Dr. Dre's The Chronic 2001 is heralded as one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. The album came just as people began to think Dr. Dre was done. With the help of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, and a handful of other artists, Dre crafted and album that retains the same replay value in 2019 that it did in 1999. Check out our breakdown of the classic album here. In a sit-down interview with Apple Music, Dre and Jimmy Iovine reflect on the process behind the creation of 2001.
Dre comments on the use of heavy features, and including songs where he isn't present rapping at all. “I’m trying to put myself in the studio with a bunch of great artists, as far as the microphone work goes,” he stated. “I’m trying to just get on a song or two, here and there. My first album, The Chronic, and the 2001 album, I believe I might be on (only) like four or five songs.” Although Dre definitely raps on more than 4-5 songs on 2001, his point still holds true. “I didn’t want to appear on the album at all," he continued. "To be honest, I just wanted to find artists and produce them. The D.O.C. talked me into getting on the mic.”
Check out the documentary below.