Review #37: The Chronic, Dr. Dre
#37: The Chronic, Dr. Dre
First of all, when I tried to research this album, I typed in “the chronic” and got autocorrected to “The Chronicles of Narnia,” which should tell you a lot about the kind of person I am.
Dr. Dre was in N.W.A., and produced both of the group’s records. N.W.A. solo records are fun because they are full of dis tracks, forcing you to Google things like “Why does everybody hate Eazy E?” (Answer: Because apparently he didn’t write his own lyrics.)
I was still staying at my parents’ house when I listened to this one. I had been talking my brother’s ear off about all the new stuff I was listening to, since he’s a Real Music Fan. (He has a record player, I can’t compete.) and I mentioned Dr. Dre, whom I chiefly know from shout-outs in Eminem songs. He told me that Dr. Dre prefers the music he produces to his own rap music, which checks out; in this interview he says that he has never “considered [him]self a rapper.” After listening to The Chronic, I have to agree with Dre.
FAVORITE SONGS:
“F*** Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)” — This is the Eazy E dis song. I gotta say, it is a jam. For the record, it was released as “Dre Day” as a single, but that’s just no fun.
“Let Me Ride” — When I saw that this song featured Jewell, I was incredibly excited because I LOVE JEWEL. However, I gathered from the extra “L” and the fact that a Dr. Dre song featuring Jewel would be insane that this was a separate artist. She hasn’t performed in 15 years, according to her Wikipedia.
“The Day The N****z Took Over” — Some of these started to blend together for me (mostly because I’m just so unfamiliar with this album), and I can’t remember exactly why I loved this one so much, but in my notes I circled it and wrote “Aw hell yeah.”
“Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” — SNOOP. I love Snoop. Also the girls sighing in the background crack me up.
“Lil’ Ghetto Boy” — What a catchy chorus to such a dark song.
“Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat” — Onomatopoeia-inspired songs are such an art.
“The $20 Sack Pyramid” — Love me a good rap skit.
“Stranded on Death Row” — See above.
“The Roach — The Chronic Outro” — See above.
“Bitches Ain’t Shit” — Look, the worst thing about nineties rap is that half the time the songs that jam the hardest are really, extraordinarily sexist. Oh well.
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“Deeez Nuuuts” — GOOD GOD.
“The Doctor’s Office” — Blegh.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
Yes. Straight Outta Compton, currently sitting at #70, should be occupying this spot. Call me uncultured but I just feel like “Straight Outta Compton” and “F*** The Police” are undeniable.
