Dr. Dre‘s debut album The Chronic is often referred to as one of Hip Hop’s greatest albums, but for DJ Clark Kent, he doesn’t think it deserves the classic tag that is so often bestowed upon it.
During a sit-down between the producer and Angie Martinez on Monday (May 8) for Season 1, Episode 2 of Warner Music Group’s Iconic Records podcast series, he made the claims while breaking down Biggie‘s astronomical success with his first album, Ready To Die.
As he began naming artists that have made classic albums, Angie Martinez mentioned The Chronic which prompted him to discuss his viewpoint of it not being classic material.
“If you look at every album that you think is a classic album,” DJ Clark Kent began. “Like the real classics, the NWA’s, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg first album, A Tribe Called Quest joint, Slick Rick’s album… Chronic. I can’t even put The Chronic before I put Snoop Dogg’s [first] album. Snoop Dogg’s album is better than The Chronic. It definitely is. That’s not even a question.”
He continued: “What I’m saying is, if you take a second and listen to all of those albums, Reasonable Doubt, Life After Death, Ready To Die, they’re the same album. All of these albums do the same thing. They begin, they hold you in the middle, they hug you, and then they end. That’s what classic albums do.
“But you gotta have great songs that make that thing happen. If you don’t…. you’ll get one song that doesn’t hit properly, you done took yourself out of the classic thing because if you can skip, you ain’t got a a classic. That’s why I won’t say The Chronic is a classic. Because I can skip [‘High Powered’ featuring] RBX.”
Although the 55-year-old producer is on the fence about The Chronic, the album did boast timeless records such as “Let Me Ride,” “Bitches Ain’t Shit,” and “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang.”
In reference to Snoop Dogg‘s first album, Doggystyle, the West Coast rap icon recently announced that he and Dr. Dre will celebrate his debut album Doggystyle turning 30 this year with two concerts in Los Angeles.
The back-to-back shows will be held at the Hollywood Bowl on June 27 and 28, where the pair will be backed by the ReCollective Orchestra led by conductor Derrick Hodge.
Snoop and Dre — the latter of whom is billed as the “producer” of the shows — will also be joined by a host of yet-to-be-announced special guests.
It was also recently revealed that Snoop Dogg is releasing a new album produced by Dr. Dre. The project is called Missionary and was due to be finished in November last year, although it’s unclear how soon it will be released.
Overall Doggystyle is better than the Chronic. Clark and me ain’t the only ones who think that there’s many who do.
Even if Doggystyle is better than The Chronic (it’s arguable) that doesn’t mean The Chronic isn’t a classic.
Chronic was produced way tighter and sounds fresher. Doggystyle is so great because it’s Snoops only good solo album and his lyrics were still worth listening to. After he left DR he was just a broken record non stop skipping back and forth to the exact same bitches and hoes garbage rap. Ask ANYONE what’s their favorite snoop track and it’s gonna be on Doggystyle. That being said, Clark Kunt doesn’t know what tf he’s talking about, he’s just another disgruntled old schooler who missed the boat who went Melle mel…..
If skipping one track prevents an album from being a classic then Biggie Ready To Die ain’t one either. Clark Kent failed to understand that art can be appreciated differently considering a listener’s perspective. I might think one track is shitty but for someone else it’s a hit. Therefore, the one track skipping is not a criteria to label an album a “classic”. It’s more the impact that album had on the game and how much it changed the game.
1992 had many albums better than The Chronic. What about The Predator, Funk Your Head Up, Guerillas In The Mist, Live an Let Die, Music iii Drive By, Sleeping With The Enemy, Runaway Slave an Stunts Blunts and Hip Hop to new a few. Ain’t a Damn Thing Changed released a year earlier is a better album than the Chronic hands down IMO. Chronic was really a compilation album (like almost every other Death Row release).
Okay so you basically just said he doesn’t understand that people can have their own opinions on music, then you explained how opinions work, and then said therefore that makes your opinion a fact which literally goes against everything you just said. Then you contradict yourself again by stating yet another opinion on what you think makes an album a classic. People have their own OPINIONS on what makes an album a classic or not, just the same as what makes a track a skip or a hit. Your whole comment is a contradiction and it has almost 30 likes haha got to love this site.
shhhh lol i was cracking up after i read his comment, but seriously shhhhh the chronic was good
Bunch of dum dums on this site. Don’t expect people to know how to read or write properly on here. If that comment bothered you I recommend you find another site lol
bruh.. read your comment over again before you post just in case it doesnt make sense as a whole. peace and love baby. peace and love
The Chronic was the intro to the world for Death Row, Snoop, Nte Dogg etc. it also probably sold more albums than all that shit you listed, combined. Dre wasn’t the first doing “G Funk.” He was who made it popular to the mainstream. Without the Chronic, Pac would have never had the sound he did. Hands down. It’s easily top 5 most influential Hip-hop albums of all time. You can have your opinion, it doesn’t change facts. The summer it came out, nothing but a G thing and let me
Ride played in every car and at every house party. I haven’t ever heard ANY álbum get so much play anywhere. Pimp C in “front and back” (he’s from UGK in case you’re unaware, R.I.P.) say “around here that’s what everybody play.” Referring to Dre. He’s from Houston, and UGK might be the original trap/drug rappers. Both have done WAY more than Clark Kent overall. I’ve heard people say straight outta Compton isn’t a classic. Same shit on this one.
everybody keep liking puff daddys comment. we need to keep that on top. ive never seen such a well thought out dumb comment on here in awhile
Basically what that guy Puff Daddy said was: the one track skipped can’t be a criteria to judge an album otherwise many albums wouldn’t be labeled a classic. Moreoever if you consider that a track can be reckoned trash by someone while considered as a banger by someone else, the one track skipped criteria doesn’t make any sense. According to his comment the mere criteria to be considered is the impact of the album on the rap game. In other words, if there is a before and an after this album then it should be considered a classic. I swear to God some of yall spent so much time on this website that yall lost your brain particles.
We all knew what he meant dummy lol it’s how he worded it.
We all knew what he meant dummy lol it was how he worded it
If this guys skips “High Powered” I wouldn’t even respect his opinion. How you gonna write off the classic line “I drop bombs like Hiroshima” ?
That line was literally used multiple times in mainstream hiphop before that album lol. I still enjoy the song, but cmon man, you should know…
In my opinion, RBX was the highlight of the Chronic album. He was the “Ice Cube” of Death Row in the wake of the L.A. riots.
Who used that line before RBX?
So basically, the albums he produced on is better. Ok, got it.
So basically, the albums he produced on is better. Ok, got it….
So basically, the albums he produced on is better. Ok, got it….
Bullshit
If the Chronic isn’t a classic. Reasonable Doubt certainly isn’t one. At least the Chronic at the time of it’s release was the hottest thing out. Reasonable Doubt was definitely not and that’s with the help from top tier artists (Big & Mary).
Please stop the nonsense, we all know damm well you was bumping that sh*t hard in your 1992 Honda Accord. Carry on!!!
Chronic was the most influential album of the 90’s. Dre’s slick production made hardcore hip hop palpable to the mainstream. Ironically biggie was heavily inspired by the chronic. Ready to die would not have sounded like it did without the chronic. Ready to die samples “little ghetto boy” on the first track.
He doesn’t skip through Bleek’s part on Reasonable Doubt though, lol. These NY dudes be a trip. The Chronic is way better than Doggystyle.
Fuck u I was Memphis on that verse what better reply to a hustlers reply. Also never talk bad on the Chronic. Snoop didn’t blossom till he joined no limit where he was put in a position where he had to rap in which he excelled Doggystyle is not a classic just his debut.
Shit doggystyle was better than any album he did on no limit facts. What you talking
If u wasnt there bumpin a CD with a walkman you cant talk . . .
Walkman used Cassettes, I think you meant Discman..
Clark Kent is a legend but he’s bugging on this. The Chronic is a top 10, maybe top 5 hip-hop album of all time. And Doggystyle is classic too, but not quite up to par with the Chronic.
LOL
I definitely skip that foxy brown Shit on reasonable doubt
I definitely skip that foxy brown crap on reasonable doubt
Sonically he’s right Doggystyle is better than The Chronic. Production is better and it sounds better overall. The Chronic is a bonified classic and has zero skips. I love the OG Clark Kent but he’s dead wrong and if it’s not a classic then neither is Reasonable Doubt. In a Verzuz The Chronic destroys Rd and easily handles Ready to Die.
I hear this argument all the time: Chronic vs Doggystyle. I still think chronic was a the superior of the two albums. And this guy is talking about skipping “High Powered”? That gotta be some hater mover. I’ve never heard of anyone skipping High Powered. The Chronic was the first album I never had to skip through, and probably one of few since. Doggystyle? I can skip through Pump Pump, Gz And Hustlaz and most times Ain’t No Fun. If you listen to Warren G’s “Regulate…G-Funk Era” it’s the same album as Doggystyle. Same content, same context, same theme, and nobody’s calling it a classic.
Plenty on skippable tracks on Ready to Die and Life after Death, just as they are on Reasonable doubt and Dre’ chronic and Snoop’s debut.
Dj Clark Kent is smoking crack!
Chronic started a wave of g-funk with classics like Doggystyle, Regulate, All Eyez on Me etc. Big’s and Jay’s albums started a wave of rnb-wannabe’s. ps. Anybody that skips RBX has nothing to do with hip-hop music.
This headline should read “Clark Kent is an Idiot.” Dude made the hard knock life beat for Jay Z. That’s about all he did. The chronic was basically the coming out party for Death Row and introduced the world to Snoop, Nate Dog and the Dog Pound. This idiot.
no, actually Mark the 45 King did that beat. Clark Kent did a few others for Jay, mostly from Reasonable Doubt. He’s got joints but he’s definitely way off on this one
Imagine skipping High Powered lmao
Imagine skipping High Powered lmao
As a SUPER East Coast head, Clark is wildin. The Chronic has impact for being one of the best producer albums used to introduce new talent like Snoop and the Pound, Rage, and RBX. My only knock to the Chronic are some of Dre’s simple ass rhymes (never let me slip bc if i slip then im slippin – no fucking shit? Really?). Otherwise it stood the test of time.
It’s an interesting debate but I disagree that it wasn’t a classic despite the fact I don’t love all the songs. Maybe he should have said it wasn’t a perfect album, as I can get on board with that. But to me, it’s a classic album given it’s impact on the culture.
Clark Kent shut up . It’s a classic and still listened to! Keep Dr.Dre put your mouth and work on perfecting your craft !
This dude wants all the smoke with the west coast. He was just talking to sway all recklessly; and now this
The PEOPLE decide what album is and is not a Classic! NOT