3 Career-Changing Albums Produced by Dr. Dre

The Compton, California-born rapper and producer Dr. Dre is one of the most significant names in the history of rap music. The man who rose to fame with N.W.A. and later helped create Beats headphones has helped many artists achieve their dreams of stardom in between.

Here below, we wanted to dive into three such examples. A trio of records produced by Dre that have gone on to change both individual lives and the trajectory of the music he helped define. Indeed, these are three career-changing albums produced by Dr. Dre.

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Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg (1993)

Dr. Dre introduced the world to Calvin Broadus (aka Snoop Doggy Dogg) in 1992 and a year later, he helped solidify the smooth lyricist in popular culture when the two released Snoop’s debut solo LP Doggystyle in 1993. Featuring songs like “Gin and Juice,” “Lodi Dodi” and “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” the album was an immediate hit with rap fans from inner cities to the suburbs. Shortly after its release, the record hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 200 and ever since, Snoop has become a household name, famous for songs like “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and friendships with folks like Martha Stewart. Today, he’s even a coach on the NBC singing competition show The Voice. But it was all originally thanks to the sticky beats by Dre.

The Slim Shady LP by Eminem (1999)

Some argued that in the late 1990s, Dr. Dre was no longer throwing his proverbial fastball—that it had been years since N.W.A. and Snoop and he maybe didn’t “have it” anymore when it came to his eye and ear for talent. But all those people were proven wrong in 1999 when Dre introduced the Detroit rapper Marshall Mathers to popular culture. Ever since, Em has risen to perhaps become the greatest rapper of all time—funny and intricate, dastardly and clever. But Eminem was struggling to break out of the Motor City and if hadn’t had been for Dre, who co-produced his debut record The Slim Shady LP, he likely never would have.

The Chronic by Dr. Dre (1992)

While Dre has put on many artists over the years, perhaps the most significant and life-changing album he’s released is his own debut LP The Chronic, which dropped in December 1992. This is the album that introduced Snoop to the world and it also introduced Dre as a solo performer. Previously, he’d been part of the quintet known as N.W.A., which featured the likes of Ice Cube and Eazy-E. But with The Chronic, Dre announced himself as a player unto himself. Today, even more than 30 years since its release, the record is considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time—if not the greatest—thanks to songs like “Let Me Ride” and “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang.”

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