Fans are still unpacking new details from Drake’s recently released album, For All The Dogs, whether it’s lyrical nods or production nuances. A couple of bars on the album that seem like any other come-up story, though, actually have a lot of context. The reference in question appears on the project’s penultimate cut, “Away From Home,” and is about Drizzy’s time writing for Dr. Dre. “My life like ‘The Matrix’ / Even got on 106 & Park with ‘Replacement,’” he rapped on the cut. “My mama was my manager, my uncle was my agent / Dr. Dre’ll send a n***a home, that took patience.”
While this might seem like an innocuous reference, the deeper history behind this connection relates to a 2016 interview. In it, Drake spoke to author John Seabrook, who had published a book titled The Song Machine: Inside The Hit Factory. Furthermore, their conversation covered a breadth of topics, but centered around the Toronto titan’s time being a songwriter for the legendary Californian. Apparently, these sessions date back to when he was about 19 years old, so around 2005. As such, this is a fascinating insight into the 36-year-old’s early career phases.
“It was some of the most strenuous, militant s**t I’ve ever done,” Drake told Seabrook of his experience writing for Dr. Dre. “But no useable songs came out of it. When I think of how he worked us, it’s no wonder he didn’t get anything out of it. It was just writers in a room churning out product all day long.” With that context in mind, it’s understandable why he would say that the process “took patience.” It’s a bit of a negative picture of the process, but it’s not like the Beats businessman has been shy about his difficult creative process and its shifts in the past.
Meanwhile, there are a whole lot of writers that contributed to For All The Dogs, excluding its features. If anyone knows how stressful and difficult the process of writing a hit can be these days, it’s Aubrey Graham. Hard work in that department clearly pays off, though, and it’s at the core of artistry everywhere. For more news and the latest updates on Drake and Dr. Dre, come back to HNHH.
One of the West Coast’s biggest rap icons of all time, Dr. Dre, recently revealed that he was going to call it quits. This all took place back in 1992, around the release of one of the greatest rap albums of all time, The Chronic. Where did Dre talk about this? Well, you can find it in LL Cool J’s new book that has just been released to the public. With the 50th anniversary of hip-hop being celebrated this year, LL wanted to commemorate it with a new book. Many publications and events have paid homage to this incredible five-decade-long run of culture and music, but this might be the most special one of all.
HipHopDX says that the title of the new work is The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip Hop Greatness. What is also really cool about this title is that LL included entries from plenty of legends in the game. You can find stories from Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest, and plenty more. One of them was Dr. Dre and he spoke very candidly about the crossroads he faced.
Dre felt his creativity was stagnating and after the label refused to pay him, it all started to unravel for him. “Eazy-E and Jerry Heller were trying to starve me out and refused to pay the money they owed me. I was driving on the 101 freeway headed to the studio and, on that drive, I was thinking about quitting.” However, something awoke inside of him. About a week had passed and he began finding a rhythm and it just clicked for him. After all of that learning and deep thinking, Dre thinks this moment changed his life forever. “At this point in my life, I see the value of surrounding myself with people who push me forward. I don’t want to be around anyone I can’t learn something from.”
What are your initial thoughts on Dr. Dre saying he would have retired from music back in the early 90s? How much do you think it would have affected the rap world? Out of all of Dre’s songs which one is your favorite of his? We want to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Dr. Dre, as well as the rest of the music world.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Dr. Dre’s legendary album “The Chronic”, Interscope Records has collaborated with Trophy to reveal the second drop of “The Chronic Masters” collection, a series of unique and collectible merchandise.
The first drop is set to be released in June and highlights replicas of three stand out session tapes, this next drop dives deeper into Dr. Dre’s legendary album with a new limited run of unique prints and memorabilia. The highlight of this new collection, which drops today, includes “The Masters” Print, an archival pigment print featuring imagery of the official “The Chronic” master tapes side A and B, photographed by Jeremy Deputat.
Additional prints include, “The Session Stacks” – imagery of the complete “The Chronic” session tapes as well as “The Session Grid” print – showcasing the original session tapes from each single that made it onto the project. The most limited collectible of the drop, “The Session Tapes Stacks Replica”, is available for a lucky 30 fans which features a lifesize replica of the master tapes when they were re-discovered 30 years later. Additionally, five limited edition skateboard decks, and four limited edition tees are also available – all available for sale via microsite interscope.com/TheChronicMasters.
Hands down one of my most memorable times in hip hop, Dr. Dre’s debut solo album, “The Chronic,” is considered one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time. It marked the beginning of a new era in the genre, introducing its distinctive G-funk sound and groundbreaking production techniques. The album showcases Dre’s skills as a producer, with his signature use of the Moog synthesizer and his ability to blend old-school funk with new-school rap. As a teenage girl I was mesmerized with the entire project and played the record nonstop.
“The Chronic” also served as a launching pad for future stars including Snoop Dogg and Warren G, and it cemented Dre’s status as one of the most influential producers in hip hop history. The album’s social commentary on the state of gang violence and police brutality in Los Angeles at the time also highlighted Dre’s commitment to using his music to address serious issues in his community. Last June, Rolling Stoneplaced The Chronic on its 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time List, noting the album “redefined the West Coast Hip Hop sound.”
For fans of this iconic album, the prints included in the Chronic Masters Collection are all 24” x 24″. The individual prints, photographed by Jeremy Deputat, are priced at $150 USD. Each one made with archival pigment on 290gsm Moab Entrada bright white fine art paper, featuring chop-marked, numbered, and hand-embossed Chronic leaf detailing. A certificate of authenticity is included with each premium print purchase. Interscope Records conceptualized “The Chronic Masters”with Trophy, the creative agency that transcends music & culture through tailor-made content & collectibles. Jason Sangerman, Interscope Senior Vice President, worked hand in hand with Trophy co-founders Jeremy Deputat, James Larese, and Jesse Cory and Dan Armand of the Detroit-based 1XRUN, who have been producing collectibles for UMG since 2014. Together, they’ve peeled back layers of hip-hop history to provide fans with this exclusive collection of memorabilia.
● Three premium 24”x24” fine-art print offerings, with only 92 hand-numbered units available of each at $150 USD. Each premium print purchase includes a certificate of authenticity. Print 1 features: “Session Tapes Grid”, Print 2 features: The Session Tapes Stack”, Print 3 features: “The Masters”.
● The Session Tapes Stack Replica: 1:1 Scale Replica which includes 14 session tape boxes with only 30 units available at $1,200 USD. Features five-sided archival UV-cured prints on varnished HD aluminum panels wrapped on a 3⁄4” painted plywood frame.
● Apparel: Four limited edition tees including imagery of the session tapes, Let Me Ride and the Ampex 456 Tape all priced at $42 each
● Four limited edition skateboard decks with only 92 units available of each at $92 USD. One limited edition Chronic album skateboard deck with 310 units available at $92 USD. The designs of the decks feature tape notes, session tape stacks, AMPEX 456 tape image, a “Fuck with Dre Day” deck and the iconic album artwork
Kanye West is reportedly in the studio working on his next solo album. The decision to start working on a new album comes after multiple leaks of his previous projects, which have made their way onto the internet. Ye Back In The Studio After a music hiatus and multiple leaks, Kanye West still finds himself […]
Kanye West is again making headlines for his music and video library leaks. The most recent leak involves West’s collaboration with Dr. Dre on the highly anticipated Jesus is King 2. In addition, West’s visuals for his album DONDA were also leaked on social media, sending fans into a frenzy. Leak After Leak It appears […]
Kanye West leaks are an abundant but still sought-after commodity on the Internet, even to this day despite his public controversies. Usually, they are attached to specific eras or albums, but in this case, it seems like a whole project made its way online. Moreover, sites like Twitter and Reddit went wild with unofficially released versions of one of his many scrapped projects, Jesus Is King 2, with Dr. Dre at the helm of production duties. According to these versions and reports on them, the tracklist featured Snoop Dogg, Travis Scott, Eminem, and many more huge names.
Before you get excited, you won’t find the leaks themselves here, mainly because they are disappearing quite rapidly online. This full-length resurfaced about four years after the peak of its hype following Jesus Is King‘s release in 2019, and teases about its sequel followed quickly afterwards. Of course, we will probably never know if Kanye West and Dr. Dre really finished these versions of JIK songs, or how much of it was scrapped together by fans with multiple audio files. Regardless, it’s exciting to scour for them and dive if you’re a fan of the Chicago creative’s work.
Kanye West At The Jesus Is King Album & Film Experience In 2019
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 23: Kanye West performs onstage during his “Jesus Is King” album and film experience at The Forum on October 23, 2019 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for ABA)
Furthermore, it’s also a bit of a fitting time to hear these versions, since the “Eazy” MC apparently has a new album on the way. Sure, we’ve heard that headline in the past, but never has it come during a more contentious time in Kanye West’s life. Whether it’s his antisemitic comments or his often polarizing antics with wife Bianca Censori, it’s understandable that many folks don’t want anything to do with new Ye material. This teased project might be the renaissance the 46-year-old needs to get back on track in the public eye, but it’s hard to forget the context behind it.
On that note, you can find new versions of tracks like “Hands On,” “Use This Gospel,” and more online. They don’t represent his current day anymore, but it’s always somewhat compelling to see what could’ve been. In any case, it’s a short blast from the past for die-hards who are hungry for more, but can’t stomach where he ended up. For more news and the latest updates on Kanye West and Dr. Dre, log back into HNHH.
Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine are joining forces with Atlanta Public Schools to establish a new learning center for high school students. The program, called the Lovine and Young Center, aims to provide students with the opportunity to collaborate and develop innovative ideas that address real-world problems. ‘Lovine and Young Center’ Dr. Dre and Interscope […]
The partnership between Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine dates back decades. Together, they have made billions from their music careers and other businesses, including Apple’s acquisition of the Beats headphone brand. Now, they’re teaming up to put their efforts to good use. Recently, the industry heavyweights came together to give back to Atlanta youth. According to Atlanta News First, the pair partnered with iconic producer Dallas Austin to break ground on their Innovational Learning Center at Frederick Douglass High School.
Named the “Iovine and Young Center,” after Iovine and Dre. Dre, whose real name is Andre Romell Young, the center’s curriculum will offer students “a different learning model.” Students can begin enrolling in the program next school year. “We believe we’re going to give these kids an advantage, a different type of education. So, you all can sell these kids, go out there and say you want these kids. Because the modern job needs these kids. That’s why,” Iovine said during a press conference.
“The Modern Job Needs These Kids,” Iovine Says
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 28: Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine attend a basketball game between Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs against Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on April 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
He continued: “Me and Dre think big. We think everybody in the world’s going to learn like this well, maybe! We never thought everybody in the world would wear our headphones, but they did.” Similar to Iovine, Ariel Brumant, a senior, said the program will help shine a light on her and her fellow peers. “We don’t have as much opportunities as other schools have,” she said.
This marks the second school the two have invested in. Back in 2021, Iovine and Dr.Dre came together to open up a public high school in South Los Angeles. The high school, the Iovine and Young Center Integrated Design, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Magnet, is based at Audubon Middle School in the Leimert Park neighborhood, according to the L.A. Times. “Here’s a place that you can go where there’s something that you can learn that you’re really interested in,” Dre told the publication.
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are currently working on their Missionary album. Speaking on the project is The D.O.C., who revealed he would travel to L.A. to help finish the project and what fans would expect.
The D.O.C. reveals that his collaboration with, Snoop and Dre is long overdue, and they are focused on creating a great product. The album so far is a family reunion. “It sounds like what Snoop’s next record would’ve been like on Death Row, that’s what it sounds like.”
During a recent interview with Zane Lowe, Russ opened up about his previous alcohol consumption. Apparently, that’s what could have led to some of his previous controversies. He revealed that he used substances to mask his insecurities, claiming that eventually, it just felt normal to him. It soon got out of hand, however, and he began to feel the need to drink before interviews.
“I was drinking a lot, and it was just because when I first started making music, that’s what it was,” he began. “The studio was a party. You’re smoking weed, you’re drinking. And so I would drink when I was in the studio. It just felt normal. It felt regular.” Russ went on, “But then I was drinking before interviews, and that’s how a lot of those interviews went left. I was pretty hammered in some of them. Because it’s all that’s coming out, but I never had a problem. I wasn’t waking up and like, ‘I need a drink.’ I would just drink in certain situations, but that in and of itself was an issue.”
“And it was easier to just do that than actually be authentic and be like, ‘You know what? I am nervous, I am feeling insecure, I am all these things,’” Russ shared. “And now it’s, yeah. I’m not rigid to the point where it’s like, ‘I will not drink.’ It’s, ‘I’ll have a drink whenever I want to have a drink.’ It’s just now I don’t want to have a drink when I wanted to have a drink back then.”
He went on to explain that he’s been able to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol since slowing down, which has helped him come into a more real version of himself. It looks to be paying off, as his new album SANTIAGO has so far been a success. Recently, it even got the approval of Dr. Dre. Russ shared a clip of the duo nodding along to “Enough” in the studio. “A big part of this album is about validating yourself and chasing your own approval,” he captioned the post. “But I can’t lie DR DRE APPROVAL FEELS GOOD AS F*CK!!!!“
