The Chronic

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The Chronic
The Chronic cover
Studio album by Dr. Dre
Released December 15, 1992
Recorded June 1992 at Death Row Studios; mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering; mixed at Larrabee Sound Studios
Genre West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, G-funk
Length 62:52
Label Death Row (1992, 2007 edition)
Interscope (1992)
Priority (1992 distribution)
Koch (2007 edition)
Producer Dr. Dre
Professional reviews
Dr. Dre chronology
The Chronic
(1992)		 2001
(1999)
Singles from The Chronic
  1. "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang"
    Released: January 19, 1993
  2. "Fuck wit Dre Day"
    Released: May 20, 1993
  3. "Let Me Ride"
    Released: September 13, 1993

The Chronic is the debut album from American hip hop producer Dr. Dre, released in 1992 through his own label, Death Row Records. The album was named after a slang term for cannabis. The album cover is a homage to Zig-Zag rolling papers.[1] The album was recorded by Dr. Dre after he left N.W.A over a financial dispute, and consequently featured subtle and direct insults at Ruthless Records and its owner, Dr. Dre's former N.W.A. group mate, Eazy-E.

Dr. Dre's production is noted for founding and popularizing the G-Funk sub-genre within gangsta rap. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and has sold over eight million copies,[2] which led to him becoming one of the top ten best-selling American performing artists of 1993.[3] It is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential albums of the 1990s and believed by some to be the best produced hip-hop album of all time.[1][4][5]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Having split from N.W.A, Dr. Dre's first solo album established him as one of the biggest hip hop stars of his era.[1] The Chronic brought G-funk to the mainstream—a genre defined by slow bass beats and melodic synthesizers, topped by P-Funk samples, female vocals, and a laconic, laid-back lyrical delivery referred to as a "lazy drawl". The album takes its name from a slang term for premium grade cannabis, Chronic. The album cover is a homage to Zig-Zag rolling papers.[1]

The album launched the careers of West Coast hip hop artists, including Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, Nate Dogg, and Warren G, Dr. Dre's half-brother—all of whom pursued successful commercial careers.[1] The Chronic is widely regarded as the album that re-defined West Coast hip hop,[5] demonstrated gangsta rap's commercial potential as a multi-platinum commodity, and established G-funk as the most popular sound in hip hop music for several years after its release, with Dr. Dre producing major albums that drew heavily on his production style.[6] The album's success established Death Row Records as a dominant force in 1990s hip hop.[6] It has been re-released twice, first as a remastered CD, then as a remastered DualDisc with enhanced stereo and four videos.[5]

[edit] Music

[edit] Production

The production on The Chronic was seen as innovative and ground-breaking, and received universal acclaim from critics. All Music Guide commented on Dr. Dre's efforts, "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"[5] and that "For the next four years, it was virtually impossible to hear mainstream hip-hop that wasn't effected in some way by Dre and his patented G-funk."[6] Unlike other hip hop acts (such as The Bomb Squad) that sampled heavily, Dr. Dre only utilized one or few samples per song.[7] In Rolling Stone's The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time, where Dr. Dre was listed at number 54, Kanye West wrote on the album's production quality: "The Chronic is still the hip-hop equivalent to Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. It's the benchmark you measure your album against if you're serious."[8]

Jon Pareles of the The New York Times described the production, writing "The bottom register is swampy synthesizer bass lines that openly emulate Parliament-Funkadelic; the upper end is often a lone keyboard line, whistling or blipping insouciantly. In between are wide-open spaces that hold just a rhythm guitar, sparse keyboard chords."[9] Pareles observed that the songs "were smoother and simpler than East Coast rap, and [Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg] decisively expanded the hip-hop audience into the suburbs.[10] Until this point, hip hop had been primarily party music (for example, Beastie Boys)[11] or angry and politically charged (for example, Public Enemy or X-Clan), and had consisted almost entirely of samples and breakbeats.[12][13] Dr. Dre ushered in a new musical style and lyrics for hip hop. The beats were slower and mellower, borrowing from late 1970s and early 1980s funk music. By mixing these early influences with original live instrumentation, he created a distinctive genre known as G-funk.[9]

[edit] Lyrics

The album's lyrics caused some controversy, as the subject matter included homophobia and violent representations. It was noted that the album was a "frightening amalgam of inner-city street games that includes misogynist sexual politics and violent revenge scenarios".[14] Dr. Dre's dissing of former band-mate, Eazy-E, resulted in vicious lyrics, which were mainly aimed at offending his enemy with homosexual implications, although it was noted to have "a spirited cleverness in the phrasing and rhymes; in other words, the song is offensive, but it's creatively offensive".[15] Snoop Dogg, who had a significant role on the album, was praised for his lyrics and flow, and it was mentioned that "Coupled with his inventive rhymes, Snoop's distinctive style made him a superstar before he'd even released a recording of his own"[2] and that his involvement was as important to the album's success as its production.[16] Touré of the The New York Times remarks that "While Snoop delivers rhymes delicately, the content is anything but. Growing up poor, often surrounded by violence, and having served six months in the Wayside County jail outside of Los Angeles (for cocaine possession) gave Snoop Dogg experiences upon which he draws."[17] Snoop Dogg commented on the "reality" of his lyrics:

My raps are incidents where either I saw it happen to one of my close homies or I know about it from just being in the ghetto. I can't rap about something I don't know. You'll never hear me rapping about no bachelor's degree. It's only what I know and that's that street life. It's all everyday life, reality.[17]

[edit] Songs

[edit] Content

Three singles were released from the album: "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang", "Fuck wit Dre Day" and "Let Me Ride", all of which featured Snoop Doggy Dogg, who also featured on 12 of the 16 tracks on the album. Other guests included Kurupt, Lady of Rage, RBX and Dat Nigga Daz. "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" and "Let Me Ride" were nominated at the 1994 Grammy Awards, with the latter winning Best Rap Solo Performance for Dr. Dre.[18] The singles "Fuck wit Dre Day" and "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" are in best-selling video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[19][20] on the fictional radio station Radio Los Santos.[21]

[edit] "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang"

Audio samples of The Chronic

"Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" was released as the first single on January 19, 1993. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and Hot Rap Singles.[22] It sold over a million copies and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it Platinum on March 24, 1993.[23] The song was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1994 Grammy Awards,[24] but lost to Digable Planets' "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)". Steve Huey of All Music Guide named it "the archetypal G-funk single" and added "The sound, style, and performances of "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" were like nothing else on the early-'90s hip-hop scene."[2] He praised Snoop Dogg's performance, stating "[Snoop Dogg's] flow was laconic and relaxed, massively confident and capable of rapid-fire tongue-twisters, but coolly laid-back and almost effortless at the same time".[2]

[edit] "Fuck wit Dre Day"

"Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')" was released as the second single on May 20, 1993 and like the previous single, it was a hit on multiple charts. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks.[22] It sold over 500,000 units and the RIAA certified it Gold on October 8, 1993.[23] All Music Guide writer Steve Huey stated that the song was "a classic hip-hop single", citing Dr. Dre's production as "impeccable as ever, uniting his signature whiny synth melodies with a halting, descending bass line, a booming snare, and soulful female vocals in the background"[15] and alluded to Snoop Dogg, stating "Attitude was something Snoop had by the boatload, his drawling, laid-back delivery projecting unassailable control — it sounded lazy even though it wasn't, and that helped establish Snoop's don't-give-a-damn persona."[15]

[edit] "Let Me Ride"

"Let Me Ride" was released as a cassette single on September 13, 1993.[25] It experienced moderate success on the charts, reaching number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot Rap Singles.[22] The song won Dr. Dre Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1994 Grammy Awards.[18] On this song and "Nuthin but a "G" Thang", Time magazine noted that Dr. Dre's verses were delivered with a "hypnotically intimidating ease" and made the songs feel like "dusk on a wide-open L.A. boulevard, full of possibility and menace".[26]

[edit] Reception

[edit] Critical recognition

Comparison of Zig-Zag rolling papers with the album cover
Comparison of Zig-Zag rolling papers with the album cover

The album was generally very well received by critics. On Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, it was noted that "Dre funked up the rhymes with a smooth bass-heavy production style and the laid-back delivery of then-unknown rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg."[27] Time magazine's Josh Tyrangiel states that Dr. Dre created "a sound that defined early 90's urban L.A. in the same way that Motown defined 60's Detroit".[26] All Music Guide's Steve Huey compared Dr. Dre to his inspiration, George Clinton, stating "Dre'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"[5] and his Rolling Stone review, Havelock Nelson wrote "The Chronic drops raw realism and pays tribute to hip-hop virtuosity."[14] Rhapsody writer, Brolin Winning, named the album as "an untouchable masterpiece of California Gangsta Rap" and that it had "track after track of G-Funk gems".[28] The New York Times writer, Jon Pareles, mentioned that The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, "made the gangsta life sound like a party occasionally interrupted by gunplay".[10]

[edit] Accolades

The Chronic was included in Vibe magazine's "100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century" and it was ranked at number six in their "Top 10 Rap Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone ranked it at number thirty-seven in their "Essential Recordings of the '90s" and was it included in their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[27] The record ranked at number eight in Spin magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s" and in 2005, it was ranked at number thirty-five in their "100 Greatest Albums, 1985–2005". The Source magazine originally gave the album four and a half mics out of five and it was added to their "100 Best Rap Albums". In 2005, MTV Networks listed The Chronic as the third greatest hip hop album in history.[29] In 2006, Time magazine ranked it as one of the 100 greatest albums of all time[26] and it was listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[30]

[edit] Sales and certifications

The album has sold over four and half million copies in the United States and over eight million worldwide,[2][27] and was certified three times Platinum by RIAA on November 3, 1993.[31] It is Dr. Dre's second best selling album, as his follow-up album, 2001, was certified six times Platinum.[32] The album first appeared on music charts in 1993, peaking on the Billboard 200 at number three, and peaking on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at number one.[33] It re-entered the charts in 2003, peaking on the Ireland Albums Top 75 at number 48, and on the U.K. Albums Top 75 in 2004 at number 43.[34]

[edit] Track listing

# Title Length Performer(s) Samples
1 "The Chronic (Intro)" 1:57 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg
2 "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')" 4:52 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Jewell, RBX
3 "Let Me Ride" 4:21 Dr. Dre, Jewell, Ruben, Snoop Dogg
4 "The Day the Niggaz Took Over" 4:33 Dr. Dre, Daz Dillinger, RBX, Snoop Dogg
5 "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" 3:58 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg
6 "Deeez Nuuuts" 5:06 Dr. Dre, Daz Dillinger, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Warren G
7 "Lil' Ghetto Boy" 5:29 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger
  • "Little Ghetto Boy" by Donny Hathaway.
  • "The Get out of the Ghetto Blues" by Gil Scott-Heron
8 "A Nigga Witta Gun" 3:52 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg
  • "Big Sur Suite" by Johnny Hammond.
  • "Who's the Man (With the Master Plan)" by the Kay Gees.
9 "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat" 3:48 Dr. Dre, RBX, Snoop Dogg
10 "The $20 Sack Pyramid" (skit) 2:53 Big Tittie Nickie, The D.O.C., Samara, Snoop Doggy Dogg
  • "Papa Was Too" (live) by Joe Tex.
11 "Lyrical Gangbang" 4:04 Kurupt, The Lady of Rage, RBX
12 "High Powered" 2:44 Daz Dillinger, The Lady of Rage, RBX
  • "Big Sur Suite" by Johnny Hammond.
13 "The Doctor's Office" (skit) 1:04 Jewell, The Lady of Rage
14 "Stranded on Death Row" 4:47 Bushwick Bill, Kurupt, The Lady of Rage, RBX, Snoop Dogg
15 "The Roach (Outro)" 4:36 Dat Nigga Daz, Emmage, Jewell, Lady of Rage, RBX
16 "Bitches Ain't Shit" 4:48 Dr. Dre, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg, Jewell, The Lady of Rage

[edit] Personnel

  • Colin Wolfe – bass, keyboards, keyboard bass
  • Daniel Jordan – photography
  • Cheron Moore – drums
  • Eric Borders – guitar
  • Chris Clairmont – guitar
  • Justin Reinhardt – keyboards
  • Chris "The Glove" Taylor – mixing, mixing assistant
  • Suge Knight – executive producer
  • Guru Sandhu – assistant executive producer
  • Willie Will – mixing, mixing assistant
  • Kimberly Holt – artwork, art direction, design
  • Kimberly Brown – project coordinator
  • BJ "Tha Mocking Bird" – performer
  • Matthew McDaniels – provided L.A Riot scenes
  • John McClain – A&R Director
  • Noor – vocals

[edit] Charts

Charts[33][34] Peak
position
Ireland Albums Top 75 48
U.K. Albums Top 75 43
U.S. Billboard 200 3
U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Dr. Dre The Chronic Album Info. RapCentral. Accessed March 5, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e Steve Huey. "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" Review. All Music Guide. Accessed March 6, 2008.
  3. ^ Stephen Holden (January 12, 1994). The Pop Life. The New York Times. Accessed March 24, 2008.
  4. ^ Timeline: 25 years of rap records BBC News (11 October 2004). Accessed April 8, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e Steve Huey. The Chronic > Overview. All Music Guide. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Dr. Dre > Biography. All Music Guide. Accessed March 5, 2008.
  7. ^ Ethan Brown, (2005). Straight Outta Hollis, Queens Reigns Supreme: Fat Cat, 50 Cent, and the Rise of the Hip Hop Hustler. Anchor. ISBN 1400095239. "[Unlike] popular hip-hop producers like the Bomb Squad, Dre instead utilized a single sample to drive a song."
  8. ^ Kanye West (April 7, 2005). The Immortals - The Greatest Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone. Accessed March 9, 2008.
  9. ^ a b Jon Pareles (November 14, 1999). Music; Still Tough, Still Authentic. Still Relevant?. The New York Times. Accessed March 18, 2008.
  10. ^ a b Jon Pareles (July 11, 2000). Rap Review; Four Hours Of Swagger From Dr. Dre And Friends. The New York Times. Accessed March 18, 2008.
  11. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Beastie Boys > Biography. All Music Guide. Accessed April 6, 2008.
  12. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Public Enemy > Biography. All Music Guide. Accessed April 6, 2008.
  13. ^ Andy Kellman. X Clan Biography. All Music Guide. Accessed April 6, 2008.
  14. ^ a b Havelock Nelson (March 18, 1993). The Chronic Review. Rolling Stone. Accessed March 5, 2008.
  15. ^ a b c Steve Huey. "Fuck Wit Dre Day" Review. All Music Guide. Accessed March 6, 2008.
  16. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Snoop Dogg > Biography. All Music Guide. Accessed March 7, 2008.
  17. ^ a b Touré (November 21, 1993). Pop Music; Snoop Dogg's Gentle Hip-Hop Growl. The New York Times. Accessed March 18, 2008.
  18. ^ a b Grammy Searchable database - Dr. Dre. Grammy. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  19. ^ GTA: San Andreas toasts success. BBC News (November 4, 2005). Accessed March 28, 2008.
  20. ^ Jonathan Sidener (September 25, 2007). Microsoft pins Xbox 360 hopes on 'Halo 3' sales. SignOnSanDiego. Accessed March 28, 2008.
  21. ^ Spence D. (October 27, 2004). Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Radio Los Santos. IGN. Accessed March 28, 2008.
  22. ^ a b c The Chronic - Billboard Singles. All Music Guide. Accessed March 6, 2008.
  23. ^ a b RIAA Searchable database - Dr. Dre Singles. RIAA. Accessed March 7, 2008.
  24. ^ Dr. Dre Timeline. Rock on the Net. Accessed March 22, 2008.
  25. ^ Dr. Dre | Let Me Ride (Dirty Cassette Single) | Album. MTV. Accessed April 7, 2008.
  26. ^ a b c Josh Tyrangiel (November 13, 2006). The All-Time 100 Albums. Time. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  27. ^ a b c 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Rolling Stone (November 1, 2003). Accessed March 4, 2008.
  28. ^ Brolin Winning. About Dr. Dre. Rhapsody. Accessed March 9, 2008.
  29. ^ The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Of All Time. MTV Networks. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  30. ^ 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Rocklistmusic. Accessed March 5, 2008.
  31. ^ RIAA Searchable database - The Chronic. RIAA. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  32. ^ RIAA Searchable database - 2001. RIAA. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  33. ^ a b Dr. Dre - Discography, Charts and Awards. All Music Guide. Accessed March 4, 2008.
  34. ^ a b Dr. Dre - The Chronic Chart Positions. aCharts. Accessed March 4, 2008.
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Dr. Dre
Albums
The Chronic · 2001 · Detox
Singles
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