![WIth various nods throughout to his old friends, Dre attempts to take listeners on a journey through his evolving world. Click ahead for our initial thoughts on the release of Dr Dre's highly anticipated album Compton: A Soundtrack.]()
WIth various nods throughout to his old friends, Dre attempts to take listeners on a journey through his evolving world. Click ahead for our initial thoughts on the release of Dr Dre's highly anticipated album Compton: A Soundtrack.
!['Intro': Opening like a movie with soaring horns and rising drums, we hear a narrator speaking about Compton's history.]()
'Intro': Opening like a movie with soaring horns and rising drums, we hear a narrator speaking about Compton's history. "Compton was the american dream," but "the dream that many blacks thought they were buying has turned sour." Looming strings build to a dramatic crescendo before...
!['Talk About It' feat King Mez and Justus: Fuzzy, electronic production washes over police sirens as rapper King Mez sings,]()
'Talk About It' feat King Mez and Justus: Fuzzy, electronic production washes over police sirens as rapper King Mez sings, "One day im'a have everything." Dre interjects with an initially understated verse, before brashly explaining that he's still got Eminem cheques he hasn't opened yet.
!['Genocide' feat. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius and Candice Pillay: Dark and eery with sharp, piercing snares. 'Nurder, murder' rings over the whining smooth production before Dre embarks on a rapid and skippy flow. Kendrick appears to be on auto-pilot, but he still mixes his relentless rapping style with sudden, joyful melodies.]()
'Genocide' feat. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius and Candice Pillay: Dark and eery with sharp, piercing snares. 'Nurder, murder' rings over the whining smooth production before Dre embarks on a rapid and skippy flow. Kendrick appears to be on auto-pilot, but he still mixes his relentless rapping style with sudden, joyful melodies.
!['It's All On Me' ft. Bj the Chicago kid: With whomping bass and sweet, rich production, 'It's All On Me' is a reminiscing track. Dre charts his rise with NWA, the arrival of Snoop and the birth of the chronic. Bj provides a pleasant (if slightly forgettable) hook. Lightly tapped piano keys lead us out...]()
'It's All On Me' ft. Bj the Chicago kid: With whomping bass and sweet, rich production, 'It's All On Me' is a reminiscing track. Dre charts his rise with NWA, the arrival of Snoop and the birth of the chronic. Bj provides a pleasant (if slightly forgettable) hook. Lightly tapped piano keys lead us out...
!['All In A Day's Work' feat Anderson .Paak: After a rousing speech about the power of fear, Dre spits over distorted organs with a rapid flow reminiscent of his verses on his collaboration with Kendrick, 'The Recipe'.]()
'All In A Day's Work' feat Anderson .Paak: After a rousing speech about the power of fear, Dre spits over distorted organs with a rapid flow reminiscent of his verses on his collaboration with Kendrick, 'The Recipe'.
![Darkside/Gone feat King Mez, Marsha Ambrosius and Kendrick Lamar: King Mez is auto-tuned to the max before Dre slows down his flow over dark and effective piano keys, shouting out Eazy E with an old sample from the late rapper. Kendrick spits another relentless verse that possibly calls out Drake?]()
Darkside/Gone feat King Mez, Marsha Ambrosius and Kendrick Lamar: King Mez is auto-tuned to the max before Dre slows down his flow over dark and effective piano keys, shouting out Eazy E with an old sample from the late rapper. Kendrick spits another relentless verse that possibly calls out Drake?
!['Loose Cannons' featuring Xzibit and cold 187um: Rhythmic snares, whining guitar tweaks and harsh riffs combine with an old school Cold 87um verse. A welcome change of production occurs when Xzibit enters the fold - simple piano chords and crunching drums serving the seasoned rapper's fury well. Xzibit says he's]()
'Loose Cannons' featuring Xzibit and cold 187um: Rhythmic snares, whining guitar tweaks and harsh riffs combine with an old school Cold 87um verse. A welcome change of production occurs when Xzibit enters the fold - simple piano chords and crunching drums serving the seasoned rapper's fury well. Xzibit says he's "blasted like a Kennedy be." Then, for some inexplicable reason, Dre kills a woman?
!['Issues' feat Ice Cube, Anderson .Paak and Dem Jointz: Each rapper is spitting as fast as they possibly can in a track that jumps and jerks without warning,]()
'Issues' feat Ice Cube, Anderson .Paak and Dem Jointz: Each rapper is spitting as fast as they possibly can in a track that jumps and jerks without warning,
!['Deep Water' feat. Kendrick, Justus, Anderson .Paak: Kendrick raps]()
'Deep Water' feat. Kendrick, Justus, Anderson .Paak: Kendrick raps "that bitch on autopilot" over swamping production, the rapper reverting to his weezing, unstoppable flow.
!['One Shot One Kill'feat. Snoop Dogg: A raw and distorted electric guitar riff guides Snoop through an unusually aggressive verse.]()
'One Shot One Kill'feat. Snoop Dogg: A raw and distorted electric guitar riff guides Snoop through an unusually aggressive verse. "Tell me what the fuck would you do without me / Kill yourself!"
!['Just Another Day' feat. Asia Bryant: Dre unleashes one of his strongest verses on the album, releasing himself from the grip of a quick and cutting flow before falling victim again and reeling off a swarm of forgettably fast lines. Distorted horn samples and subtle keys create a rich instrumental though.]()
'Just Another Day' feat. Asia Bryant: Dre unleashes one of his strongest verses on the album, releasing himself from the grip of a quick and cutting flow before falling victim again and reeling off a swarm of forgettably fast lines. Distorted horn samples and subtle keys create a rich instrumental though.
!['For The Love Of Money' feat Jill Scott and Jon Connor:]()
'For The Love Of Money' feat Jill Scott and Jon Connor: "It's beautiful outside / Looks like it's raining money man" floats over cloudy, electronic production. Dre embarks once again on a ridiculous fast flow, attempting to rival his protege, Kendrick.
!['Satisfiction' feat. Snoop Dogg, Marsha Ambrosius and King Mez: Dre and co send a warning shot to all fake rappers claiming to be on top over dreamy and fast paced production.]()
'Satisfiction' feat. Snoop Dogg, Marsha Ambrosius and King Mez: Dre and co send a warning shot to all fake rappers claiming to be on top over dreamy and fast paced production.
!['Animals': This is one of the most engaging tracks on the album, with Dre rapping with honesty and clarity while speaking about police brutality and the destructive nature of sites like worldtsarhiphop. Anderson .Paak's chorus of]()
'Animals': This is one of the most engaging tracks on the album, with Dre rapping with honesty and clarity while speaking about police brutality and the destructive nature of sites like worldtsarhiphop. Anderson .Paak's chorus of "The only time they want to turn the camera on is when we fucking shit up" is probably the most memorable of the whole record.
!['Medicine Man' feat Eminem and Candice Pillay: A collaboration between the two hip-hop legends, it features more stupidly fast flows from Dre that feel unnatural. It also features a rape line from Eminem which is already, rightfully, facing a backlash.]()
'Medicine Man' feat Eminem and Candice Pillay: A collaboration between the two hip-hop legends, it features more stupidly fast flows from Dre that feel unnatural. It also features a rape line from Eminem which is already, rightfully, facing a backlash.
!['Talking To My Diary': Dre goes it alone on the final track, attempting to explain his rise in the musical world and the resulting feuds.]()
'Talking To My Diary': Dre goes it alone on the final track, attempting to explain his rise in the musical world and the resulting feuds. "Some friends became enemies / On the quest to victory."
