Known for his undeniably huge influence on the global hip-hop scene, Dr. Dre with the help of his good friend Snoop Dogg (Now Snoop Lion) informs you of his desre to keep dem heads ringin’.
This track has you almost instantly bopping your head. The beat is consistent and about as p-h-a-t as it comes. Simple, creeping along providing a base for the rest. The drums themselves are also incredibly simple, serving as the main instruction when snappin’ that neck.
Heaps of high end sounds come in, an honestly surprising amount. Digital sounds fade in and out, bell sounds give the track it’s light feeling, and back-up singers emphasise nearly all of Dre’s better points. Dre himself can be heard dominating that middle range, with his voice cutting through the rest of the sounds with seemingly no effort.
Another artist, KRS-One is sampled at the start and in the choruses, with his ‘buk-buk-buk-buk-booyah-kashan’ playing softly in the background.
I feel the production aim for this song has been not only showcasing Dre’s voice, an obvious aim, but also reinforcing the energy of the beat. High end sounds play every four bars, but remain reasonably subservient to the deliciously head-boppin’ beat, allowing the timing of Dre’s lyrics to really pop.
The kick is nice and low, and the snare is nice and sharp, further pulling your focus onto that beat. Mid-low pads are used to carry melody, and change to higher sounds as the chorus ramps up.
An exceptional example of what most would consider truly classic hip-hop. As an added bonus, listen closely to the psycho-esque sting that accompanies Dre’s mention of Stephen King!
Year: 1995
Label: Priority
Producer/s: Dr. Dre & Sam Sneed
The Woebegone Woods 