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The Chronic-A Cause for Nostalgia
Thursday 20th December 2012 | Harry
With The Chronic reaching the ripe old age of twenty, a certain sense of nostalgia is raised for those old enough to remember back in the day. For those who aren’t, an even greater longing is aroused, a wearisome ‘if only.’ Inevitably, upon reflection you are left with the sour feeling that the music just isn’t the same anymore and where is all the originality?
Twenty years on and The Chronic is as fresh as ever. Dr Dre delivered a timeless album that each new generation has identified with and loved. Helped by the fact that he is still in the game and has been one of the most successful producers in hip hop history, Dre is just one of those guys that everyone looks up to because he’s done it all. He, along with Snoop Dogg changed the game with the birth of G-Funk, a more multi-layered and melodic sub genre of the gangsta rap emerging from the West Coast. Having Snoop Dogg feature so heavily was win-win for the both of them. Not only did it capitulate Snoop to stardom before he’d even released a solo album but it allowed Dre to take a step back from having to deliver all the lyrics. This meant that he was available to fully produce and perfect the sound he wanted with a little less pressure. Without Snoop, The Chronic would not have been what it is.
I was only three when The Chronic came out which puts me firmly in the ‘if only’ category when reminiscing. But what I would give to have been this age back then. With N.W.A tearing shit up, Wu-Tang beginning to roll and Tupac and Biggie still to come. It was truly the Golden Era. To have been this age and following the feud between Eazy-E and Dre as he defected with Suge Knight to form Death Row Records. People even got killed the rap game was so dangerous, (I am not endorsing this, the results were devastating). To think that the Chronic was not only a ridiculously important debut but also an attack in its content at Eazy E, who retaliated with It’s On (Dr Dre) 187um Killa, is fascinating. Right from the intro, an uneducated ear will hear words and profanity and probably think there’s just some unnecessary swearing from a rapper again, but know the story and it is all directed at Eazy E and Ruthless Records. It is back stories like these to that make hip hop such an intriguing genre with more soul to it than any other.
But where is all this nowadays? A lot of people now think that hip hop is dead but I say it’s not. There is huge talent around, plenty out there at the moment to be excited about. Kendrick Lamar is in the process of taking over the world and has possibly released an album that will match The Chronic’s staying power (no surprises that Dr Dre was involved in that one). Very young talent is emerging in the likes of Haleek Maul and Joey Badass. And there’s some big debut albums on the horizon (ASAP Rocky, Gunplay etc.) There is hope, a light at the end of the tunnel as this exciting era approaches. Let’s hope that the next time we are celebrating a milestone for The Chronic, or dare I say it, maybe even by the time we are celebrating something like Ready To Die’s 20th, there are a few more records out there that in 10 years the kids are still going to want to bounce to, that will go down as classics.
Harry
@harryillers
