Dr. Dre began his career in music as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru and he later found fame with the influential gangsta rap group N.W.A, which popularized the use of explicit lyrics in rap to detail the violence of street life. His 1992 solo debut The Chronic, released under Death Row Records, led him to become one of the best-selling American performing artists of 1993. In 1996 he left Death Row to found his own label Aftermath Entertainment, producing a compilation album, Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath, in 1997 and releasing a solo album titled 2001 in 1999.
During the 2000s he focused his career on production for other artists, while occasionally contributing vocals in other artists' songs. Rolling Stone named him among the highest-paid performers of 2001 and 2004. Dr. Dre also had acting roles in the 2001 films The Wash and Training Day. In 2011, his final solo studio album, Detox, is set to be released following much delay and speculation.
Early life
The first child of Verna and Theodore Young, Dr. Dre was born as AndrΓ© Romelle Young on February 18, 1965. His mother was only 16 years old at the time of his birth, after being impregnated by teenage boyfriend Theodore, whom she later married. Young's middle name, "Romelle", came from Theodore Young's unsigned, amateur R&B singing group The Romells. In 1968 his mother divorced Theodore Young for another man, Curtis Crayon, and had other children with him, including two sons named Jerome and Tyree (both of whom are now deceased)[8][9] and daughter Shameka.[10] As a young child, Young was fascinated with vinyl records spinning on phonographs; his family's record collection included many popular R&B albums of the 1960s and 1970s, from such singers as Diana Ross, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. According to an interview with the Los Angeles Times, his mother Verna found R&B music to be a relief from the two jobs she had to work daily.[11] Despite economic troubles, she continued to encourage Young not to give up in life. During Verna's second marriage, Young and his step-brother Tyree were raised primarily by their grandmother and Curtis Crayon, as their mother spent much time in search of work.[12]
In 1976 Young began attending Vanguard Junior High School and had a new sister named Shameka. However, due to gang violence around Vanguard, he transferred to nearby Roosevelt Junior High School.[13] Verna later married Warren Griffin, whom she met at her new job in Long Beach,[14] which added three new stepsisters and one new stepbrother to the family. The stepbrother, Warren Griffin III, would eventually become a rapper under the stage name Warren G.[15]
Young attended Centennial High School in Compton during his freshman year in 1979 but transferred to Fremont High School due to poor grades. On December 15, 1981, Young fathered a son with Lisa Johnson, however Curtis Young was not brought up by his father and they only met when Curtis had become rapper Hood Surgeon about 20 years later.[16] He was nearly enrolled to an apprenticeship program at Northrop Aviation Company until poor grades at school made him ineligible. Therefore, he focused on social life and entertainment for most of his high school years.[17]
Music career
World Class Wreckin' Cru (1984β1985)
Inspired by the Grandmaster Flash song "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel", he often attended a club called The Eve After Dark to watch many DJs and rappers performing live. Thus, he became a DJ in the club, initially under the name "Dr. J" based on the nickname for Julius Erving, his favorite basketball player. At the club, he met aspiring rapper Antoine Carraby, later to become member DJ Yella of his group N.W.A.[18] Soon afterwards he adopted the moniker Dr. Dre, a mix of previous alias Dr. J and his first name, referring to himself as the "Master of Mixology".[19] He later joined the musical group World Class Wreckin' Cru under the independent Kru-Cut Records in 1984. The group would become stars of the electro-hop scene that dominated early 1980s West Coast hip hop, and their first hit "Surgery" would prominently feature Dr. Dre on the turntables and sell 50,000 copies within the Compton area.[20] Dr. Dre and DJ Yella also performed mixes for local radio station KDAY, boosting ratings for its afternoon rush-hour show The Traffic Jam.[21]
Due to the amount of time Dr. Dre was spending on his rap music he frequently skipped school, affecting his education. His absences also jeopardized his position as a diver for his school's swim team. However, when he did attend he received good grades in certain classes. After high school, he attended Chester Adult School in Compton following his mother's demands for him to get a job or go to school. After brief attendance at a radio broadcasting school, he relocated to the residence of his father and residence of his grandparents before returning to his mother's house.[22] He later dropped out of Chester to focus on performing at the Eve's After Dark nightclub.[23]
N.W.A and Ruthless Records (1986β1991)
In 1986 he met rapper Ice Cube, who collaborated with Dr. Dre to record songs for Ruthless Records, a rap record label run by local rapper and drug dealer Eazy-E. N.W.A however, along with fellow west coast rapper Ice T, debuted with rhymes including profanity and gritty depictions of crime and life on the street. No longer constricted to racially charged political issues pioneered by rap artists such as Public Enemy or Boogie Down Productions, N.W.A shot out with hardcore and realistic perspective of street violence and local black gangster lifestyle. Propelled by the hit "Fuck tha Police", the group's first full album Straight Outta Compton became a major success, despite an almost complete absence of radio airplay or major concert tours and warnings from the FBI.[2] The FBI sent letters to Arabian Prince, Ice Cube and Eazy-E urging them to stop releasing their music as a response to the large amount of complaints they had received about the group's lyrical content and use of expletives.[24]
After Ice Cube left N.W.A over financial disputes, Dr. Dre produced and performed for much of the group's second album Efil4zaggin. He also produced tracks for a number of other rap acts on Ruthless Records, including Above the Law, and The D.O.C. for the album No One Can Do It Better.[25] In 1991 at a music industry party in Hollywood, he assaulted television host Dee Barnes of the Fox television program Pump it Up, after he felt dissatisfied by a news report of hers on the feud between the remaining N.W.A members and Ice Cube. Thus, Dr. Dre was fined $2,500 and given two years' probation and 240 hours of community service, as well as a spot on an anti-violence public service announcement on television.[26][27]
The Chronic and Death Row Records (1992β1995)
After a dispute with Wright, Young left the group at the peak of its popularity in 1991 under the advice of friend, and N.W.A lyricist, The D.O.C. and his bodyguard at the time, Suge Knight. Knight, a notorious strongman and intimidator, was able to have Wright release Young from his contract and, using Dr. Dre as his flagship artist, found Death Row Records. In 1992 Young released his first single, the title track to the film Deep Cover, a collaboration with a rapper whom he met through his own stepbrother and rapper Warren G, Snoop Dogg.[2] Dr. Dre's debut album was The Chronic under Death Row Records. Young ushered in a new style of rap, both in terms of musical style and lyrical content.[28]
On the strength of singles such as "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang", featuring protegΓ© Snoop Doggy Dogg and hits like "Let Me Ride" and "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')" (known as "Dre Day" for radio and television play), The Chronic became a cultural phenomenon, its G-funk sound dominating much of hip hop music for the early 1990s.[2] In 1993 the Recording Industry Association of America certified the album multi-platinum,[29] and Dr. Dre also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for his performance in "Let Me Ride".[30] For that year, Billboard magazine also ranked Dr. Dre as the eighth best-selling musical artist, The Chronic as the sixth best-selling album, and "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" as the 11th best-selling single.[3]
Besides working on his own material, Dr. Dre produced Snoop Dogg's debut album Doggystyle, which became the first debut album for an artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 album charts.[31] Young also produced other West Coast rap albums of Death Row Records, including Dogg Food by Tha Dogg Pound and the album Regulate...G Funk Era by his stepbrother Warren G. In 1994 Dr. Dre produced the soundtracks to the films Above the Rim and Murder Was the Case and the single "No Diggity" by Blackstreet. He collaborated with fellow N.W.A member Ice Cube for the song "Natural Born Killaz" in 1995.[2]
In 1995, just as Death Row Records was signing rapper 2Pac and positioning him as their major star, Young left the label amidst a contract dispute and growing concerns that label boss Suge Knight was corrupt, financially dishonest and out of control. Thus, in 1996, he formed his own label Aftermath Entertainment directly underneath the distributor label for Death Row Records, Interscope Records.[2] Consequently, Death Row Records suffered poor sales by 1997, especially following the death of 2Pac and the racketeering charges brought against Knight.[32]
Move to Aftermath Entertainment (1996β1998)
The Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath album, released on November 26, 1996, featured songs by Dr. Dre himself as well as by newly signed Aftermath artists, and a solo track "Been There, Done That", intended as a symbolic farewell to gangsta rap.[33] Despite being classified platinum by the RIAA[34], the album was not very popular among music fans.[2] In October 1996 Dr. Dre appeared on the sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live, broadcast on the NBC television network in the United States, to perform "Been There, Done That".[35] In 1997 Young produced several tracks on Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The Album; although the album went platinum, it was met with similarly negative reviews from critics. Rumors began to abound that Aftermath was facing financial difficulties.[36]
The turning point for Aftermath came in 1998, when Jimmy Iovine, the head of Aftermath's parent label Interscope, suggested that Young sign the white Detroit rapper Marshall Mathers, artistically known as Eminem, to Aftermath. Young produced three songs and provided vocals for two on his controversial album, ("My Name Is", "Guilty Conscience" and "Role Model") in 1999.[37]
2001 (1999β2000)
Dr. Dre's second solo album, 2001, released in the fall of 1999, was considered an ostentatious return to his gangsta rap roots.[38] It was initially titled The Chronic 2000 to imply being a sequel to his debut album The Chronic but was re-titled 2001 after Death Row Records released an unrelated compilation album earlier in 1999. Other tentative titles included The Chronic 2001 and Dr. Dre.[39] The album featured numerous collaborators, including Devin the Dude, Hittman, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Nate Dogg and Eminem. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the website All Music Guide described the sound of the album as "adding ominous strings, soulful vocals, and reggae" to Dr. Dre's style.[38] The album was highly successful, charting at number two on the Billboard 200 charts[40] and has since been certified six times platinum,[29] thus reaffirming a recurring theme featured in its lyrics, stating that Dr. Dre was still a force to be reckoned with, despite the lack of major releases in the previous few years. The album included popular hit singles "Still D.R.E." and "Forgot About Dre", both of which Dr. Dre performed on NBC's Saturday Night Live on October 23, 1999.[41] Dr. Dre won the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2000,[2] and joined the Up in Smoke Tour with fellow rappers Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube that year as well.[42]
During the course of the popularity of 2001, Dr. Dre was involved in several lawsuits. Lucasfilm Ltd., the film company behind the Star Wars film franchise, sued him over the use of the THX-trademarked "Deep Note".[43] The Fatback Band also sued Dr. Dre over alleged infringement of its song "Backstrokin'" in his song "Let's Get High" from the 2001 album; Dr. Dre was ordered to pay $1.5 million to the band in 2003.[44] The online music file-sharing company Napster also settled a lawsuit with him and heavy metal rock band Metallica in the summer of 2001, agreeing to block access to certain files that artists do not want to have shared on the network.[45]
Focus on production (2001βpresent)
Following the success of 2001, Dr. Dre focused on producing songs and albums for other artists. He produced the single "Family Affair" by R&B singer Mary J. Blige for her album No More Drama in 2001.[4] Other successful albums that he produced for Aftermath have included the major-label debut album by Queens, New York-based rapper 50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin', in 2003. The album featured the Dr. Dre-produced hit single "In da Club", as a joint production between Aftermath, Eminem's boutique label Shady Records and Interscope.[46] Dr. Dre also produced "How We Do", a 2005 hit single of rapper The Game from his album The Documentary.[47]
Another copyright-related lawsuit came upon Dr. Dre in the fall of 2002, when Sa Re Ga Ma, a film and music company based in Calcutta, India, sued Aftermath Entertainment over an uncredited sample of the Lata Mangeshkar song "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai" on the Aftermath-produced song "Addictive" by singer Truth Hurts. In February 2003, a judge ruled that Aftermath would have to halt sales of Truth Hurts' album Truthfully Speaking if the company would not credit Mangeshkar.[48] In April 2003 rapper Ja Rule released a mixtape of freestyle raps criticizing Dr. Dre and his associated artists 50 Cent and Eminem.[49] At the Vibe magazine awards show in November 2004, Dr. Dre was attacked by a fan named Jimmy James Johnson, who was asking for an autograph. Johnson, in September 2005, was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to stay away from Dr. Dre until 2008.[50] For an issue of Rolling Stone magazine in April 2005, Kanye West praised Dr. Dre as among the greatest performing artists of all time.[51]
In November 2006 Dr. Dre began working with Raekwon on his album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II.[52] He also contributed to the rap albums Buck the World by Young Buck[53] and Curtis by 50 Cent.[54] Other upcoming albums that he is involved with includeThe Reformation by Bishop Lamont,[55] The Nacirema Dream by Papoose,[56] Here I Am by Eve,[57] and L.A.X. by The Game.[58] Among planned but unreleased albums during Dr. Dre's tenure at Aftermath have included a full-length reunion with Snoop Dogg titled Breakup to Makeup, an album with fellow former N.W.A member Ice Cube which was to be titled Heltah Skeltah, an N.W.A reunion album, and a joint album with fellow producer Timbaland titled Chairmen of the Board.[59][25][60]
Detox: Final album
Detox is to be Dr. Dre's final album.[7] In 2002, Dre told Corey Moss of MTV News that he intended Detox to be a concept album.[6] Work for the album dates back to early 2004,[61] but later in that year he decided to stop working on the album to focus on producing for other artists but then changed his mind; the album had initially been set for a fall 2005 release.[62] After several delays, the album was finally scheduled to be released sometime in 2008 by Interscope Records, which has not set a firm release date for the album as of September 2007.[7] Producers confirmed to work on the album include Bernard "Focus" Edwards Jr.,[63] Hi-Tek,[64] J.R. Rotem,[65] RZA,[66] Jay-Z,[67] and Warren G.[68]
Film career
In 2001 Dr. Dre appeared in the movies The Wash and Training Day.[69] A song of his, "Bad Intentions" (featuring Knoc-Turn'Al) and produced by Mahogany, was featured on The Wash soundtrack.[70] Dr. Dre also appeared on two other songs "On the Blvd." and "The Wash" along with his co-star Snoop Dogg. In February 2007 it was announced that Dr. Dre would produce dark comedies and horror films for New Line-owned company Crucial Films, along with longtime video director Phillip Atwell. Dr. Dre announced "This is a natural switch for me, since I've directed a lot of music videos, and I eventually want to get into directing."[71]
Musical influences and style
Dr. Dre has said that his primary instrument in the studio is the Akai MPC3000, a drum machine and sampler, and that he uses as many as four or five to produce a single recording. He cites George Clinton, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield as primary musical influences. Unlike most rap producers, he tries to avoid samples as much as possible, preferring to have studio musicians re-play pieces of music he wants to use, because it allows him more flexibility to change the pieces in rhythm and tempo.[59] In 2001 he told Time magazine, "I may hear something I like on an old record that may inspire me, but I'd rather use musicians to re-create the sound or elaborate on it. I can control it better."[72] Other equipment he uses include the E-mu SP-1200 drum machine and other keyboards from such manufacturers as Korg, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Moog, and Roland.[73]
After founding Aftermath Entertainment in 1996, Dr. Dre took on producer Mel-Man as a co-producer, and his music took on a more synthesizer-based sound, using fewer vocal samples (as he had used on "Lil' Ghetto Boy" and "Let Me Ride" on The Chronic, for example). Mel-Man has not shared co-production credits with Dr. Dre since approximately 2002, but fellow Aftermath producer Focus has credited Mel-Man as a key architect of the signature Aftermath sound.[74]
In 1999 Dr. Dre started working with Mike Elizondo, a bassist, guitarist, and keyboardist who has also produced, written and played on records for female singers such as Poe, Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette,[75] for his album 2001. Elizondo has since worked for many of Dr. Dre's productions.[76][77] Dr. Dre also told Scratch magazine in a 2004 interview that he has been studying piano and music theory formally, and that a major goal is to accumulate enough musical theory to score movies. In the same interview he stated that he has collaborated with famed 1960s songwriter Burt Bacharach by sending him hip hop beats to play over, and hopes to have an in-person collaboration with him in the future.[59]
Work ethic
Dr. Dre has stated that he is a perfectionist, and is known to pressure the artists with whom he records to give flawless performances.[59] In 2006 Snoop Dogg told the website Dubcnn.com that Dr. Dre had made new artist Chauncey Black re-record a single bar of vocals 107 times.[78] Dr. Dre has also stated that Eminem is a fellow perfectionist, and attributes his success on Aftermath to his like-minded work ethic.[59]
A consequence of this perfectionism is that some artists that initially sign deals with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label never release albums. In 2001, Aftermath released the soundtrack to the movie The Wash. featuring a number of Aftermath acts such as Shaunta, Daks, Joe Beast and Toi. To date, none have released full-length albums on Aftermath and have apparently ended their relationships with the label and Dr. Dre. Other noteworthy acts to leave Aftermath without releasing albums include King Tee, 2001 vocalist Hittman and 1980s rap icon Rakim.[79]
However, over the years word of other collaborators has surfaced. During his tenure at Death Row Records, it was alleged that Dr. Dre's half brother Warren G and Tha Dogg Pound member Daz made many uncredited contributions to songs on his solo album The Chronic and Snoop Doggy Dogg's album Doggystyle (Daz received production credits on Snoop's similar-sounding, albeit less successful album Tha Doggfather after Young left Death Row Records).[80]
It is known that Scott Storch, who has since gone on to become a successful producer in his own right, contributed to Dr. Dre's second album 2001; Storch is credited as a songwriter on several songs and played keyboards on several tracks. In 2006 he told Rolling Stone:
"At the time, I saw Dr. Dre desperately needed something," Storch says. "He needed a fuel injection, and Dr. Dre utilized me as the nitrous oxide. He threw me into the mix, and I sort of tapped on a new flavor with my whole piano sound and the strings and orchestration. So I'd be on the keyboards, and Mike [Elizondo] was on the bass guitar, and Dr. Dre was on the drum machine".[81]
Current collaborator Mike Elizondo, when speaking about his work with Young, describes their recording process as a collaborative effort involving several musicians. In 2004 he claimed to Songwriter Universe magazine that he had written the foundations of the hit Eminem song "The Real Slim Shady", stating, "I initially played a bass line on the song, and Dr. Dre, Tommy Coster Jr. and I built the track from there. Eminem then heard the track, and he wrote the rap to it."[77] This account is essentially confirmed by Eminem in his book Angry Blonde, stating that the tune for the song was composed by a studio bassist and keyboardist while Dr. Dre was out of the studio but later programmed the song's beat after returning.[82]
Furthermore, in the September 2003 issue of The Source, a group of disgruntled former associates of Dr. Dre complained that they had not received their full due for work on the label. A producer named Neff-U claimed to have produced the songs "Say What You Say" and "My Dad's Gone Crazy" on The Eminem Show, the songs "If I Can't" and "Back Down" on 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin', and the beat featured on Dr. Dre's commercial for Coors beer.[79]
Although Young studies piano and musical theory, he serves as more of a conductor than a musician himself, as Josh Tyrangiel of Time magazine has noted:
Every Dre track begins the same way, with Dre behind a drum machine in a room full of trusted musicians. (They carry beepers. When he wants to work, they work.) He'll program a beat, then ask the musicians to play along; when Dre hears something he likes, he isolates the player and tells him how to refine the sound. "My greatest talent," Dre says, "is knowing exactly what I want to hear."[72]
Although Snoop Dogg retains working relationships with Warren G and Daz, who are alleged to be uncredited contributors on the hit albums The Chronic and Doggystyle, he states that Dr. Dre is capable of making beats without the help of collaborators.[83] It should be noted that Dr. Dre's prominent studio collaborators, including Scott Storch, Elizondo, Mark Batson and Dawaun Parker, have shared co-writing, instrumental, and more recently co-production credits on the songs where he is credited as the producer.
It is also widely acknowledged that most of Dr. Dre's raps are written for him by others, though he retains ultimate control over his lyrics and the themes of his songs. As Aftermath Producer Mahogany told Scratch: "It's like a class room in [the booth]. He'll have three writers in there. They'll bring in something, he'll recite it, then he'll say. 'Change this line, change this word,' like he's grading papers."[84] As seen in the credits for tracks Young has appeared on, there are often multiple people who contribute to his songs (although it should be noted that often in hip hop many people are officially credited as a writer for a song, even the producer). As a member of N.W.A, The D.O.C. wrote lyrics for him while he stuck with producing.[85] Popular rapper Jay-Z ghostwrote lyrics for the single "Still D.R.E." from Dr. Dre's album 2001.[39]
Discography
* 1992: The Chronic
* 1999: 2001
* 2008: Detox
Awards and nominations
* "Let Me Ride"βGrammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance - 1994
* "California Love"βGrammy Award Nomination as Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (with 2Pac and Roger Troutman) - 1997.
* "No Diggity"βGrammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (with Blackstreet and Queen Pen) - 1998
* "Forgot About Dre"βGrammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group - 2001 | (with Eminem)
* "Still D.R.E."βGrammy Award Nomination Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (with Snoop Dogg) and The Source Awards Nomination Single of the year (2000)
* The Marshall Mathers LPβGrammy Award for Best Rap Album - 2001 (with Eminem)
Personal life
Marriages and family
From 1990 to 1996 Dr. Dre dated singer Michel'le, who frequently contributed vocals to Death Row Records albums. In 1991 the couple had a son, Marcel. In May 1996 Dr. Dre married Nicole Threatt, who was formerly married to NBA player Sedale Threatt.[86] Dr. Dre and Nicole have two children together: a son named Truth (born 1997) and a daughter named Truly (born 2001).[87] He is also the biological father of rapper Hood Surgeon (real name Curtis Young), impregnating his mother, Lisa Johnson, at 16 when he was 17.[88]
Income
In 2001, Dr. Dre earned a total of about $52 million from selling part of his share of Aftermath Entertainment to Interscope Records and his production of such hit songs that year as "Family Affair" by Mary J. Blige. Rolling Stone magazine thus named him the second highest-paid artist of the year.[4] Dr. Dre was ranked 44th in 2004 from earnings of just $11.4 million, primarily from production royalties from such projects as albums from G-Unit and D12 and the single "Rich Girl" by singer Gwen Stefani and rapper Eve.[5]
Filmography
Year Title Role
1992 Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video Himself
1994 Set It Off Black Sam
2000 Up In Smoke Tour Himself
2001 Training Day Paul
The Wash Sean
Lilβ Ghetto Boy
Dr. Dre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That know how to do things that's workin' for other people
Y'all need to open your own business
Save your money, quit payin' motherfuckers for jheri curls
Quit payin' motherfuckers for perms
Save your money, start your own business
So these little Africans will have way-, places to work
This is our future right here
This (the new generation is goin', the new generation)
Hey, I'ma tell you right now, if, if, if I have to die today
For this little African right here to have a future
I'm a dead motherfucker (you right)
Wake up, jumped out my bed
I'm in a two-man cell with my homie Lil' 1/2 Dead
Murder was the case that they gave me
Dear God, I wonder, can you save me?
I'm only eighteen, so I'm a young buck
It's a riot, if I don't scrap, I'm gettin' stuck
But that's the life of a G, I guess
Eses way deep, shanked two in the chest
Best run 'cause brothers is droppin' quicker
Uh, too late, damn, down goes another nigga
Bouncin' off the walls, throwin' them dogs
Gettin' that rep as a young hog
It ain't nothin' like the street life
You better be strapped with your shank, 'cause ain't no fist fight
So I guess I gots to handle mine
Since I did the crime, I gots to do my time
Dem say me grow up to be nothin'
Look at me now and tell me what you see (tell me what you see)
I am what I am, it's only me
Little ghetto boy
Playin' in the ghetto street
Whatcha gonna do when you grow up
And have to face responsibility?
Now I'm holdin' a dub, sittin' on swoll
Twenty-seven years old, up for parole, stroll
I'm back up on my feet with my mind on the money
That I'll be makin' soon as I touch the streets
Things done changed on this side
Remember they used to thump, but now they blast, right
But it ain't no thang to me
'Cause now I'm what they call a loc'd-ass OG
The lil' homies from the hood with grip
Are the ones I get with 'cause I'm down to set trip
Nigga, I'm bigger than you, so what you wanna do?
Didn't know he had a .22
Straight sittin' behind his back
I grabbed his pockets and then I heard six caps
I fell to the ground with blood on my hands
I didn't understand
How a nigga so young could bust a cap
I used to be the same way back
I guess that's what I get (for what?)
For tryna jack the lil' homies for they grip
Mi learn many things from what mi see from the street
The outcome of what I've come to be
Little ghetto boy
Playin' in the ghetto street
Whatcha gonna do when you grow up
And have to face responsibility?
Somethin' for the real OGs to get with
Some facts, made our made, now you runnin' but don't play
Like every single day, really, though
You know me, I'm the smooth macadamien, gamin' them for my homie
No need in bein' calm if you pack right
And learnin' just enough to keep your sack right
Late nights, I wonder what they gettin' for?
Early mornin' on the corners, what they hittin' for?
Seven young G's put they serve down
In the G ride, East side's where they swerve now
Not thinkin' about what's really goin' on
Got crept on, stepped on, now they gone
I spent four years in the county with nothin' but convicts around me
But now I'm back at Tha Pound
And we expose ways for the youth to survive
Some think it's wrong but we tend to think it's right
So make all them ends you can make
'Cause when you're broke, you break, check it out
So ain't no need for your mama to trip
'Cause you's a hustlin'-ass youngsta, clockin' your grip
And now mi finally grown as you can see (as you can see)
Still an OG, for life and always remain to be
A little ghetto boy
Playin' in the ghetto street
Whatcha gonna do when you grow up
And have to face responsibility?
The lyrics of Dr. Dre's "Lil' Ghetto Boy" featuring Snoop Dogg and D.O.C. are a poignant commentary on urban youth growing up in impoverished neighborhoods and the harsh realities they face. They urge young Africans to stop paying "motherfuckers" for jheri curls and perms by saving up and opening their businesses. They stress the importance of having African-owned businesses that provide opportunities for employment in the future. They openly declare their willingness to lay down their lives for the sake of the young African generation.
The verses follow a narrative starting with the singer, who is young and incarcerated with his cellmate, Lil'Β½ Dead. They discuss how murder was the case they were given and contemplate if God can save them. The lyrics then explore the life of a gangster or a "G," which is marked with riots, stabbings, and shootings. Next, the song jumps to the singer's present circumstances, sitting on parole while being mindful of money. He talks about how things have changed and how he's an OG in the game. The song's narrative ends with a commentary that someone from the neighborhood killed the seven young G's they initially introduced and how the singer learned from his stint in prison and now works towards improving the youth's conditions.
Line by Line Meaning
So, all of you Africans, all of you Africans
Addressing the African community, emphasizing their potential
That know how to do things that's workin' for other people
Recognizing their skills and abilities for the benefit of others
Y'all need to open your own business
Encouraging entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency
Save your money, quit payin' motherfuckers for jheri curls
Advising against wasteful spending on temporary hairstyles
Quit payin' motherfuckers for perms
Advising against wasteful spending on hair treatments
Save your money, start your own business
Emphasizing the importance of saving and investing in one's own enterprise
So these little Africans will have way-, places to work
Creating opportunities for the younger generation of Africans to find employment
This is our future right here
Recognizing the significance of empowering the African community for a prosperous future
This our future right here (right there)
Reiterating the importance of investing in the present for a better future
This (the new generation is goin', the new generation)
Acknowledging the potential of the new generation to drive positive change
Hey, I'ma tell you right now, if, if, if I have to die today
Expressing a willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of future generations
For this little African right here to have a future
Highlighting the importance of securing a promising future for the younger African generation
I'm a dead motherfucker (you right)
Emphasizing the seriousness and commitment to the cause
Wake up, jumped out my bed
Starting the day with urgency and energy
I'm in a two-man cell with my homie Lil' 1/2 Dead
Describing the current situation of being incarcerated with a close friend
Murder was the case that they gave me
Referring to the charge of murder that led to imprisonment
Dear God, I wonder, can you save me?
Expressing a plea for help and guidance from a higher power
I'm only eighteen, so I'm a young buck
Describing the singer's young age and vulnerability
It's a riot, if I don't scrap, I'm gettin' stuck
Highlighting the violent nature of their environment and the need to fight to survive
But that's the life of a G, I guess
Accepting the harsh reality of being involved in gang life
Eses way deep, shanked two in the chest
Referring to a violent encounter with gang members, resulting in two stabbings
Best run 'cause brothers is droppin' quicker
Advising to flee because violence is escalating rapidly
Uh, too late, damn, down goes another nigga
Expressing regret and despair over witnessing another person's death
Bouncin' off the walls, throwin' them dogs
Engaging in aggressive behavior and confrontations
Gettin' that rep as a young hog
Building a reputation as a tough and respected individual
It ain't nothin' like the street life
Stating that the realities of life in the streets are unmatched
You better be strapped with your shank, 'cause ain't no fist fight
Warning that violence is prevalent, and being armed is necessary for self-defense
So I guess I gots to handle mine
Acknowledging the need to protect oneself and fight for survival
Since I did the crime, I gots to do my time
Accepting the consequences of one's actions and enduring the punishment
Dem say me grow up to be nothin'
Reflecting on negative expectations and stereotypes placed on the singer
Look at me now and tell me what you see (tell me what you see)
Challenging others to reassess their initial judgments and perceptions
I am what I am, it's only me
Embracing one's true self and individuality
Little ghetto boy
Referring to oneself as a product of the disadvantaged ghetto environment
Playin' in the ghetto street
Navigating the challenges and realities of life in the impoverished neighborhood
Whatcha gonna do when you grow up
Asking about the plans and actions for the future
And have to face responsibility?
Questioning the readiness and preparedness for the responsibilities that come with adulthood
Now I'm holdin' a dub, sittin' on swoll
Having a significant amount of money and feeling confident
Twenty-seven years old, up for parole, stroll
Reaching a moment of potential release from prison after serving time
I'm back up on my feet with my mind on the money
Regaining independence and focusing on financial success
That I'll be makin' soon as I touch the streets
Anticipating making money once released and reentering society
Things done changed on this side
Observing the shifts and transformations in one's environment
Remember they used to thump, but now they blast, right
Recalling how violence escalated and firearms became prevalent
But it ain't no thang to me
Expressing indifference or lack of fear towards the increasing violence
'Cause now I'm what they call a loc'd-ass OG
Proudly identifying as a respected and feared older gangster
The lil' homies from the hood with grip
Referring to the younger gang members from the neighborhood who are loyal
Are the ones I get with 'cause I'm down to set trip
Choosing to associate and align with the younger gang members because of shared loyalty
Nigga, I'm bigger than you, so what you wanna do?
Asserting dominance and challenging others who may pose a threat
Didn't know he had a .22
Expressing surprise at the presence of a small caliber firearm
Straight sittin' behind his back
Approaching the person from behind without them noticing
I grabbed his pockets and then I heard six caps
Robbing the person and then hearing six gunshots
I fell to the ground with blood on my hands
Experiencing shock and guilt after being involved in a violent incident
I didn't understand
Confused and struggling to comprehend the consequences of one's actions
How a nigga so young could bust a cap
Reflecting on the fact that even as a young person, they were capable of committing a violent act
I used to be the same way back
Acknowledging that the singer used to engage in similar violent behaviors
I guess that's what I get (for what?)
Accepting that the consequences are a result of one's actions
For tryna jack the lil' homies for they grip
Realizing that trying to steal from younger gang members was a misguided and risky decision
Mi learn many things from what mi see from the street
Gaining knowledge and insights from observing the experiences in the streets
The outcome of what I've come to be
Reflecting on one's personal growth and development as a result of street experiences
Little ghetto boy
Referring to oneself as a product of the disadvantaged ghetto environment
Playin' in the ghetto street
Navigating the challenges and realities of life in the impoverished neighborhood
Whatcha gonna do when you grow up
Asking about the plans and actions for the future
And have to face responsibility?
Questioning the readiness and preparedness for the responsibilities that come with adulthood
Somethin' for the real OGs to get with
A message intended for the respected older gangsters to understand and connect with
Some facts, made our made, now you runnin' but don't play
Sharing important information or advice for survival without engaging in unnecessary conflict
Like every single day, really, though
Highlighting the constant challenges and dangers faced on a daily basis
You know me, I'm the smooth macadamien, gamin' them for my homie
Identifying oneself as a smooth and persuasive individual who looks out for friends
No need in bein' calm if you pack right
Stating that it's unnecessary to remain calm when properly armed or prepared
And learnin' just enough to keep your sack right
Acquiring knowledge and skills to protect and maintain one's financial resources
Late nights, I wonder what they gettin' for?
Questioning the activities or motives of others during late hours
Early mornin' on the corners, what they hittin' for?
Curious about the reasons behind people gathering on street corners in the early morning
Seven young G's put they serve down
Referring to a group of young gangsters abandoning their criminal activities
In the G ride, East side's where they swerve now
Describing the change in their behavior and territory while driving in a gang-dedicated vehicle
Not thinkin' about what's really goin' on
Choosing to ignore or avoid considering the true consequences or dangers present
Got crept on, stepped on, now they gone
Being caught off guard and attacked, resulting in their demise
I spent four years in the county with nothin' but convicts around me
Describing the time spent in a county jail surrounded by other incarcerated individuals
But now I'm back at Tha Pound
Referring to their return or presence in their gang's territory
And we expose ways for the youth to survive
Sharing knowledge and strategies to help younger individuals navigate and overcome challenges
Some think it's wrong but we tend to think it's right
Recognizing that not everyone agrees with their methods, but they believe it's necessary
So make all them ends you can make
Encouraging the accumulation of financial resources
'Cause when you're broke, you break, check it out
Highlighting the vulnerability and desperation that comes with financial insecurity
So ain't no need for your mama to trip
Assuring that there's no reason for concern or worry from a mother figure
'Cause you's a hustlin'-ass youngsta, clockin' your grip
Acknowledging the artist's role as an ambitious and driven young hustler focused on making money
And now mi finally grown as you can see (as you can see)
Acknowledging personal growth and maturity
Still an OG, for life and always remain to be
Retaining the status and mindset of an original gangster
A little ghetto boy
Referring to oneself as a product of the disadvantaged ghetto environment
Playin' in the ghetto street
Navigating the challenges and realities of life in the impoverished neighborhood
Whatcha gonna do when you grow up
Asking about the plans and actions for the future
And have to face responsibility?
Questioning the readiness and preparedness for the responsibilities that come with adulthood
Lyrics Β© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andre Young, Calvin Broadus, Delmar Drew Arnaud, Ricardo Emmanuel Brown, Tracy Lynn Curry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Quest Infinity
THIS SONG, TO ME, WAS THE COLDEST JOINT ON THE ALBUM. I USE TO PUT THIS ON REPEAT AND JUST LISTEN TO IT FOR HOURS. THIS SOME REAL SHIT DESCRIBING HOW HARD LIFE CAN BE.
Prof3ssor ***
One of DR.DRES best production is on this song.. very beautiful
Datguyyouknow
FACTS!!!!
Ricardo Adame
Most DEF !!!Changed my life .....made want to start producing and rapping.......Now it shows!! I'm on they Healz # MaddHatter #Imperialvalleyrecords
A G
Looking back at it didnβt HAVE to be
Taurus The Barber
Facts. It was hands down the best because it seemed like they laid back on the track amd rode the beat while telling a story while the strings and flute sung the story. Genius..π―
Daniel Ion Vasi Enache
That flute solo is just magic. Props to the one that went that hard on the flute
Johnny Williams
I used to be in the band from 7th grade until graduation played tuba and you are absolutely correct that dam flute makes me wanna get back on bass and jam with them katts..so dam funky
Finley Sinclaire
according to Discogs, the flutes on the Chronic were done by Katisse Buckingham!
Joe Hashem
We were still kids when this came out but you knew instantly that Dre and Snoop were operating on a different level of hip-hop. Life was never the same. The 90s were something else man.