Biography
Dr. Dre was born Andre Young on 18th February 1965, but adopted the nickname "Doctor Dre" from his habit of appearing behind the decks in a surgeon's outfit, mask and all. Dre entered the rap business in 1985 with the World Class Wreckin' Cru, but broke into the mainstream with the Niggas With Attitude, euphemestically referred to as NWA, on Death Row Records. But when Ice Cube left the group in 1990, Dre too was influenced by his complaints about unfair distribution of pay, and left himself in 1991.
Easy E prophecied the end of Dre's career, but Dre hit back in 1992 with the now legendary "The Chronic", which completely revolutionised rap, with it's smooth and silkily-produced G-Funk. This album established Snoop Doggy Dogg on the single "Nuthin' But A G Thang", and also introduced the world to numerous rappers still present today: RBX and Kurupt to name but a few. Dre aimed to remove the necessity for hip-hop to sound scratchy and under-produced, and was entirely successful as modern rap listeners will know - especially since he has gone on to produce so many other artists' albums himself.
I am informed by CzarKhan that, around 1994 or 95, Dre also released the album Concrete Roots on independent label XXX Records. I have never heard of this album, I must confess, and I am currently awaiting more details.
Dre married his wife, Nicole Young, in Hawaii in 1995. This new-found female affection turned him off the misogyny that characterises modern gangsta rap, and Dre tried to revolutionise rap again, with a new "understand" message, characterised by Dre's 1996 album "The Aftermath", produced by himself but consisting primarily of other rapper's material. By this stage, Dre was running his own label, Aftermath, after his acrimonious split from Suge Night over Death Row Records - their feud continues to this day. However, The Aftermath was a dismal failure, as it simply did not sell.
Encouraged by his understanding wife, Dre returned to his gangsta roots with the 1999 album, "Chronic 2001". This album featured Dre alongside the rapping talent that he himself broke, especially Eminem, Snoop and his former NWA bandmate, MC Ren. This album went five times platinum at the last count.
Dre will soon be releasing his fourth album, "The Wash", to accompany the Snoop Doggy Dogg film of the same name. The first single "Bad Intentions" with Knoc-turn'al has already been released.
Albums and Track Listings
The Chronic (1992)
1. The Chronic Intro 1:58, with Snoopy Doggy Dogg, Colin Wolfe
2. Fuck Wit Dre Day 4:52, with Snoop, Colin Wolfe
3. Let Me Ride 4:21, with RBX, Snoop
4. The Day The Niggaz Took Over 4:33, with RBX, Snoop, Daz
5. Nuthin' But a G Thang 3:58, with Snoop
6. Deeez Nuuuts 5:06, with Daz, Snoop, Colin Wolfe, Nate Dogg
7. Lil' Ghetto Boy 5:29, with Snoop, D.O.C.
8. A Nigga Witta Gun 3:52, with D.O.C., Snoop
9. Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat 3:49, with Snoop
10. The $20 Sack Pyramid 2:53 skit, with Snoop, D.O.C
11. Lyrical Gangbang 4:04, with Kurupt, RBX, Rage, Snoop, D.O.C.
12. High Powered 2:44, with RBX, Colin Wolfe
13. The Doctor's Office 1:04, with Kevin Lewis, Jewell, Rage
14. Stranded on Death Row 4:47, with Kurupt, RBX, Rage, Snoop
15. The Roach 4:37 Outro, with RBX, Rage and Daz
16. Bitches Ain't Shit 4:48 Hidden track, with Snoop and Daz
Concrete Roots (1994?)
Dr. Dre Presents... The Aftermath (1996)
The Chronic 2001 (1999)
1. Lolo (Intro) 0:40 with Xzibit and Tray-Dee
2. The Watcher 3:28
3. Fuck You 3:25 with Devin The Dude and Snoop Doggy Dogg
4. Still D.R.E. 4:28 with Snoop Dogg
5. Big Ego's 4:01 with Hittman
6. Xxplosive 3:35 with Hittman, Kurupt, Nate Dogg and Six-Two
7. What's The Difference 4:04 with Eminem and Xzibit
8. Bar One 0:51 skit with Traci Nelson, Ms. Roq and Eddie Griffin
9. Light Speed 2:41 with Hittman
10. Forgot About Dre 3:42 with Eminem
11. The Next Episode 2:42 with Snoop Doggy
12. Let's Get High 2:27 with Hittman, Kurupt, Ms. Roq
13. Bitch Niggas 4:14 with Snoop Dogg, Hittman, Six-Two
14. The Car Bomb 1:01 skit with Mel-Man, Charis Henry
15. Murder Ink 2:28 with Hittman, Ms. Roq
16. Ed-Ucation 1:32 with Eddie Griffin
17. Some L.A. Niggas 4:25 with DeFari, Xzibit, Knoc-turn'al, Time Bomb, King T, MC Ren, Kokane
18. Pause 4 Porno 1:33 skit with Jake Steed
19. Housewife 4:03 with Kurupt, Hittman
20. Ackrite 3:40 with Hittman
21. Bang Bang 3:42 with Knoc-turn'al and Hittman
22. The Message 5:29 with Mary J. Blige and Rell
The Wash (2002)
Singles
Nuthin' But a G Thang (from The Chronic)
Let Me Ride (from The Chronic)
Dre Day (radio edit of Fuck Wit Dre Day, from The Chronic)
East Coast, West Coast Killah (from The Aftermath)
Still D.R.E. (from The Chronic 2001)
Forgot About Dre (from The Chronic 2001)
The Next Episode (from The Chronic 2001)
Bad Intentions (from The Wash)
Training Day (from The Wash)
Like most of this write-up, the Singles list is taken from memory. Please /msg me with corrections, additions et al.