Dr. Dre has earned the right to have an opinion on Hip Hop’s current affairs, most would argue — but perhaps surprisingly, he doesn’t believe in trashing today’s rap music, like some of his contemporaries are wont to do.
During an interview with Kevin Hart on the comedian’s Peacock show Hart to Heart, the N.W.A founder seemed perplexed as to why people are so keen to hate on modern-day Hip Hop — even though he’s quick to admit he doesn’t listen to (or even like) most of it.
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“Hip Hop is what it is,” he said. “Anybody that’s talking about the state of Hip Hop right now, when talking about it from a negative place, sounds like somebody’s fuckin’ grandfather. This is just what it is. Hip Hop is evolving. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it, you know what I’m saying?”
He continued: “I’m keepin’ it all the way 100 with you. Some of this shit, most of this shit, I don’t like. I don’t listen to a lot of that shit. But I’m not hatin’ on it. I’m never gonna hate on it.”
Dr. Dre isn’t the only “old head” that’s showing love to the new Hip Hop superstars.
During an interview with Houston’s 97.9 The Box last year, 50 Centshared his thoughts on the current era of rap music, claiming creating a track these days is as simple as copying what’s already being played in the clubs and in the radio.
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“Look, I’ma be all the way a hunnid with you: part of Hip Hop is youth culture; I don’t think you’re supposed to have the hottest verse at 50 years old in Hip Hop,” he began. “I think the 16-year-old kid, the 15-year-old — that guy should be thinking and doing what is keeping the culture thriving, so it grows to a new energy with new vibes, with new music.
“I mean, some of it you look at and it’s easier! The cadences are the same, they’re rapping the same way on the records. If I gotta go make a record right now, I could do that record easy! You could actually take your favorite records and write your version of your favorite records with your words on that track, and then go get the next track because they’re using the same melody every time.”
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He added: “If you know the words to the song — I don’t care whose record it is — just make your version of it. Change the lines and make your version of it. And then it’s gonna be easy to find a track that goes with it because the trap music is using the same tempo, the same cadences, so you gon’ find another track that it goes to perfect. And then you’re like, ‘Yo, this is my new joint!’”
Meanwhile, Dr. Dre is set to make his own mark on music this year with the release of Missionary, the new Snoop Dogg album he’s producing.
While details remain scarce, the eagerly-anticipated project was first announced by Tha Doggfather last year and will coincide with the 30th anniversary celebrations of his debut album Doggystyle, which arrived back in November 1993.
“I’ma tell you this, you’re the first one to hear this: me and Dr. Dre have been working on an album for the past two months,” Snoop told Stephen A. Smith on his Know Mercy podcast last October.
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“And it’ll be done in November. It’s produced by Dr. Dre, it’s our 30th anniversary to Doggystyle. And the name of the album is Missionary.”
When Smith asked: “Why that name?” Snoop replied: “The first album was Doggystyle,” prompting a roar of laughter from the sports personality. “That is beautiful. I love it, man,” Smith commented.
