Well, it didn't. Not by a fucking long shot. The compilation album entitled Dr. Dre Presents The Aftermath is generally considered to be the lone blemish on an otherwise flawless solo career (it's not officially a solo album, but you get my point). The songs were made up of crappy no-name rappers that would never make anything out of their careers (Sorry, no happy ending). The lone track actually credited to Dre showed him, a member of one of the most intimidated and flat out scary groups of all time, dancing and spreading positivity. The song did alright, which is stupid, but everyone agreed that the project was pretty half-asses. Matter of fact, the shit was such garbage, Dr. Dre ended up scrapping nearly the entire fucking roster and starting from square one. (hence paving the way for a young Marshall Mathers to make his mainstream debut) Like us hip hop fans tend to do, the community all but forgot about the Aftermath label and accepted the fact that Andre Young had officially fallen off.
But yeah, you all know Dr. Dre wasn't going out that easy. In an act of desperation, our hero just happened to be looking through his stash of underground independently released EPs from Detroit and found this dude named Marshall Mathers that was rhyming under the moniker Eminem or Slim Shady. Taking a risk that only Dre would take, he saw potential in the madness spread throughout the extended play, and signed the white rapper, once again changing the scene of hip hop, helping it reach even further into the white suburbs, opening doors for all kinds of peeks and valleys of Eminem, but that's a story for another day.
Because why talk about something you already know when I've got a story that is completely related to the importance of this album. After leaving Death Row and losing most of the edge that made him an icon in the first place, Dre's wife actually realized that her husband was making really shitty music and decided to do something about it. In an act of desperation, she actually gave Andre the okay to resume rapping about toting guns, murdering women, fucking hoes, and all that shit. I mean after all, Eminem would need a partner in crime and our host couldn't come off as a total pussy. Dre took advantage if the situation as fast as humanly possible and began cooking up what would eventually turn into the subject of today's discussion. I can only imagine him running down into his basement and dressing up in the apparel he would wear in the video for "Forgot About Dre". It's awkwardly titled 2001, and it was actually released in 1999, but make no mistake about it, this is most definitely the second version of The Chronic.
Miraculously, the story got even better. After realizing that he's would've made even more money had Dre always had his new-found attitude, Death Row president Suge Knight became more than a little agitated. Keep in mind that Suge was still in hot waters at this after, after some believed he was responsible for the death of Tupac Shakur. Suge decided to fully embrace the villain role, though, and released a DVD titled Death Row Uncut, and apparently the name was to be taken extremely literally. Along with previously unreleased music videos, the tape also included very specific directions on how to get to Snoop and Dre's houses. That's some villainous shit, but he didn't stop there. Suge also signed a new crew of really talented rappers for the sole purpose of talking shit and defacing the reputations of his new enemies. One of them actually morphed into what we know today as Crooked I. But here's comes the funniest part and my personal favorite: Suge released a solo record titled Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000: Still Smokin' so Dre wouldn't be able to call his new album "The Chronic 2000". That last sentence is not necessary a complete fact, but regardless, the double disc label compilation was more or less an hour long roasting of Dre, Snoop and whoever else they felt like fucking with. Interesting, sure, but Suge wanted to sell at least a few records, so he brought the likes of Dat Nigga Daz (that's just kind of depressing) and a ton of older 2pac recordings to draw in some of their older listeners that had faith in a project everyone else knew would suck. Buy hey, it was worth a shot, right? I mean, I'm still writing about it fifteen years after its release and there was once a point in my life where I was in a record store and considered buying the damn thing. But the real question: would hit be able to take away sales from Dr. Dre's new album?
In short, no. Not even in the slightest. Andre countered every one of Suge's attack with moves that proved his creative genius. For the whole name fiasco, he simply rolled with 2001, a natural progression after Suge's title. Not exactly genius, but the album obviously did fine for itself. In 1999, it was arguably the most anticipated hip hop album since the second Wu-Tang release. The album (now we're finally getting to the actual content) followed a very similar format as the original. All the production is credited to Dre with the exception of one song, and most importantly, he chosen to work with way lesser known artist, such as Hittman, Six-Two, and at the time, Eminem. (Spoiler alert: only one made it into the mainstream) In that regard, 2001 was approximately a hundred times less successful than the original. The Chronic put on some of the most recognizable artist in the genre's history, such as Snoop Dogg, The Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage, and even RBX. (I don't know what the hell he's been up too, but he had a cool voice) This time around, I couldn't even tell you if half these motherfuckers are still alive. That's ultimately one of the main reasons why a lot of the second half of 2001 sucks. (Shit, I gave it away again) Still, the album is regarded very highly and many of the younger audience members consider it to be superior to the original.
To put add even more insult to Suge Knight (let's be honest, he fucking deserved it), 2001 would go on to be certified seven times platinum, and like I said, is often considered to be one of the greatest albums ever laid to wax. Dre won a Grammy, which, like it or not, is a big deal, and has since been making a living by selling his brand of Beats By Dre headphones, which somehow make more money monthly than most of my favorite artists' life savings. All we can do now is hope that his third album Detox, by some chance in heaven, actually drops. I don't have much hope, but stranger things have happened.
And yes, I still haven't even started the track-by-track.
1. Lolo (Intro)
I usually forget that this little intro even happens, but then I remember that small bit of controversy over Dre stealing the THX-quality sound that plays before a bunch of movies. This is cool and all, and it certainly adds an epic factor to the whole ordeal, but with an album this highly anticipated (and all that shit about it) I'm honestly not trying to hear all this bullshit. But it doesn't matter, because it leads into...
2. The Watcher
Ah yes, "The Watcher", one of Dre's most famous and important tracks. As soon as this song was released to the public, everyone knew our host was back at his full time job of being a gangsta rap legend that was fucking ruthless at reciting lyrics. The thing that might have been most shocking is that Dre was rapping really fucking well, and this is ultimately the peak of his technical abilities. That's because this particular song was ghost-written by Nasir Jones, but people didn't know that at the time, so it felt like Andre also discovered a new passion for actually rapping. This still sounds great today.
3. Fuck You (Feat. Devin the Dude & Snoop Dogg)
Dr. Dre recently said that album sequencing is just as important as the actual songs, a statement that I somewhat agree with, but I must ask: what the fuck happened here? This song isn't bad, it's actually quite good, but it sounds completely out of place in context of the album. Anyways, Devin kills the hook, and Snoop and Dre come off offensive as shit, letting their female audience know that they're not interested in any foreplay, they just want to fuck you. Misogyny at its most elegant form, by Dre's masterful beat assures that no listener is offended enough to not enjoy the song.
4. Still D.R.E. (Feat. Snoop Dogg)
Known as the comeback single, also known as one of my favorite songs of all time. I could try to tell you why the repetition of plucked strings is the most catchy thing ever, or why Snoop's minimal contribution on the hook and ad-libs actually work for the better, but I'd honesty feel stupid trying to explain why this song is so damn good. I'll tell you right now that this album isn't better than The Chronic, but if we're talking about the highs of both albums, 2001 washes the original and this is certainly a high.
5. Big Ego's (Feat. Hittman)
Out of all the full length songs on this album's first eleven songs, this is probably the least classic, but still pretty damn good. Dre's still showing why he's a gangsta, but most notably, this is the introduction to Hittman, Andre's other protege. Hittman was never the best rapper in the world, but he wasn't really trash either. He was just kind of there. Here, he doesn't do anything that fucks up the flow of the album, so I'll mark it up as a success.
6. Xxplosive (Feat. Kurupt, Hittman, Nate Dogg, & Six-Two)
Well, today is 4/20, so here's your weed song, a topic that normally bores me, but this is one of the exceptions. Dre's beat is definitely laid back, but the rolling drums and synths make it very interesting. I have a hard time transcribing why exactly this song is good, but trust me, this is one of the best songs on the album. The original version of this thing actually had Royce Da 5'9" on the hook, but he fucked that up relatively fast by bragging about ghostwriting for the album, which is sad, but that's just something you don't do. As long as you don't intently listen to what Kurupt is saying, he sounds fucking fantastic on here, and at the time, it had been way too long since he had hoped on a Dre beat. Hittman hold his own on here, which is good because I'm not really in the mood for Hittman slander, but Nate Dogg (R.I.P.) delivers a perfect hook to top things off. A Dre verse would have been nice, though.
7. What's the Difference (Feat. Xzibit & Eminem)
Weird shit here. I've been talking about Hittman's lack of stage presence or charisma to match up with the other stars, but on the original version of the song, he actually spits what is more than likely my favorite verse of his career. But because Dre was apparently very content with Hitt being without any type of personality, he took his verse off and replaced it with an appearance from Xzibit. He sounds fine and I'm a fan of the man, but I've never been able to really care all that much about his bars. His performance becomes even more forgettable once you realize that this was the moment everyone in the audience was waiting for: the appearance of Eminem. I'll tell you, this was Marshall at his fucking prime. His verse is full out Slim Shady personified, as he talks about carrying the body of his ex-girlfriend around the city and ending with one of the more memorable lines of his career: "So what's the difference between us?/ let's start at the penis and scream 'I don't give a fuck' and see who means it". This shit is just great.
8. Bar One (Feat. Traci Nelson, Ms. Roq, & Eddie Griffin)
Some skits serve no purpose whatsoever, this is one of them.
9. Light Speed (Feat. Hittman)
This is one of those songs that you most likely won't hear unless you listen to the album from start to finish. It's somewhat of a shame, as the beat is really good, but the concept of Dre and Hittman sitting in a bar picking up girls doesn't come close to holding my interest. This has a place in the album, and I'm glad its on here, but it suffers from being sandwiched between two of the more noteworthy songs.
10. Forgot About Dre (Feat. Eminem)
I don't know how, I really don't, but somehow, this song still sounds dope as fuck. Again, this is Eminem at his peak in terms of performance and writing, which is why Dre sounds good over a normally difficult beat to rhyme over (Em ghostwrote his verses). Dre sounds pissed on here, and for good reason, but you all know damn well that Em steals the song entirely, as he's in full Slim Shady mode. Pretty much everything he says here is a quotable, and the video along with the song is just as classic. (Em's Will Smith comment never fails to get a laugh out of me) And who could forget Dre's hilarious line “Now you wanna run around talkin' 'bout guns like I ain't got none/ What, you think I sold them all?” Just perfect.
11. The Next Episode (Feat. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, & Nate Dogg)
2001 hilariously just keeps getting better. I don't know why its funny, but every time I look down at the track list I'm like, "Oh shit, this song hasn't even happened yet" and I burst out laughing. I found this as an odd choice for a single, but it's arguably the best song on the album and the fact that Dre and Snoop followed through with their reference on "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" made the song more than welcomed. Obviously a classic song, but even I became a little tired of it after watching that Ice-T hip hop documentary, where they played the thing like twenty fucking times.
12. Let's Get High (Feat. Hittman, Kurupt, & Ms. Roq)
Well, that whole thing about me laughing at the album getting better is over, as this is about that time where 2001 starts sucking. With Kurupt as the lone exception, everyone turns in unmemorable performances and create what is ultimately a very corny and boring song. Skip this one at all costs.
13. Bitch Niggaz (Feat. Snoop Dogg, Hittman, & Six-Two)
Alright, let me take that back, because I do like this song, but its only alright. Snoop shines on here, but how could he not. He's not really competing against the most intimidating competition. If anyone knows what the hell the other two are up to, please let me know, I'm genuinely interested. Still, I did like this one, although it might just be because it samples Audio Two's "Top Billin'". (Trust me, you know the song, even if you don't recognize it by name)
14. The Car Bomb
Basically a less interesting and direct bite from Ice Cube's "The Drive-By" from Amerikkka's Most Wanted. Moving on.
15. Murda Ink (Feat. Hittman & Ms. Roq)
This shit's just stupid. Probably one of the worst songs on here and I can add it onto the list of songs that tried to sample John Carpenter's theme to "Halloween", but ended up making a shitty ass final product. Also, I'm not exactly a Lady of Rage fan or anything, but I sure as hell would rather have here on here instead on Ms. Roq. Damn, this half is just as boring as I remember.
16. Ed-Ucation (Feat. Eddie Griffin)
Eddie Griffin appears once again to give a useless rant against any and all types of women. This shits even more offensive than I remember, and I'm not someone to get upset over something like that, but this adds nothing to my entertainment.
17. Some L.A. Niggaz (Feat. MC Ren, Time Bomb, King Tee, Knoc-Turn'al, Kokane, Hittman, Xzibit, & Defari)
Well, Dre dissed MC Ren earlier on the album, and he appears on here, so that was notable, but that's about all I remember from this song. That's not very good when you've got this many motherfuckers on a damn track. The beat is boring as fuck and the shit all these guys are saying isn't all that impressive either. I do have to give Dre props for using rappers that most fans wouldn't be familiar move. Not because I'm a mainstream hating elitist rap fan, I just thought it was a ballsy move that actually slight paid off, as this was somewhat off a hit back when it dropped. Today, not so much.
18. Pause 4 Porno (Feat. Jake Steed)
Why in the fuck do rappers think that listeners want to hear them fucking on their album? This one is especially bad. I'll say right now that this is the worst skit/interlude since "De La Orgee" off of De La Soul's 1989 debut 3 Feet High and Rising.
19. Housewife (Feat. Hittman & Kurupt)
If I'm not mistaken, this song was already on Kurupt's album The Streetz Iz A Mutha which dropped on the same day as 2001. The track itself was already a remake from his first album Kuruption. I mean, this shit's cool and all, but he must have really liked the concept. I wouldn't turn this off if it was on the radio, but it's not fucking with a single song on the first half of this album.
20. Ackrite
Well you knew it was coming at some point, but after an album's worth of guest appearances, Hittman finally gets a solo song. Too bad Dre saved one of his more boring beats for this song. I'm really getting tired of his ass at this point.
21. Bang Bang (Feat. Hittman & Knoc-Turn'al)
Bang bang indeed. Dre chooses to take his beat and add the sound of gunfire on multiple layers to make it more gangsta. How someone could find this anything other than annoying is completely beyond me. Well, at least the chorus, because Dre and Knoc-Turn'al both deliver nice verses, but it's not enough for me to give much of a fuck about this song.
22. The Message (Feat. Mary J. Blige & Rell)
I'm happy to say that 2001 actually ends on a fantastic note. Dre closes out the album over a glorious Lord Finesse beat while spitting bars about his brother who had passed. With this song being pretty personal,I've always found it weird that Royce da 5'9" allegedly wrote his verse, but regardless, this is most likely the closest we'll ever come to meeting Andre Young the person on a song.
Rating: 4/5
In reality, this album is more of a 3.5, but I did not just spend that much time writing this fucking review to give it a generic 3.5 rating. Regardless of what I said above about the second half, this album gets four stars and you'll have to deal with it. Anyways, here's the deal: 2001 isn't as good as The Chronic. I've already accepted that the younger generation of hip hop will make this seen as Dr. Dre's magnum opus, much like It Was Written is more commonly being referred to as Nas' best album (that one hurts my soul). Please believe me one this one, they're all fucking wrong. 2001 does have higher peaks and the first half is damn near flawless, making for one of the best nine song runs in hip hop history, but I just can't comprehend how someone can listen this entire album and say its better than the original. If you can, well more power to you, but your taste is a little questionable. I'm done with my little rant, though, because I need to praise this album. In 2001, Dr. Dre completely redefined his sound, something no one thought he could do (I think the pressure to do so again is why we have yet to see the release of Detox), and he introduced the world to Eminem, one of the best selling artists of all time, so props to him on that. In conclusion (finally) The Chronic's second installation is brilliant, but I'll be tuning out after track eleven.