My Gut Reaction: Dr. Dre - Compton: A Soundtrack (August 7, 2015)

On August 7, 2015, after fourteen years of promises, noted headphone billionaire and occasional producer-slash-rapper Andre "Dr. Dre" Young finally released the follow-up to the critically-and-commercially-acclaimed 2001.  However, he must have forgotten that it was supposed to be called Detox, because the album that hit iTunes that morning was entitled Compton: A Soundtrack.  

I suppose with such a long delay, some details were bound to be looked over.

Dr. Dre began work on Detox in 2001, which is why everyone keeps saying that we've all been waiting for fourteen years, as opposed to the sixteen years between 2001 and Compton: A Soundtrack.  That, or a lot of websites can't be bothered to fact-check exactly when 2001 dropped (November 16, 1999, by the way), like they're all The Game on "Dreams".  As each year passed, with no hint of what we were supposed to be getting but plenty of hyperbole and randomness (at one point I believe it was to be a concept album narrated by Denzel Washington, and at another I heard it wasn't supposed to be an album at all, but a basket of snacks lovingly curated each month), expectations soared, reaching a fever pitch whenever Aftermath artist Eminem or former Aftermath artist The Game even mentioned the word "detox".  On August 1, during his Beats 1 radio show The Pharmacy, Dre admitted that Detox wasn't coming together as he had hoped, and officially cancelled the project, to the dismay of hip hop heads everywhere that knew, deep down, that there was no way it could meet those lofty expectations, but goddammit, couldn't we at least get the opportunity to form that opinion ourselves?  In lieu of this, Dre announced that he would drop Compton: A Soundtrack less than a week later, and even revealed the admittedly-cool cover art, which blew the Internet's mind, since it was a real thing we could look at, and then he went about and fucking did it, dropping the album as a digital, iTunes-exclusive release, which makes sense, since he spent a lot of time in between albums becoming a headphone mogul and earning a position on the staff at Apple after being bought out.

Dre says that he was inspired during the production of Straight Outta Compton, the N.W.A. biopic that, coincidentally, hits theaters today, but as far as I know, since I haven't seen the movie yet, Compton: A Soundtrack isn't an actual soundtrack to the film.  Instead, it follows Dre's career highs and lows, from N.W.A. to his tenure at Death Row Records, which no longer exists, and Aftermath, which is still a thing, and some, but not all, points in between (Dre's failed relationships with women are conveniently overlooked, as though anybody reading this paragraph has forgotten about the Dee Barnes incident) while adhering to his traditional blueprint of creating fantastical compositions by any means necessary, and recruiting rappers who Dre personally enjoys listening to.  In that respect, the album serves as a platform for the burgeoning careers of King Mez and Anderson .Paak, both of whom make multiple appearances.  Accompanying them on this trip are Dre veterans Snoop Dogg and Eminem, former employee The Game, the future of hip hop (according to some critics) Kendrick Lamar, former coworker Ice Cube, and a few more surprises.  The guest list is expansive, since Dre doesn't like to work alone, but it leaves off a lot of names I know some of you two were hoping to see, such as the three "R"s (RBX, (The Lady Of) Rage, and (MC) Ren), and also Kurupt (but not Daz, since I'm pretty sure there's still some bad blood there), Warren G., some discarded vocals from the late Nate Dogg, anyone else in Black Hippy (I'm thinking specifically Jay Rock), Jay-Z or Nas (even in just a writing capacity), and the list goes on.  Then again, you have to realize that, had Detox ever actually dropped, or if Compton: A Soundtrack has hit iTunes shelves even just two years ago, former Shady/Aftermath artist 50 Cent would most certainly have appeared on the motherfucker.  So it's the little things.

Music-wise, Dr. Dre isn't a beatmaker, he's a goddamn producer, making sure all of the parts mesh with one another the way he deems is proper.  That's why there are multiple producers listed on each track.  Don't think that Andre Young is suddenly getting his Kanye West on, though: he's actually been doing it this way for years.

Anyway, you've all waited long enough for this review, so here goes nothing.

1.  INTRO
I was kind of hoping for another "this is dedicated to the n----s that was doen from day one" introduction, but instead Dre pulls another 2001, using what sounds like the music from a production company logo (I can't quite place it, but it certainly sounds familiar) before Compton: A Soundtrack launches into a documentary-style interlude discussing, well, Compton.  Sets the tone well enough, even if you'll probably never need to hear this intro ever again.

2.  TALK ABOUT IT (FEAT. KING MEZ & JUSTUS)
The first rapping voice you hear on Compton: A Soundtrack is that of King Mez, a dude from Raleigh, North Carolina who uses the opening verse to shout sentence fragments that are generic and annoying as shit.  You couldn't at least get someone from the general vicinity of the West Coast to kick off an album you named after your hometown, Dre?  The underlying music from "Intro" morphs into the triumphant horns for "Talk About It", which sounds like Just Blaze mixed with Soulja Boy's "We Made It", with a dash of Drake's "Worst Behavior" tossed in for taste.  Which makes sense, since Andre created the beat with that particular track's producer, DJ Dahl.  Mez comes across as awful with his first impression, but he recovers nicely by the time his closing verse comes to pass: I think this particular beat wasn't the best way to showcase a guy who Dre is clearly fond of, since he pops up numerous times on Compton: A Soundtrack like the lost Hittman did on 2001.  Andre's verse, however, I actually loved: he's really the only guy in the game right now that can spit lines like "I just bought California" (which, come on, is an awesome way to start a verse) and say shit like "I want it all / Goddammit, I'm so old, I forgot I got it all" (italics mine) and actually mean them.  He's definitely earned the right to talk as much shit as he does on here (even if Kendrick Lamar probably wrote his bars, even though Dre's flow sounds a lot like Mez does on the third verse, but it's Dr. Dre, who cares?).  The other guest on here, Justus, is apparently another rapper who likes to croon on hooks, so just throw him in the pile over there with the other hundred and fifty thousand same-sounding motherfuckers.  But I dug Dre over the beat.  True fact: I played this song about ten times before moving on to the next track just to keep hearing Dre over the beat.  It doesn't sound like a Dre beat, but it's been so long that "Dre beat" is a description that doesn't really mean anything anymore.

3.  GENOCIDE (FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR, MARSHA AMBROSIUS, & CANDACE PILLAY)
So much for the energy level remaining consistent.  "Genocide", produced by Dre and Dem Jointz, is a pretty good beat, but the execution of the track itself leaves a lot to be desired, especially as it's ostensibly about Compton's high rate of black-on-black crime.  Having Marsha Ambrosius sing the hook is a no-brainer, since she pops up on a lot of Dre-produced projects and does a good job on here, but the opening verse from Candace Pillay should have been left on the cutting-room floor.  She  sounds fucking terrible on here.  Dre handles the second verse with a bizarre speedy flow, sounding exactly like Kendrick on here, even though I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Mez wrote his verse on here.  Speaking of K-Dot, dude finally gets to spit over a legitimate Dr. Dre prescription, and, by default, kills it.  It's too bad I wasn't feeling the song as a whole.  By the by, I know that he wouldn't have really fit the whole "Compton rapper" qualifier for this track, but I agree with the homie Ivan at Hip Hop Is Read: Snoop Dogg would have sounded fucking great on "Genocide".  Oh well.

4.  IT'S ALL ON ME (FEAT. JUSTUS & BJ THE CHICAGO KID)
Dre and Bink! give the listener a smoother instrumental than you were probably hoping for, and having both guests, BJ The Chicago Kid and Justus, crooning on the hook probably doesn't make you even want to hear "It's All On Me" (unless you were a fan of ScHoolboy Q's BJ-featured "Studio", which I was not), but it is fascinating to hear our host discuss how he got to the point he's at today, from the inspiration for N.W.A.'s "Fuck The Police" (a simplified explanation, no question) to how "the night came in when that n---a Knight came in", marking one of the first times on (digital) wax that Dre has opened up about Suge Knight's negative influence on his career.  At least the verses were interesting, anyway.

5.  ALL IN A DAY'S WORK (FEAT. ANDERSON .PAAK & MARSHA AMBROSIUS)
I wish I never had to hear Dr. Dre utter the bullshit phrase "feeling some type of way", but here we are.  It jusst sounds fucking lazy, like you can't even be bothered to describe exactly how someone should be feeling using actual real words: not every catchphrase is a boon to the lexicon, folks.  Anyway, the beat on here is pretty decent (credit goes to Dre, DJ Khalil, and DJ Dahl), but "All In A Day's Work" is more a showcase for the Oxnard-based Anderson .Paak, whose rap name I fucking hate typing out like that.  His sing-songy flow isn't bad, but it's much more awkward and unorthodox than you may have hoped to hear on Compton: A Soundtrack: he takes some getting used to, which is unfortunate, since he's all over this album.  (Prior to Compton: A Soundtrack dropping, I looked up some of the guy's work and heard a few tracks off of his album Venice, and I'm personally still not entirely on board.)  His back-and-forth with Andre was sort-of engaging, I guess. 

6.  DARKSIDE / GONE (FEAT. KING MEZ, MARSHA AMBROSIUS, & KENDRICK LAMAR)
One of those "two songs in one" things that rappers these days fucking love.  The first half, "Darkside", features King Mez and Andre talking some violent shit, adopting the tone of an aspiring rapper who is still mostly tied up in the streets (even though Mez admits that he's no gangsta, which was kind of refreshing), with Dre bringing back the speed-rap flow that doesn't entirely work, which will cause listeners to zone the fuck out until they're shocked back to life when they hear Eazy-E's voice.  Yep, that happened: an Eazy vocal sample has made its way to a Dr. Dre solo album, initiating the transition to "Gone".  I preferred the Best Kept Secret / Dr. Dre beat for the "Gone" half, which explores how he feels after having become successful but after losing a lot in the process.  As pper his usual, K-Dot murders his guest spot, but Andre is no slouch (he's always recited his bars well, regardless of whoever wrote them), and Mez turns in an alright performance at the beginning.  Still not one hundred percent behind Dre backing King Mez, but at least he makes more sense than .Paak at the moment.

7.  LOOSE CANNONS (FEAT. XZIBIT & COLD 187UM)
For a song called "Loose Cannons", it sure as shit sounds methodical and planned-out.  Neither Dre nor guest star Xzibit seem to be going rogue: both of their respective performances are generic gangsta-rap piffle, which sounds really weird coming from the billionaire Andre Young.  Onlly Above The Law's Cold 187um, a surprise feature given how he actually created the G-Funk sound Dre generally receives all the credit for, comes across as unhinged, which is probably why he plays such a central role in the bizarre interlude that ends the track.  Goofy, unnecessary skits are not new territory for Dre: The Chronic's "$20 Sack Pyramid" and 2001's "Pause 4 Porno" come to mind.  But it's still weird to hear an interlude in Compton: A Soundtrack, as though there's some sort of narrative behind the madness (aside from honoring Dr. Dre at every turn, obviously).  Perhaps "Loose Cannons" is a remnant of the Detox sessions that our host couldn't bring himself to get rid of?  I wouldn't be surprised.  Anyway, I didn't care for this shit.

8.  ISSUES (FEAT. ICE CUBE & ANDERSON .PAAK)
So we live in a world where the somewhat off-putting flow of Anderson .Paak can stand alongside motherfucking Ice Cube.  Huh.  To a degree, anyway: .Paak only kicks off "Issues" and then quickly cedes the booth, allowing the Natural Born Killaz to reunite properly (even with the corny-sounding Dem Jointz hook).  It's cute to hear O'Shea claim that rapping is his "passion" when we all know that literally can't be the case anymore: it's far more realistic to hear Andre "havin' some fucking fun with this rap shit".  The beat, produced by Dr. Dre and Focus..., is alright: it isn't as intense as "Natural Born Killaz" was, but then again, these guys are much older now than they were when the Murder Was The Case soundtrack was released.  Not bad.

9.  DEEP WATER (FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR, JUSTUS, & ANDERSON .PAAK)
There were far too many producers on "Deep Water" (five total: Dre, Cardiak, DJ Dahl, Dem Jointz, and Focus...) for this song to sound as boring as it does.  K-Dot does a stellar job, as he does: dude is just having a ball rhyming on what Andre claims is his "grand finale".  But while our host also sounded alright, I couldn't bring myself to care for Justus or .Paak, who apparently drowns, overwhelmed by the metaphorical "Deep Water" at the very end.  Or does he?  Doesn't matter: I would skip this one, regardless of Kendrick Lamar's contribution.

10.  ONE SHOT ONE KILL (JON CONNOR FEAT. SNOOP DOGG & CRAIG OWENS)
After a bit of narrative where .Paak is rescued from the preceding track for the sake of continuity, the motherfucking "living legend" (he isn't wrong) Snoop Dogg comes out to play, and holy shit.  He spits a fire-as-fuck verse that is much more aggressive and calculated than anything he's spit in the past ten to fifteen years.  He sounds fantastic.  More of this Snoop, please.  Dre doesn't appear on "One Shot One Kill", as this is labeled as a Jon Connor song: he delivers a banging guitar-driven beat alongside Focus..., though.  As for Connor, he sounds pretty good, but even though I was looking forward to hearing his work after that BET cypher after he signed to Aftermath, he gets royally schooled by Snoop Dogg, of all people.  Still, I dug this track a lot, but not still not quite as much as...

11.  JUST ANOTHER DAY (THE GAME FEAT. ASIA BRYANT)
It may not be Detox, but The Game manages to secure a slot on his former employer's final album, and damn it, he delivers one of the finest verses of his career.  Over a dope-as-shit Dre and Neff-U instrumental that is easily the most accessible of the entirety of Compton: A Soundtrack, Jayceon Taylor rides for dolo (Dre doesn't appear on here, either) and experiments with what seems like twelve different flows, which is still preferable to his typical name-dropping (which he still does, but less so).  Asia Bryant drops in at the end with some decent-enough vocals to close out the track, which was a nice touch, but honestly, I can't believe Game has one of the best songs on Compton: A Soundtrack.  Just writing out that sentence felt strange.  Didn't know he had it in him.

12.  FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY (FEAT. JILL SCOTT & JON CONNOR)
Weird.  That's the best way to put it.  Why Dr. Dre and Cardiak would sample Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Foe Da Luv Of $" (a song Eazy-E makes a guest appearance on, coincidentally), which is fairly well-known, and not invite any of the Thugs to contribute, or even sample from Eazy's verse, is beyond me.  The beat itself is generic trap-happy shit, but through a Dr. Dre prism, which means Jill Scott performs on here for some goddamn reason, as do Jon Connor (who sounds like a more articulate Pitbull on here) and Anderson .Paak (who I just may never get used to listening to).  Dre's verse also sounds like he's trying too hard.  Next!

13.  SATISFACTION (FEAT. SNOOP DOGG, MARSHA AMBROSIUS, & KING MEZ)
I don't understand why King Mez appears on a song where Dre and Snoop are calling out anonymous rappers who don't live the lifestyle they portray on wax.  Especially when both Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are rich enough to back up their respective shit-talking.  I couldn't get behind this Dre / Dem Jointz instrumental, nor did I care about the Marsha Ambrosius hook, but Snoop still sounds more energetic than the stoner-slacker gangsta persona he usually wears.  Pass.

14.  ANIMALS (FEAT. ANDERSON .PAAK & DJ PREMIER)
I'm certain there is a good number of readers that skipped straight to "Animals" because of one name: Anderson .Paak.  Nah, I'm just fucking with you, I meant DJ Premier.  Primo and Dr. Dre producing the same song?  I can't say I ever thought it would happen, but I also can't say that I ever gave a shit if it ever happened or not, but the music for "Animals" is alright (a West Coast approximation of boom bap, if that makes any sense).  Dre and .Paak address the negative stereotypes the media perpetuates of  black people, and .Paak's unorthodox flow fits the beat better than any of his prior appearances on Compton: A Soundtrack.  Dre is also present, as is Primo, who ad-libs some shit at the very end.I thought "Animals" was okay, and a good showcase for .Paak, but is it a standout track on the album?  Nah.  I realize I just lit the fuse, though, so come at me.

15.  MEDICINE MAN (FEAT. EMINEM, MARSHA AMBROSIUS, & CANDACE PILLAY)
Marshall Mathers is decidedly not from Compton, nor is he from anywhere on the West Coast, but he is a part of Dr. Dre's story, so he deserves a place on here.  It's alright: there's still room for Dre to complain about the current state of our chosen genre, especially since the guy has a valid point.  The instrumental, credited to Dre, Dem Jointz, and Focus..., facilitates Dre and company's need to tell everybody to "go fuck [themselves]", and having Eminem make an appearance only exacerbates that particular sentiment.  Em  is in full-on rappity-rap rap I-don't-do-drugs-anymore-but-I-still-pretend-I-am-as-crazy-as-Slim-Shady-even-though-it-sounds-forced mode, but his luyrics are focused on his come-up and how much he appreciates Dr. Dre's co-sign.  However, he does revert to controvery for controversy's sake by claiming that "I even make the bitches I rape cum", which seems to only have been recorded just to rile up the staff at Buzzfeed.  (The word "rape" is censored on the album.)  Okay, I guess?  

16.  TALKING TO MY DIARY
Dre ends Compton: A Soundtrack with a solo song where he reminisces about his past.  The music, credited to Dre, DJ Silk, and Mista Choc, is pleasant, if not very introspective, but our host makes it work.  I especially liked the shout-outs to the individual members of N.W.A., although that could just be due to the fact that this song was a part of the promotion leading up to the Straight Outta Compton flick (and also plays during the end credits, if my sources are accurate).  A nice and touching way to end the project, if not the man's rap career.  But I have a feeling he'll be back.

THE LAST WORD: Compton: A Soundtrack is no rehash of The Chronic nor 2001, and it shouldn't be: sixteen years have passed since Dr. Dre last produced an album, and the musical climate has shifted many times over during that span.  It may make for a frustrating listen if you come to it immediately after enjoying The Chronic (an undisputed classic) or 2001 (some people consider this one a modern-day classic, too, but I only love about half of the album, even though I acknowledge the project's importance overall), but it's interesting to hear Dre's perspective on what hip hop sounds like today.  Time will tell if Compton: A Soundtrack will maintain that timeless quality all of the rest of Dre's work has, but given that this album doesn't really mirror what our chosen genre creates today, I'd say that he has a pretty good shot.  He also recites his verses well, as I've touched on above, even though hearing the man adopt many different flows does become a bit confusing at times.  Compton: A Soundtrack lives or dies by its music and its guest stars.  Musically, I like a lot of what he does with his co-producers behind the boards, but I'm not in love with everything.  Lyrically, the guest stars that shine the most are Dre's own proteges: Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, The Game, and I guess you can throw Eminem onto this list even though I thought his verse wasn't anything special personally, all give the good Doctor some great fucking performances.  As for the newbies, King Mez carries the most weight and could possibly parlay this experience into a full-time gig as a semi-popular rapper for a few years, while Anderson .Paak will appeal to a limited fan base (one that doesn't count me as a member.  Sorry, but it is what it is) and Justus makes no dent whatsoever, but hey, his mother gets to tell her friends all about how her son appeared on Dr. Dre's "final" album.  Compton: A Soundtrack is easily the most important hip hop album of the year (sorry, Kendrick, and as for you, Kanye, get a goddamn release date already so that we can start ignoring Swish properly), the mere fact that it even exists being a goddamn miracle.  Thankfully, some good chunks of the album are fucking fantastic, even if the project may not work for me in its entirety.  What says you, dear reader?

-Max

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