Believe it or not, but today (November 16) marks the 10-year anniversary of Dr. Dre’s seminal release, 2001. Billed as a follow-up to the West Coast legend’s 1992 classic, The Chronic, the album was 22 tracks of sonic precision, raw lyricism and timeless music that has captivated audiences from coast to coast and around the globe. Released nine months after Dre protégé Eminem dropped his debut disc, The Slim Shady LP, 2001 solidified the good Doctor’s position as one of the game’s greatest beatmakers and transformed his Interscope-backed label, Aftermath Records, into a hip-hop powerhouse, responsible chart-topping releases from the likes of Em, 50 Cent, The Game and Busta Rhymes.
While Dre’s musical output has remained sporadic over the course of the past 10 years, his influence and impact is as strong as ever as fans and hip-hop artists still clamor for his potent productions. With anticipation for Dre’s long-delayed Detox album remaining at an all-time high, XXLMag.com decided to pay homage to Dr. Dre and his 10-year-old classic with a week of recognition. We caught up with some of the West Coast’s brightest stars to share their thoughts and fond memories of 2001. Game chimes in first to speak on Dre’s own decade of dominance.
When 2001 came out I was at a time in my life where I was hustlin’. Every day I woke up to that album and my moms would come in my room knockin’ on the door talkin’ ’bout, “What you gonna do with your life? You need to go out there and find you a job.” And she used to ask me every day, B, “What are you gonna be? What are you gonna do?” Then I remember one day she came in and I was like, “I’ma be a rapper.” That was the last day I was in her house; she kicked me out.
I had a Caprice at the time, with the TVs… You know, that’s when fools started putting TVs in they car. I had major bump in that Caprice. It was an old white Caprice. It was clean on the inside, clean on the outside, but that muthafuckin’ engine was horrible, man. I started driving that muthafucka back to LA ’cause my moms had moved to Lancaster and that’s all I bumped was 2001. That album got me through some crazy times, B.
When Dre put out 2001, man, every single car that drove past the hood was bumpin’ that album and different tracks. Everybody always had they favorite and wanted to argue over what was better or who rocked better but that combination of Mel Man, Dre and Hittman was crazy, man… I ain’t got no favorite [song] but if you wanna know who killed it, Eminem killed it [on “What’s the Difference” and] Devin the Dude killed it [on “Fuck You,”]. Those was like monumental features. Eminem and Devin was crazy.
Man, I can’t even describe that album… I would just say it’s a classic West Coast album but it was world-renowned and it had an international appeal, like who from where didn’t fuck with that album? With 2001 he just went back to do what he do best man and that’s just trying to create the sun, moon, stars and Earth in seven days, man.
The thing that stands out to me about 2001 is the same thing that stood out to me about Chronic—Dre is a perfectionist and no matter when he coughs up an album, B, they be exactly what you need. I know it seem like he be taking forever with these albums but if you think about the time that passed between the Chronic and 2001, I think Detox is just about due. So it’s not about him just making us wait, it’s his format. —As told to Anslem Samuel
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November 16th, 2009
at 8:33 am
GO-Getta' says:
I was still young when the Original Chronic dropped but bought it years later 4 my “classic hip-hop albums collections”.
When 2001 dropped that was my sh*t & then Eminem started 2 really blew up.
Still waiting 4 that Detox…….
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 9:06 am
CLJ says:
that’s not a real photo of them is at? because that Dre pic looks old….
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 9:10 am
Jamal7Mile says:
It do look photoshopped don’t it.
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 9:13 am
theREAL says:
that is a real photo of dre and game… that was for the promo of the documentary… search the web i believe you’ll see more of them… Check that homage to dre by Focus…
Reply
November 17th, 2009
at 9:57 am
Sk Uptown says:
dumbass this was an original pic taken for the Documentary album DVD when game brought dre back to compton and started talking bout some monumental Shit.
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 10:27 am
reckless tha don says:
This is not a photoshop pik retards this is wen game brought dre to the hood to rekreate the nwa shot from back in the day game wanted to redue the shot. For the docementary u fucks are sleepin look at the duble disk docu cd with the movie from game tv he walks u through the hood with dre and bikllboard and the took the pic by the impala listen to the lyrics and watch the movies game and dre is a fuckin powerhouse and westkoast ain’t never died WESTKOAST
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 10:33 am
John Cochran says:
I wonder if Dre feels wierd about Game constantly talking about him. I’d feel like damn nigga, can I have my dick back I gotta piss. The album was classic though. I think Dre waits for the moment when he can not only be successful himself, but have everyone in the movement crushing at one time. Cause at that time him,Em,Snoop, and Nate had the game in a headlock. I was in 8th-9th grade. Good times.
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 10:54 am
Blakout615 says:
2001 is 1 of my top 5 albums. Nearly flawless now that I think about it.
Alot of ppl forget that Royce nickle 9 and Hov put sum work in on that album.
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 3:11 pm
kedordu says:
JAYZ ONLY WROTE STILL DRE .. THATS IT .. AND EVEN THEN HE HAD HELP FROM D.O.C
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 11:40 am
GregSIDE says:
Damn 10 years… That shit takes me back and makes me fill old. That album changed the game in so many ways. Dre and Snoop got back 2gether for the 1st time. It took Snoop away from his weaker No-Limit shit and put him back on the West where Hip-Hop needed him to be. It also made heads really pay attention to EM. EM was looked at more as a shock-rapper and not a real lyricist. To the crazy white kids he was like the peoples champ, but to most of the black kids and truer Hip-Hop heads he was looked at more as a fad or a flash in the pan. I remember when 2001 came out and they dropped the video for “Forgot About Dre” and everyone was just blown away. Homie was on point. He str8 murced that track. Without that album Snoop would of never got that spark back, Em wouldn’t be the fastest selling rapper ever, and Aftermath could of faded away.
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 12:02 pm
-- says:
10 years ago first hip hop album i bought was 2001
reeeaalll treees! chronic leeaavvess!
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 12:23 pm
XXLmag.com - » Game Speaks on Working Relationship With Dr. Dre says:
[...] with some of the West Coast’s brightest stars to share their thoughts and fond memories of 2001. Read up here on find out Game’s thoughts on Dre’s dominance. —Brooklyne Gipson with reporting by [...]
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 12:44 pm
Mario says:
Shit i was eleven years old my mom wouldn’t let me get that shit till i was like thirteen but i bought two copies one i listen to the other still wrapped up. CLASSIC
BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT BUY IT BITCHES!
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 12:56 pm
Jamal7Mile says:
2001 was one of those Hip-Hop albums that you could call an ‘event’. It was that good. The Up In Smoke Tour was nuts too.
It’s just one of those rare CDs that you replace if anything bad happens to it.
CLASSIC
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 2:03 pm
General says:
“It’s just one of those rare CDs that you replace if anything bad happens to it.”
Co-sign that. I’ve replaced that CD 5 times since it first came out because I play it so damn much…
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 1:52 pm
Rap Radar :: Game Remember Dr.Dre’s “2001″ says:
[...] marks 10 years since Dr. Dre released his last album, 2001. To commemorate the date, XXL spoke to Game on Dre’s classic [...]
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 4:20 pm
oskamadison says:
As much of a game-changin’ classic The Chronic was, 2001 is bustin’ its ass. The Chronic dropped my freshman year in college and the thing that stood out to me was that even though every song was hard, the sound quality was so clear and pristine. 2001 came when I was at an age to really understand and appreciate good Hip-Hop production. 2001, in some ways, felt more like an east coast album to me. Sorry to say that as a dude north of 30 with a family and a buffet of bills staring at me every month, I’m not holdin’ my breath waitin’ on Detox. When/if it comes, it’ll be all good. ‘Til then I still got 2001.
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 4:26 pm
Game Reminisces About Dre’s 2001 « A Shot of Incilin says:
[...] Props XXL. [...]
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 7:20 pm
$ykotic/Don McCaine says:
There’s gotta be certified bangers in the vault for this decade old project.
We could’ve had Detox and some other Detox:The Lost Meetings type of follow-up.
Drop the album already.
The funny sh*t is people have been waiting for 10 YEARS to give this man $…
Reply
November 16th, 2009
at 8:25 pm
dockevoc says:
dre do it to em dunn
Reply
November 17th, 2009
at 12:46 am
Lokest says:
Cronic 2001, was clasic no thats an understatement it was more like EPIC for Hip Hop that changed the Game.
I was in last year of highschool, man that CD got me through some tough times along with great moments.
My best friend still to this day was the first in our school to get it, no word of a lie he had dudes lining up to listen to it, yes it was an event to be part of for this younsters that we’rent around.
Reply
November 17th, 2009
at 2:29 am
G-Wear.net | Urban Clothing Retailer says:
[...] with some of the West Coast’s brightest stars to share their thoughts and fond memories of 2001. Read up here to find out Game’s thoughts on Dre’s dominance and check back all week for more tribute [...]
Reply
November 18th, 2009
at 12:24 am
DJ Postman says:
Game, are you talking about “2001″ or the car? What a clown.
Reply
November 18th, 2009
at 7:51 am
XXLmag.com - » FEATURE: Warren G, Homage to Dr. Dre, Pt. 3 of 5 says:
[...] FEATURE: Game, Homage to Dr. Dre, Pt. 1 of 5 Believe it or not, but today (November 16) marks the 10-year anniversary of Dr. Dre’s seminal [...]
Reply
November 18th, 2009
at 3:00 pm
XXLmag.com - » Credibility Suicide? Get Lady Gaga’s Producer on the Line says:
[...] anything Gang Starr and all songs Wu-Tang comprise my all-time favorites list. Why—in light of XXLMag.com’s weeklong celebration of Dr. Dre’s now-10-year-old classic LP—“Bang Bang” is the record I most replay off of [...]
Reply
November 19th, 2009
at 11:32 am
XXLmag.com - » FEATURE: Nipsey Hussle, Homage to Dr. Dre, Pt. 4 of 5 says:
[...] of the 10th anniversary of Dre’s classic release, 2001, continues (Be sure to check out Game’s, Jay Rock’s and Warren G’s interviews), Nipsey talks about Dre’s influence, [...]
Reply
November 20th, 2009
at 10:51 am
XXLmag.com - » FEATURE: Crooked I, Homage to Dr. Dre, Pt. 5 of 5 says:
[...] musical empire, the O.G. beatsmith is responsible for launching the careers of stars like Eminem, Game and 50 Cent and producing a catalog of classic [...]
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