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Prelude:

This is the LONGEST Review i have ever written, so far. It took 3 days to complete, so i hope you like it.

-Big D



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Who the hell has not heard of Dr. Dre?

The Greatest Producer in the History of mankind returned in 1999 with his second MAJOR RELEASE album 2001. Regardless of what anybody else says, my name of this album is the Chronic 2001, so i will refer to it as Chronic 2001, because that is what it is.

How did we get here? Ill give you a simple history lesson.

History Lesson

Born Andre Young, Dr. Dre has always wanted to do music. Since he was a small child getting turntables for christmas and scratching up his mother's vinyl albums, Dre has had a love for it. He finally got his break when he joined the World Class Wrecking Cru'.

He DJ'd for the Crew for a while, until he grew sick of them, and joined his buddy Eazy-E in hip hop. Along with a crew of other emcees such as Ice Cube and MC Ren, they formed NWA, which stands for N*ggaz with Attitude. NWA began and gave birth to what is now known as Gangsta Rap. Gritty Music about gunplay, women, drugs, and street life. Dr. Dre's production was still being worked on, and it wasnt until he left NWA that his talent was truly recognized.

He joins Suge Knight's Death Row Records in 1994. Basically, Dre and Suge were both the CEOs, and each owned the company, but it was Suge who had the money. He discovered a fledgling young emcee from Long Beach, California named Calvin Brotus, aka Snoop Doggy Dogg. He and Snoop appeared together on the very first Death Row release, which was the soundtrack for the movie Deep Cover. They blew up like crazy.

However, it wasn't until Dr. Dre released his solo debut album that he would gain the status of Legend. Dr. Dre, along with a slew of West Coast emcees such as RBX, Snoop, Warren G, Kurupt, Daz, and Nate Dogg released his first solo album, entitled The Chronic. I dont think anybody has not heard of this classic. The first single Nuthin but a G Thang, put Gangsta Rap and West Coast Hip Hop on the market and at the PUREST TOP! If you haven't heard this album, you must own it.

Anyways, Dr. Dre revelled in his success and Death Row Records grew into being the largest record label ever. After this, many new artists flocked to Death Row from everywhere. From the legendary 2pac, all the way to the pop-rap-turned-hardcore MC Hammer, all were under the Death Row wing. Death Row albums hit hard. From Warren G's solo project, to Snoop's Doggystyle album, to 2pac's All Eyez on Me, each and every one of those albums was a smash hit. The Rap Game belonged to Death Row, namely Suge Knight and Dr. Dre.

However, in 1996, Dr. Dre noticed that Death Row had lots of problems. Violence, corruption, things didnt go too good for Dre. He got arrested, shot, and did everything that he rapped about, but never actually did in real life. Life imitated the record. At the same time, Dre's brother Tyrone was killed in street violence. It wasn't a good time for Dr. Dre. It didnt stop there for Dre's drama.

On September 13th, 1996, 2pac died after being gunned down a week later. When this happened, Dr. Dre's eyes opened. He immediately left Death Row, with little or no money. Snoop Dogg was the final survivor in Death Row, and he also flocked away, and the rest of the crew followed. Snoop signed with Master P's No Limit Records out of Louisiana. 2pac's passing marked the complete downfall of the empire that was known as Death Row Records.

After this, Dr. Dre immediately gathered the little money he had left over and opened his own record label entitled Aftermath Entertainment. He gathered together some great emcees and some new talent in 1996 and released Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath. On the album there are such names as RBX, Nas, KRS-One, B-Real, and new names such as Six-Two and Eve. . Dr. Dre had given up the Gangsta Rap image and made songs about changing the world. Unfortunately, this just was NOT the best Dre could do. The album flopped horribly.

It seemed all hope was lost until Dr. Dre discovered the mixtape of a young and coming White Emcee out of Detroit named Eminem. He immediately found this unsigned hype and signed him to Aftermath. Dr. Dre teamed up with Eminem and released Eminem's first major label LP entitled The Slim Shady LP. Once again, as Dre did with Snoop, Dre discovered Em, and used him to push himself back into the spotlight. The album was a complete success, selling over 3 million copies. Dr. Dre pushed himself back to the top, but he knew he had to return to do his own album.

Chronic 2001 is Born

It took 4 years, and nearly 200 different tracks, and a slew of rappers, producers, and time, to complete this masterpiece. 22 tracks of gangsta rap, featuring both a nostaligic feel, and a new-wave of talent and production unseen by anybody today. Chronic 2001 was released in 1999 with critical acclaim. The first single Still D.R.E. hit hard, just like Nuthin but a G Thang had done so many years earlier for the original Chronic.

The Chronic 2001 features a GIGANTIC arsenal of rappers unlike any seen before. From Legends of West Coast Hip Hop, to up and coming talent, R&B Singers, to Detroit White rappers, everybody is here. Eminem, Kurupt, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Six-Two, Hittman, Ms. Roq, Knocturnal, MC Ren, Defari, Kokane, Time Bomb, King Tee, Mary J. Blige, Mel-Man, and Charis Henry all make vocal appearances.

However, other names are also here, just not vocally. Dr. Dre has never been known to be a lyrical genius, so he has hired a slew of top-notch ghost-writers to write the majority of his lyrics for him. The lyrical writing talents of such names as Jay-Z, Royce da 5'9, Eminem, Hittman, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Mad Skillz.

Production is some of the greatest to ever grace a hip hop album. The G-Funk explodes here with a great nostalic feel, making this a true sequel to the first Chronic. Not to mention that Dre also addapts a few new styles, and a few new instruments here for some tracks, but they all maintain the laid-back, thumping bass, and good feeling vibes of G-Funk. All of these elements come together, making this classic.

In this chapter, Dr. Dre concludes his beefs, and begins a new era of hip hop for us to enjoy and proves that Aftermath truly is the New World Order of Rap.

Break it down...

1 - Intro - Lolo f/ Xzibit & Tray Dee (Not Rated)
A perfect intro to this album. It plays the THX sound effect, ensuring perfect sound quality, which is what Dre is aiming for with this album, both lyrically, and production-wise. The lyrics that he spits may not be amazing, but his production MORE than makes up for it. Xzibit and Tray Dee welcome Dre back to the game as he rolls in on his low-rider, which is pretty hilarious just listening to it. Great Intro. Kurupt finishes it with "What up Dr. Dre?", and it immediately goes into...

2 - The Watcher (5 Stars)
CLASSIC!!!! A great opening track to this album. Eminem and Hitt-man appear here and do the chorus, but are uncredited as being here. Dr. Dre raps about everything that has happened since he leaving of the game. He raps about all of the new rappers in this new era, and demands respect. He has marked his return, and calls himself a Watcher. What is a watcher?

Simple. A Watcher is basically a legend in the game who has been watching everything happening and has finally decided to take a stand. Its about respect. Dre here raps about how times have changed. The instrumental is pure genius, using dark and low piano beats, rattlesnake noises, and a VERY hard bassline, along with a cellular phone beep loop in the background. Not to mention it has nice whispering sounds and sound effects. When we reach the chorus, the piano beat goes very high. Genius Production. PURE GENIUS! Sample:

I moved out of the hood for good - you blame me?
N*ggaz aim mainly at n*ggaz they can't be
But n*ggaz can't hit n*ggaz they can't see
I'm out of sight, now I'm out of they dang reach
How would you feel if n*ggaz wanted you killed?
You'd probably move to a new house on a new hill
and choose a new spot if n*ggaz wanted you shot
I ain't a thug - how much Tupac in you you got?
I ain't no b*tch neither - it's either my life
or yo' life and I ain't leavin - I like breathin
Cause n*gga we can go round for round
Clip for clip, sh*t fo'pound for pound
N*gga if you really wanna take it there we can
Just remember that you f*ckin with a family man
I got a lot more to lose than you, remember that
when you wanna come and fill these shoes (the watcher)

3 - F*ck You f/ Devin the Dude & Snoop Dogg (5 Stars)
The album continues with another classic. This song is made to drive the women nuts. The song begins with an answering machine intro, and goes into the beat and Dre's verse. Basically, Dre, Devin the Dude, and Snoop Dogg rap about having sex with married women. They basically flow the song as if they dont care about nothing but the p*ssy. Not too of an original idea, but these guys make a great combination. When Snoop raps about women, its always funny, and it shows here. The subject-matter is nothing compared to the production. Top Notch. The beat here is genius. Using a VERY CATCHY soft g-funk loop, hard bassline, and it sounds awesome. The Chorus is one of the catchiest in history, and i sing it every once and while. It will be stuck in your head. ITS AWESOME!!! It MUST be heard. Sample:

On the sneak tip, on some creep sh*t
So whatcha gon' do, ya freak b*tch?
You, actin, like you, don't, do, d*cks
That's the kinda b*tch I hate f*ckin wit
Baby was a virgin, that's what she said
So I gave her some Hennesey, she gave me some head
I f*cked her on the flo', so I wouldn't mess up my bed
Then Lil' 1/2 Dead put his d*ck on her head
Take that b*tch home, and give her a bone
And give her the number to my cellular phone

4 - Still D.R.E. f/ Snoop Dogg (5 Stars)
Another Classic. Ghostwritten by Jay-Z, Dre puts down three awesome verses about his return. He says that he hasnt changed, and that he is still Dre and that he is ready to make you bounce like he did years ago on the Original Chronic. Snoop Dogg is here to back him up on some vocals, including the chorus, intro, and outro, but we dont hear him rap in this one. His voice is well heard here, and its basically a Dre-only rap song, which is good. The beat is classic once again, using very high pitched piano loops, followed by some low violins, and a HARD Bassline. Pure G-Funk Classic. Sample:

Since the last time you heard from me I lost some friends
Well, hell, me and Snoop, we dipping again
Kept my ear to the streets, signed Eminem
He's triple platinum, doing 50 a week
Still, I stay close to the heat
And even when I was close to defeat, I rose to my feet
My life's like a soundtrack I wrote to the beat
Treat my rap like Cali weed, I smoke til I sleep
Wake up in the A.M., compose a beat
I bring the fire til you're soaking in your seat

5 - Big Ego's f/ Hittman(5 Stars)
Hittman's first of many appearances is here on this track. The instrumental is another classic. Using a soft piano loop, followed by a harder one, a simple bassline, and some fading guitars, this is pure genius. Dr. Dre gets hard here, warning those with Big Egos to step back, not to mention that Hittman puts down a tight verse after Dre. Great Song. Sample:

I got mo' class than most of em, ran wit the best of em
Forgave the less of em, and blazed at the rest of em
What can I say? Cal-i-for-ni-A
Where n*ggaz die everyday over some sh*t they say
Disconnected from the streets forever
As long as I got a baretta, n*gga, I*m down for whateva
I roll wit my sh*t off safety - for n*ggaz that been hatin me lately
and the b*tches that wanna break me
If Cali blew up, I'd be in the Aftermath
Bumpin gangsta rap sh*t down to blast for cash
Cause from Eazy-E, to D.O.C., to D.P.G.
started from that S.O.B., D.R.E.
Like Dub-C I'm rich rollin, pistol holdin
Pockets swoll n*gga, that's how I'm rollin
Put the flame to the killer n*gga
Worldwide homicide mob figure and a builder, for real
I'm hittin switches, makin b*tches eat b*tches
See me grab my d*ck everytime I pose for pictures
I own acres, floor seats watchin The Lakers
I'm cool with eses who got AK's in cases"

6 - Xxplosive f/ Kurupt, Nate Dogg, Six-Two (5 Stars)
PURE CLASSIC!! The beat is PURE GENIUS! Using the VERY VERY CATCHY piano loop, followed by bells and whistles, this is PURE G-Funk. This song is 100% made for low-riders. If you have a low-rider, put this on repeat. Vocally, Dre doesnt even appear on this track, but it doesnt matter, because the VERY talented Nate Dogg, Six-Two, and the great Kurupt appear here to gangsta this up. This is PURE West Coast rap and brings you back to the old days of Death Row. This is basically a pure West Coast track which exemplifies everything that the West-Side is about. Kurupt hasnt lost a step since his oldies, and this is a great debut for Six-Two. Nate Dogg's incredibly deep gangsta voice fits perfect for harmonizising this track. Dogg Pound 4 Life!! Sample:

I got these freaky hoes
Clappin they hands, stompin they feet
Every now and then they put they mouth on me
Nowadays a G like me can't even call it
A 23-year old p*ssy fiend and freakaholic
Pimpin b*tches on the regular, I put that on the G
A hustler and a player, nowadays it pays to be
Lemme drop some sh*t about this b*tch I used to know
She gave ya boy the head and said don't let nobody know
A bonafide pro, I had to grab the hoe
She got freaky in yo' sixty-fo', I skeeted in her throat

7 - Whats the Difference f/ Xzibit, Phish, & Eminem (5 Stars, 6 if i could)
PURE GENIUS AWESOME PERFECT CLASSIC!!!! This is one my all time favorite songs of all time. HOW COULD YOU LISTEN TO THIS WITHOUT BOBBING YOUR HEAD?? Production its the BEST. THE BEST SONG ON THIS ALBUM! Dr. Dre raps about putting all of his beef behind him, and finally reveals that he does indeed miss Eazy-E and he loved him. Xzibit and Eminem round out the song with X-tothe-Z's brag-rap and Eminem's insane wife-beating storytelling.

Pure Classic. Shows the best of all three styles. Eminem gets on the track and ANNIHILATES IT! It seems to me that he put his heart out in this song, SCREAMING the latter part of his verse. I was lucky to see this performed live at the Up in Smoke Tour in Tampa. Eminem was OUT OF BREATH and his face turned red when he did this song. Classic. The instrumental is my FAVORITE of all time. A VERY Loud Trumpet loop, Slamming Bassline, synch-sounds, and some g-funkish ness. The Chorus is among my favorites of all time, and it fits me perfectly, performed by Phish.

Back when Cube - was rollin wit Lorenzo in a Benzo
I was bangin wit a gang of instrumentals
Got the pens and pencils, got down to business; but sometimes
the business end of this sh*t can turn your friends against you
But you was a real n*gga, I could sense it in you
I still remember the window of the car that you went through
That's f*cked up, but I'll never forget the sh*t we been through
And I'ma do whatever it takes to convince you
Cuz you my n*gga Doc, and Eazy I'm still wit you
F*ck the beef, n*gga I miss you, and that's just bein real wit you
You see the truth is
Everybody wanna know how close me and Snoop is
And who I'm still cool wit
Then I got these fake-a** n*ggaz I first drew with
Claimin that they non-violent, talkin like they *voice sample*
Spit venom in interviews, speakin on reunions
Move units, then talk sh*t and we can do this
Until then - I ain't even speakin your name
Just keep my name outta yo' mouth and we can keep it the same
N*gga, it ain't that I'm too big to listen to the rumors
It's just that I'm too damn big to pay attention to 'em
That's the difference...

8 - Bar One (Skit)
The first real skit on this album besides the intro. Hell, im already worn out listening to the PURE classics that were the first 7 tracks. I guess Dre planned to slow the pace down here. Basically in this skit, a girl goes to a bar to get her a drink and runs into a very bizarre individual. Couple of wh*res, leads into track 9.

9 - Light Speed f/ Hittman (5 Stars)
Dre introduces himself to the girl. Dre gets along with the girl easily, due to the fact that they both love weed, and that is what the song is about. Dre isnt alone, he is once again joined by Hittman, who busts a tight verse. Pure west coast and weed music, but feel good music. The cool thing about the song is that the chorus features a KRS-One sample saying "One". This is showcases that this is Chronic 2001, the sequel. The instrumental is PURE G-Funk. Using a slow beat, using whistles, flutes, synchronized sounds, a hard bassline, and a simple drumloop. Genius G-Funk beat. Sample:

We will hold you captive and bust
cause g*ngbangin is the active, activity
where I be livin be, there ain't no Liberty Statue
Hope you got your gat, don't let them catch you
slippin, without yours, it's warfare outdoors
Ambulance, violent uproars
Trash n*ggaz takin out like chores I meet wh*res on tours
Jeans hot as pepper so I sip, champagne on stormy shores
We on some hardcore, pornographic
Totin Austrian firearms that's made out of plastic
In these drastic surroundings, it be sounding like
Lebanon, makin fools "RETREAT!" like Megatron and Starscream

10 - Forgot About Dre f/ Eminem(5 Stars)
The second single from this album. The video is pretty cool too, so check it out. First, lets begin on the Instrumental and production. Top notch. The beat is once again, G-Funk. Uses simple synchronized sounds looped together, some slow background piano, a hi-hat, a hard head bassline, and craftily placed sound-effects. Also, in the latter-part of Eminem's verse, some guitar is put in, fitting perfect with the song. Classic.

Lyrically, this song is amazing. Dre's lyrics were very craftily ghost-written by the legend Eminem. Eminem, also appears on this track, with his awesome storytelling abilities about one night with good ole Andre, that lead to mischief. Dre raps about the fact that it seems that everybody has forgotten about him. This is a perfect comeback track, letting the world know hes back, and hes got one of the greatest lyricists of all time Eminem by his side. Genius! Pure Classic!

Sample of Dre:

Y'all know me, still the same O.G., but I been low key
Hated on by most these n*ggaz wit no cheese, no deals and no G's
No wheels and no keys, no boats no snowmobiles, and no ski's
Mad at me cause I can finally afford to provide my family wit groceries
Got a crib wit a studio and it's all full of tracks
to add to the wall full of plaques
Hangin up in the office in back of my house like trophies
Did y'all think I'ma let my dough freeze? Hoe please
You better bow down on both knees
Who you think taught you to smoke trees?
Who you think brought you the oldies?
Eazy-E's, Ice Cube's, and D.O.C's
The Snoop D-O-double-G's
and the group that said mother-"F*ck Tha Police"
Gave you a tape full of dope beats
to bump when you stroll through in your hood
And when your album sales wasn't doin too good
who's the Doctor they told you to go see?
Y'all better listen up closely
All you n*ggaz that said that I turned pop, or The Firm flopped
Y'all are the reason that Dre ain't been gettin no sleep
so F*CK Y'ALL, all of y'all; if y'all don't like me, BLOW ME!
Y'all are gonna keep f*ckin around wit me
and turn me back to the old me

Sample of Em's verse:


So what do you say to somebody you hate (What?)
Or anyone tryin to bring trouble your way?
Wanna resolve things in a bloodier way? (YUP)
Then just study a tape of N.W.A.!
One day I was walkin by, wit a Walkman on, when I caught a guy
give me an awkward eye (What you lookin at?)
And strangled him off in the parkin lot, wit his Karl Kani
I don't give a f*ck if it's dark or not
I'm harder than me tryin to park a Dodge
when I'm drunk as f*ck
Right next to a humungous truck in a two-car garage {*CRUNCH*}
Hoppin out wit two broken legs, tryin to walk it off
"F*ck you too b*tch, call the cops!"
I'ma kill you and them loud a** motherf*ckin barkin dogs
...And when the cops came through
me and Dre stood next to a burnt down house
With a can full of gas and a hand full of matches
And still weren't found out (RIGHT HERE)
From here on out it's the Chronic 2
Startin today and tomorrow's the new
And I'm still loco enough
To choke you to death wit a Charleston Chew
Chiki-chiki-chiki-Slim Shady - hotter then a set of twin babies
in a Mercedes Benz wit the windows up
when the temp goes up to the mid 80's
Callin men ladies; sorry Doc but I been crazy
There's no way that you can save me
It's okay, go with him Hailey (Da-da?)


11 - The Next Episode f/ Snoop Dogg & Nate Dogg(5 Stars)
Well, for those of you who have heard Nuthin but a G-Thang, you know the line where they say, "Till the Next Episode." Well here ya go. This is the Next Episode, the true sequel to G-Thang. Forget that HORRID Still a G Thang by Snoop, this one is the TRUE sequel.

This is also the third single from this album. This basically picks up where the prequel left off, a great representation of West Coast Hip Hop and West Coast Life. Snoop begins with a very catchy intro, assisted by Kurupt, who is uncredited on the back of the album. Snoop begins with his very laid back verse, as he always is. This is a club anthem, but im not taking away from it because of that. It really brings you back to the days of the Chronic. Nostalgia is a great feeling. Old School Rules.

The lyrics arent amazing, like they usually are (specially Dre's verse), but it does have its moments. Dre's verse is ghost-written by Snoop himself. The lyrics arent too special, because of the fact that the words they use have been rhymed countless times by Snoop (DPG, D-O-G-G, L-B-C, for instance). However, the song is saved into classicness by the INCREDIBLE outro performed by Nate Dogg. Nate Dogg comes on with his seductive and ghetto voice, and immediately gets your head bouncing. I wish he was on the actual chorus. You think the song is over, and he pops in! Genius! Here is what Nate says:

Hold up, waiiiiiiit
for my n*ggaz who be thinkin we soft
We don't, playyyyyyy
We gon' rock it til the wheels fall off
Hold up, heyyyyyyyy
for my n*ggaz who be actin too bold
Take a, seeaaaaaat
Hope you ready for the next episode
HeyyyeyyyeEYEYyyyEYYYY....
{*pause*}
.... smoke weed everyday!

12 - Lets Get High f/ Kurupt, Hittman, and Ms. Roq (5 Stars)
Doesnt take a genius to figure out what this song is about. Once again, Dr. Dre delivers a classic instrumental, with several guest stars. Brings me back to the old school of Chronic. Dr. Dre is joined here by West Coast Legend Kurupt, Hittman, and Ms. Roq. Dr. Dre and his friends rap about their love of weed, and how weed leads to sex. Not exactly genius subject matter, but its put together so good, that it doesnt matter. Dre puts down a very nice verse, ghostwritten of course. Sample:


Yeah -- I just took some Ecstasy
Ain't no tellin what the side effects could be
All these fine b*tches equal sex to me
plus I got this bad b*tch layin next to me
No doubt, sit back on the couch
Pants down, rubber on, set to turn that a** out
Laid the b*tch out, then I put it in her mouth
Pulled out, nutted on a towel and passed out

13 - B*tch N*ggaz f/ Snoop Dogg, Hittman, Six-Two (5 Stars)
Once again, another classic beat, with classic words to it. Snoop Dogg puts a very cool intro to all these bastards who have caused trouble in their life. Kind of deep, but has its West Coast-style flow. It actually has some sampling and scratching too, which Dr. Dre rarely does. He does great here. Hittman has the honor of the last verse, with nice lyrics. Sample of Dre:

Straight off the streets of chaos and no pity
The aggravated, makin these punk muh'f*ckers hate it
COMPTON is the city I'm from
Cain't never leave the crib without a murder wea-pon
Huh, I cain't live my life on broke no mo'
And most of these fools ain't sh*t but cutthroats
They smile in a n*gga face - and for what?
They got the game f*cked up, and want my thang f*cked up
I done learned a lot, seen a whole lot
The top notch n*gga, I'm fiendin for that spot
Now peep game on what Six-Deuce told me...


14 - The Car Bomb (Not Rated)
Pretty funny at first, but gets played out pretty quick. Stupid car bomb skit. Not needed in this album at all.

15 - Murder Ink f/ Hittman, Ms. Roq (4 1/2 Stars)
Hittman and Ms. Roq return to help Dre here on Murder Ink (and no, it has no relation to the no-talented, c*ck-sucking record label Murder Inc). The album falters here, both beat-wise, and lyrically. The beat is boring, and the lyrics are only mediocre, with some highlights. Basically a VERY violent song where these artists rap about pure violence. Dr. Dre does not even appear on this track to do vocals. By this time, im franctly sick of Hittman. I mean, this isnt his album! It's Dre's album! Too much Hittman. Ms. Roq is also getting on my nerves. Im guessing she is Dre's replacement for Lady of Rage.

When darkness be closin in
I'm motivated, with the howlin wind
with a list of chosen men, frozen in sin
Knowin that your end is beginnin
Swift silent and deadly
There's no defendin my plots, I know your every movement
For six months I watch, coulda got you at your baby's mother's house
Even at your down-low weed spot
But the backdrop, wasn't flattering enough

16 - Ed-ucation f/ Eddie Griffin (2 1/2 Stars)
Dr. Dre puts Eddie Griffin on this to add comic relief. Once again... NOT NECCESSARY!!!! I love Eddie Griffin, i think hes hilarious (ever seen Voodoo Child?), but he doesnt belong with his own track here. He is USELESS filler, in an album where filler isnt neccessary. I mean, it would be nice if he started a song kind of like Warren G did on Deez Nuts on the original Chronic, but he just talks, so this borderlines a skit.

17 - Some L.A. N*ggaz f/ Defari, Xzibit, Knoc-Turn'al, Time Bomb, King T, MC Ren & Kokane (4 1/2 Stars)
MY GOD! What a roster! Dre doesnt appear vocally here, but he brings in enough people to make up for it. He ressurects MC Ren, his former N.W.A. mate from years back, along with hot artists Xzibit and King T, along with new Aftermath talent Kokane, Knoc, and Time Bomb. However, Knoc and Kokane do the chorus. The biggest surprise here is Defari! The classic west coast lyrical sensation who did some nice songs with Dilated Peoples, appears here with Dre. Xzibit still gets the best verse here. Here is a sample of it:

I was raised in the hood called WHAT-THE-DIF'
Where the brothers in the hood, refused to go Hollywood
Slugs for the f*ck of it
Anybody hatin on us can suck a d*ck
If I catch you touchin mine you catch a flatline, dead on the floor
Better than yours, drivin away gettin head from a wh*re
It's Avire-X-to-the-Z
F*ckin with me might get you banned from TV,
cassette and CD it's all mine the whole nine the right time
Multiply, we don't die, the streets don't lie
What, so neither do I, I'm bad for your health
like puttin a pistol up to your face and blastin yourself

18 - Pause 4 Porno (Not Rated)
Useless skit where it has some women moaning from a porno. Pretty funny, but useless and not neccessary.

19 - Housewife f/ Kurupt, Hittman (4 Stars)
Kurupt and Hittman return again for this track. Kurupt and Hittman put it down awesome with a catchy chorus, but the beat suffers. Dre puts down a nice verse, along with Kurupt and Hit, and the subject matter is funny. They basically warn you about making hoes into housewifes. Typical Dr. Dre material. Sample of Kurupt's verse:

At the ho-tel, mo-tel, or the Holiday Inn
I said if that b*tch keep f*ckin up (beotch) then we'll f*ck her friends
I said I dip, dive, what can I say?
N*ggaz need to stop f*ckin with O.J.
Some n*ggaz bang blood, some n*ggaz bang crip
And b*tches ain't sh*t but hoes and tricks
I had to dream of hoes, I had to scream at hoes
I seen my hoes in all kinds of clothes
Lil' Almond Joy, I truly enjoy
if you blew my balls, right through my drawers
Come back to the mansion, chill at the spot
From the way she was blowin, I know she does it a lot

20 - Ackrite f/ Hittman (3 1/2 Stars)
The beat here is very unique. It uses some piano synthesizers to make it pretty good, unfortunately the lyrics and the beat dont match too well. Not to mention im freakin sick of Hittman all over this album. This album is basically a SOLO Hittman song, cause it features nobody else. Its not a bad song, but it doesnt belong on this album at all. The lyrics arent too good either. Sample:

Uhhhhh.. drink kickin in, I'm stimulated
For those that don't know big words, I'M F*CKIN FADED
Eighty-three degrees, ease to a shaded spot
Our first spot was cool til some gangsters made it hot
Now we plot and pose
plus we watchin hoes, with lots of flesh exposed
gettin swarmed by those type of n*ggaz
with no game but brown-nose
So I impose only like pros can
"Yo, is this your man?" "No."

21 - Bang Bang f/ Knoc-turn' al, Hittman (5 Stars)
This song is classic. The chorus is incredibly catchy, and reminds me a LOT of Chronic. Dr. Dre, along with Knoc and Hittman put it down hard and awesome. This is the first time we actually get to hear Knoc rap, and not sing. Hes not too bad. The beat is what makes this awesome. Typical G-Funk classic beats with Dre using synthesizers and a hard bassline. Im gonna give Hittman credit, his verse is TIGHT, but the sample goes to Dre this time. Eminem also makes a vocal appearance. Sample:

Everyday it's the same thang, L.A. ain't changed
N*ggaz still playa hatin, but Dre ain't changed
I'm just a lot smarter now
cause these n*ggaz is bangin ten times harder now
N*ggaz ringin they a** up in the wrong part of town
Better turn they car around
Rollin the window down
(Em: Hey can we talk it out?)
(Hitt: NAH GET THE F*CK OUT!)
Johnny got a shotgun
and he ain't even strong enough to cock one
F*ck tryin to job hunt

22 - The Message f/ Mary J. Blige, Rell (5 Stars)
A perfect ending classic song to this album. Dr. Dre dedicates this song to his brother Tyree, who sadly was killed years ago. Dre is joined by the Soulful Mary J. Blige and Rell to help out with the chorus. Dr. Dre DEEPLY talks to God in a very soulful way. Even though its ghostwritten, his lyrics seem straight from his heart. Very touching. The instrumental uses a nice catchy piano loop and a nice bassline. Its a VERY sad song. You can FEEL his emotion. Dre changes the album here, and puts together a PURE CLASSIC. I love this song, and you will too. Sample:

Youse a soldier, you're probably packin heat up there
Met up with homies from the street, and got deep up there
If you only knew the way I felt before they ruined the crew
I thought I learned from Eazy, now I'm goin through it with you
We lost a thug, a son, and a father
I spoke to your son, the other day, and told him Uncle Dre got him
The Lord must be accidentally pulling your file
cause I'm still paging you, 911, straight in denial
Prayin you get it, but no man can choose the card he was dealt
You either quit, or you gon' play it like you get it
I done been through all emotions, from in shock, to keepin a poker face
to straight breakin down and showin all emotions
I'm anxious to believe in real G's don't cry
If that's the truth, then I'm realizin I ain't no gangsta
It's just not me, but you know I'm a always ride wit you
I miss you, sometimes I wish I just died wit you

After this, the album ends with Michael Chong saying a few funny words to close it out...

PURE CLASSIC!!!

Beginning to end, Dre puts a SOLID CLASSIC album with very little filler. PICK IT UP RIGHT NOW!!

I cant WAIT for Detox in 2003.

WHY MUST HE RETIRE????

...Say it aint so Andre... Say it aint so....

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving