In December 1992, Dr. Dre put out his now-beloved debut solo album The Chronic. Since its release, hits songs from the LP like “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” “Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’),” and “Bitches Ain’t Shit” have helped the project earn 3x platinum certification by RIAA, as it catapulted Dre into another stratosphere of acclaim.
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During the time of the release, though, Dre was fresh off departing his former iconic rap group N.W.A, due to disputes he had with their frontman Eazy-E and their manager Jerry Heller. And, according to excerpts from a newly-published book titled The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip-Hop Greatness, the aftermath of this breakup almost led to Dre abandoning music altogether.
“I was driving on the 101 freeway headed to the studio and, on that drive, I was thinking about quitting,” Dre said in an interview for the book. “I had been working on music for The Chronic for at least a month, and everything I was doing either sounded like what I had already done or not as good as what I had already done.
“I started second-guessing my ability and whether music was what I was supposed to be doing, but I pushed those doubts aside and persevered.”
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Continuing on this tangent, Dre explained that this hurdle was ultimately a net positive for his career. With a newfound sense of perseverance and will instilled into his DNA as an artist, Dre would go on to build an epic career from that point on.
“That moment was crucial to helping me solidify my determination to be a success,” he added. “It also confirmed that I possessed everything I needed, and all I had to do was stay patient and persistent. If I had listened to that little thing that told me to quit, my entire life would be different now.”
Aided by LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells brand, The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip-Hop Greatness contains many more anecdotes like these, as it “celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the influential culture, sound, and preeminent voices of American Hip-Hop music,” according to a promotional Instagram post. The book officially went on sale today (October 3), and can be purchased HERE.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
