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Dr Dre‘s seminal debut album ‘The Chronic’ has arrived on streaming platforms today, allowing a whole new generation of rap fans to enjoy the landmark record for the first time.
Released in December 1992, Dre’s solo debut is considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time – spawning hits such as ‘Nuthin But A ‘G’ Thang’, ‘Let Me Ride’ and ‘Fuck with Dre Day.’
Today, streaming services have marked 4/20 by making it accessible on their platforms for the first time – with the likes of Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal all hosting it.
Describing the impact of ‘The Chronic’ in a new retrospective look back at the record, NME’s Will Lavin wrote: “Upon thinking about the impact of ‘The Chronic’, the thing that is probably the most overlooked is the shockwave it sent through the industry for years to come.
“It was the bedrock of one of the most dominant record labels in the history of music. At the height of its powers, Death Row Records was pulling in $100 million a year – and proving that hardcore rap could power a hit machine in pop music. In time it would inspire label powerhouses such as Cash Money Records, Top Dawg Entertainment and more.
“In a more linear sense, ‘The Chronic’ provided a springboard for many to flourish. While Snoop Dogg is an obvious one to point out, Daz and Kurupt had a pretty successful run as Tha Dogg Pound, as did Nate Dogg before his death in 2011, featuring on songs by 50 Cent, Fabolous and Ludacris, with many considering him one of the greatest hook singers of our time.”
Last month, ‘The Chronic’ was inducted into The National Recording Registry. Along with Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ from 1992, both were the most recent additions to the registry, with music having to be at least ten years old before it can be considered for inclusion.
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