Dr. Dre says he hasn’t been inspired by a rap album in nearly a decade

As a fan who has grown up listening to the iconic beats of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions hearing his thoughts on contemporary hip-hop. On one hand, I appreciate his honesty and the insight into his musical preferences shaped by decades of creating groundbreaking music. Yet, as someone who’s also grown with the genre, I can’t help but feel like an elder statesman when I don’t vibe with some of the newer releases too!

Dr. Dre appears to be less enthusiastic about the recent hip-hop albums released over the past decade or so. In an interview with Complex, he expressed this when asked about the most recent album that truly excited him.

He mentioned that when discussing recent music, the albums “Good Kid, m.A.A.d city” and “To Pimp a Butterfly,” both by Kendrick Lamar, have left an impact on him. The first was released in 2012, and the second followed three years later. Since then, it’s been a while since a rap album has inspired him like these two did.

Previously, Kevin Hart posed a similar query about contemporary hip-hop albums in his Hart to Heart podcast, and I found myself reminiscing on that conversation. In it, Dr. Dre shared his thoughts, initially expressing empathy towards those who may criticize the music being produced by today’s artists. However, he also made it clear that a significant portion of the newer releases doesn’t resonate with him personally.

Dr. Dre conveyed to Hart that Hip Hop is simply in its current form. Anyone criticizing Hip-Hop from a negative perspective seems outdated, as if they’re an older relative. Essentially, this is just the way it is. Hip-Hop is continuously evolving. If you don’t appreciate it, don’t engage with it… I’m being completely honest with you. Much of what’s happening in Hip-Hop today, I don’t particularly enjoy and rarely listen to. However, I won’t condemn it. I’ll never disregard or denounce it.

On Friday, December 13, Dre unveiled the eagerly awaited “Missionary” album together with Snoop Dogg. This is their initial joint studio album since they released “Doggystyle” back in 1993.

Read More

2024-12-17 22:23