Dr. Dre, born Andre Young in Compton, California in 1965, went from N.W.A to building the sound of West Coast hip hop as producer, rapper, and label head. The Chronic (1992) established G-funk and 2001 (1999) perfected it — both belong in any hip hop collection. Find Dr. Dre vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Andre Romelle Young was born in Compton, California on February 18, 1965. He was a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru and N.W.A in the 1980s, departing N.W.A in 1991 amid contract disputes with Eazy-E and Jerry Heller. He co-founded Death Row Records with Suge Knight and released his solo debut The Chronic (1992), which established the G-funk sound and became a landmark of West Coast hip hop. He left Death Row to found Aftermath Entertainment in 1996, signing and producing Eminem (1998), 50 Cent (2002), the Game, Kendrick Lamar, and others. 2001 (1999, originally The Chronic 2001) became another commercial and critical landmark. He co-founded Beats Electronics in 2006, sold to Apple for approximately $3 billion in 2014.
Dr. Dre's production catalog defines West Coast hip hop, G-funk, gangsta rap, and contemporary hip hop production aesthetics. His emphasis on layered live instrumentation (synthesizers, bass, drum machines) and slow funk-influenced grooves shaped multiple decades of hip hop production. His artist roster across Death Row and Aftermath produced some of the most commercially successful hip hop in history.
Original Death Row pressings of The Chronic are foundational items in hip hop collecting. Multiple anniversary reissues and audiophile editions have been released across the catalog.
Listeners new to Dr. Dre typically start with The Chronic (1992) or 2001 (1999).
