Hip-hop icon and super-producer Dr. Dre recently sat down for a candid interview on comedian Kevin Hart’s Peacock talk show, Hart to Heart. The seven-time Grammy winner shared how his acclaimed opus, ‘The Chronic,’ almost didn’t get made.
Dr. Dre Was “Talked Into” Making ‘The Chronic’
During the interview, Dr. Dre discussed various aspects of his career, including the creation of his pioneering album The Chronic, his involvement in the Straight Outta Compton biopic, and the challenges of staying authentic as a creative.
Dr. Dre’s influential album, The Chronic, was released in 1992 and received critical acclaim, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and earning Dr. Dre his first Grammy award for the single “Let Me Ride.”
The Grammys Global Impact award-winner reflected on the circumstances that led him to create The Chronic. He stated, “A close friend of mine, we’ll call him D.O.C., talked me into doing The Chronic album. It wasn’t my decision, I was talked into doing that. I just went in there and went for it because I felt, at that time, it was a life or death situation.”
‘Straight Outta Compton’ Movie Faced Opposition
The conversation also touched upon Dr. Dre’s involvement in the biographical film Straight Outta Compton, which depicted the rise of his rap group N.W.A. Dr. Dre, along with former bandmate Ice Cube and director F. Gary Gray joined forces and brought the film to the silver screen.
Dre revealed that people didn’t really believe that the movie would do well. The Hip-Hop mogul stated, “I think that everybody that was involved in the movie, in the beginning, didn’t believe in the movie and didn’t trust it… Myself, Cube, and Gary Gray, we went for it. What you see on the screen is a result of what myself, Cube, and Gary did”.
Straight Outta Compton went on to achieve significant success, grossing over $201 million at the worldwide box office and earning an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay.
Dr. Dre Sells Music Catalog
In other Dr. Dre news, Interscope Records recently announced the release of rare limited edition collectibles in honor of the 30th anniversary of Dr. Dre’s album, The Chronic. This celebration highlights the enduring impact of the album and its influence on the hip-hop genre.
Additionally, Dr. Dre has made headlines for selling his music catalog to Universal Music and Shamrock Holdings, signifying a significant business move for the iconic rapper and producer.
Kevin Hart Talks Retirement With Jay-Z
In a similar vein of allowing artists to share their candid thoughts on their careers, Kevin Hart also had a revealing interview with Jay-Z. The multi-hyphenate artist, business mogul, and philanthropist hinted at retirement during their conversation.