari, Xzibit, Knoc-Turn'al, Six-Two, Eddie Griffin, MC Ren, Kokane, Rell, Traci Nelson, Jake Steed, Time Bomb, Devin AKA The Dude, Mary J. Blige, Tray-Dee (vocals); Aaron Harris, Laylow (various instruments); Sean Cruise (guitar); Carl Breeding, Scott Stocrch, Finesse, Camara Kambon (keyboards); Mel-Man, Mike Elizondo, Colin Wolfe (bass); Taku Hirano (percussion); DJ Pen (scratches); Koka, T.Y. Nichols (background vocals). Engineers include: Ted Reiger, Steve Macauley, Alex Sinn. "Guilty Conscience" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By Duo Or Group. "Forgot About Dre" won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group. DR. DRE 2001 was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. "The Next Episode" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Personnel: Dr. Dre; Sean Cruse (guitar); Scott Storch, Camara Kambon, Dinky Bingham, Carl Breeding (keyboards); Mike Elizondo, Colin Wolfe, Preston Crump, Mel-Man (bass); Taku Hirano (percussion); DJ Pen (scratches). Engineers include: Richard "Segal" Huredia, Dave Tenhouten, Tom Gordon. "Still D.R.E." was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group. With 2001, Dr. Dre has managed to do the seemingly impossible: resurface yet again after a five-year disappearance from the rap game, and shatter all expectations. The first two tracks lull the listener into thinking this is going to be a mellow, G-funk outing, but when the piano loop and beat commence in "Still D.R.E.," it's obvious Dre is still light years ahead of the rest. The seemingly disparate styles of guest artists MC Ren, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem are all unified by Dre's singular musical vision. What makes this record stand out from any other gangsta rap recording before it, however, are the flashes of brutal honesty that pepper the lyrics ("What's the Difference"). Something about Dre's persona and delivery softens his often misogynistic, violent lyrical content. It's as if the audience understands he's only posturing and knows that, deep down, he is a dedicated family man (something he proudly admits). Other standouts on this highly impressive return to the spotlight include "F*** You," "Big Ego's," and the self-explanatory "Still D.R.E."

Spin (1/00, pp.119-20) - 7 out of 10 - "...If you like your G-funk ludicrous and lubricious, 2001 should rank high on your list of pleasures in the zero-zero....his ongoing commitment to formal excellence and sonic innovation in this art form may one day earn him a place next to George Clinton..." Entertainment Weekly (11/19/99, pp.141-2) - "...The gangsta style that Dre pioneered is still going great guns....Dre's patented G-funk is as addictive as it was back when over 3 million record buyers got hooked on THE CHRONIC....reestablishes his mastery of the form..." - Rating: A- Q (1/01, p.90) - Included in Q's "50 Best Albums of 2000". Q (1/00, p.112) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...the master of high-concept hip hop....The catchy, dramatic production and guest spots from Eminem and Mary J Blige are a joy..." Muzik (1/00, p.110) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...another highlight to his career....the Doc slides into low-slung grooves and pungent atmospheres born of someone who's been around long enough to view streetlife from a shrewd, singular perspective..." CMJ (12/13/99, p.26) - "...harvests another potent bushel of sonic chronic....perfects beats through the use of session musicians and programmed samples....It's Dre Day now more than ever." Vibe (1/01, p.101) - Voted as "Album of the Year" in The 2000 Vibe Of The Year Awards - "...Proved that [he] hadn't lost his Midas touch..." The Source (1/00, pp.185-6) - 4.5 mics out of 5 - "...a sumptuous millenial appetizer....the bar is raised 10 times higher than for any rap artist/producer....no fast forward factor....makes gangsta sound so crystal clear and futuristic....[He] is still the king of this s*** here."

Dr. Dre has dictated the pace of change in West Coast rap more than any other single figure. As DJ/producer for N.W.A., he ushered in a whole new era in rap by adapting the raw sonics of Public Enemy & Boogie Down Productions to the ethos of L.A.'s youth gangs. After the group's split, he expanded his style to include eerie P-Funk synths on his solo releases and those of prot�g� Snoop Dogg. The resulting "G-Funk" sound influenced many other West Coast rap artists. In the late 1990s, Dre found another notable prot�g�, a promising young lyricist from Detroit named Eminem.

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