The Chronic marked the debut solo album of super producer and former N.W.A member, Dr. Dre.
Dr. Dre helped bring "gangsta rap" to the mainstream during his days in the controversial, yet highly influential group N.W.A. In 1992, he helped refine the west Coast sound and redefine the hip-hop of the era. The Chronic took Dr. Dre’s already world famous beats and intertwined them with a mix of funk, thus forming "G-funk."
Coming out swinging, Dr. Dre released "Dre Day" or "F*** wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)" (depending on if you want to be PG or R-rated) as the first single. The song is a classic diss track taking aim at Dre’s former N.W.A counterpart, Eazy-E. The video for the song also introduced the world to an upcoming emcee by the name of Snoop Dogg.
The production on The Chronic was Dr. Dre being a mad scientist. Each song is concocted full of various samples from diverse acts such as Parliament, James Brown, George Clinton and Led Zeppelin. Another hit-single, "Let Me Ride" was a prime example of that "G-funk" sound. While "Dre Day" was hard-hitting West Coast hip-hop, "Let Me Ride" was smoother and friendlier to the ears for those outside the rap world.
"Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang" helped solidify the album as a smash hit and Dr. Dre as a solo rapper. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and helped usher in a new wave of artists like Nate Dogg, Warren G, Korrupt and Snoop Dogg.
