Monday, November 16, 2009

10 Years Ago Today: Dr. Dre releases "2001"...



2001 is the second studio album by American hip-hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre, released November 16, 1999 on Aftermath Records. The album was produced by Dr. Dre, Mel-Man, Lord Finesse, and Scott Storch, and it was recorded during 1998 and 1999. 2001 features guest appearances from rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Xzibit. It is the follow-up to Dr. Dre's debut album, The Chronic (1992). 2001 exhibits an expansion on the G-funk sound of The Chronic, and it features gangsta rap lyrical themes such as violence, promiscuity, drug use, street gangs, and crime.

2001 debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 charts with sales of over 550,000 units. On November 21, 2000, it was certified six times platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America, following sales in excess of 6 million in the United States. Despite some negative criticism towards the album's gangsta motifs, 2001 received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album has been credited with bringing the West Coast hip-hop scene back to the spotlight after years of obscurity, while showing that Dr. Dre could still remain prominent with a new generation of listeners and viewers. 2001 also further established the career of Eminem, who eventually became one of the best-selling rappers of all time. In 2006, Hip Hop Connection named 2001 the tenth best album in hip hop.

Suggested listening:

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