The Slim Shady LP announced not only Eminem's arrival, but it established that his producer Dr. Instead, it's a promising fresh start for Dre that is full of potential and enough great music to make it a vital listen. But that doesn't mean that The Aftermath is a washout. 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. 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. 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. There are a number of rappers on The Aftermath, even a handful of hardcore rappers, but nothing fits into the standard G-funk template. Dre Presents.The Aftermath and one listen proves that Dre wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't interested in gangsta anymore. Aftermath's initial release was the various-artists compilation Dr. He also decided not to concentrate on rap, signing urban R&B acts as well as hip-hop. 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. No matter how controversial, it remains one of the greatest and most influential hip-hop albums of all time.ĭr. That framework makes The Chronic both unreal and all too real, a cartoon and a snapshot. Its comic song intros and skits became prerequisites for rap albums seeking to duplicate its cinematic flow plus, Snoop and Dre's terrific chemistry ensures that even their foulest insults are cleverly turned. Yet The Chronic is first and foremost a party album, rooted not only in '70s funk and soul, but also that era's blue party comedy, particularly Dolemite. The Rodney King riots are unequivocally celebrated, but the war wasn't just on the streets Dre enlists his numerous guests in feuds with rivals and ex-bandmates. He sounds utterly unaffected by anything, no matter how extreme, which sets the tone for the album's misogyny, homophobia, and violence. There was nothing in rap quite like Snoop's singsong, lazy drawl (as it's invariably described), and since Dre's true forte is the producer's chair, Snoop is the signature voice. Snoop livens up every track he touches, sometimes just by joining in the chorus - and if The Chronic has a flaw, it's that his relative absence from the second half slows the momentum. But none of The Chronic's legions of imitators were as rich in personality, and that's due in large part to Dre's monumental discovery, Snoop Doggy Dogg. What's impressive is that Dre crafts tighter singles than his inspiration, George Clinton - he's just as effortlessly funky, and he has a better feel for a hook, a knack that improbably landed gangsta rap on the pop charts. Here Dre established his patented G-funk sound: fat, blunted Parliament-Funkadelic beats, soulful backing vocals, and live instruments in the rolling basslines and whiny synths. Dre's 1992 solo debut, The Chronic, transformed the entire sound of West Coast rap. With its stylish, sonically detailed production, Dr.
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