Dr. Dre
VIMTV Album Review #434: Dr. Dre – 2001
Jake: 95/100
Tom: 96/100
Verdict: A great rap album, despite the immaturity of a lot of the content.
Overview: Dr. Dre’s follow-up to the much acclaimed The Chronic is a shocker to this day. While the production is about as sharp as it gets, and a lot of the rapping is top notch, Dre chose to showcase a lot of no-name rappers and make the lyrical content misogynistic and incredibly lewd. While this would normally signal a painful listening experience (and for some, it surely is), Dre makes it work. He never breaks character, and the manner in which he approaches the sophomoric subject matter is so over-the-top that it’s almost hard to scoff at. Overall, there’s a lot of controversy regarding this album and where it stands in the rap canon, but really, shouldn’t rap always have a little controversy?
Jake’s Track Picks:
- 2. The Watcher
- 7. What’s the Difference
- 10. Forgot About Dre
- 13. Bitch Niggaz
Tom’s Track Picks:
- 2. The Watcher
- 6. Xxplosive
- 10. Forgot About Dre
- 19. Housewife
VIMTV Research Links:
The Watcher
Forgot About Dre
One thing I love about this album, is Eminem’s guest spot on Forgot About Dre. When this came out, Eminem was still kinda a rising artist, so hearing him before his big boom with the Marshall Mathers LP shows you how fast your career can change. I just think it’s cool to see someone blow up so fast. As always, great review. The ending is probably the best moment in VIMTV history
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