The Chronic

Woke up, didn't choke up Saw my AK, it was broke up Put it together like a jigsaw Got my nine and my Rambo knife off the floor Went to the bathroom, and beat the rush Yo, who the fuck used my toothbrush? Went to my sister's room, yo bitch, wake up You stupid ass, dirty ass, nasty ass slut Shot her in the leg, shot her in the thigh Kicked her in the pussy and punched her in the eye Slapped her in the head, stepped on her corns Don't fuck with mine bitch, word is bond Went downstairs to eat wit' my folks Ma, you broke my fuckin' egg yolk! Punched her in the chest, cut on her cheek Then I did a sweep, knocked the bitch off her feet Knee to the pussy, kick to the skull AK y'all, shot that bitch in the temple Pop got mad 'cause mom got licked I didn't give a fuck so I shot him in the dick Hungry as fuck, said my grace Pop kept screamin' so I shot him in the face Ate my food, found my coat Mailman came so I cut his motherfuckin' throat Waitin' for the motherfuckin' school bus!! - Black Sheep / A Wolf in Sheeps Clothing (Intro) --------------------------- Within a week of The Chronic being released every kid I knew turned into a weed-smoking gangster. This, from the streets of Salisbury, a white-collar neighborhood in afflutent Virginia. The Chronic played well for plenty of awkward suburban teens looking to find confidence in themselves. There was an effortless gravitation toward an identity that used strong words and threats of conflict by rapping about AKs, UZIs, hollow-tips, dicks too big for your mouth etc. It all provided a great act to hide behind. Now, nearly 20 years removed from this, I assumed I would listen to it with new ears and find something that I enjoyed. And, I did --- the beats --- those dope beats behind tracks like Let Me Ride, Fuck Wit Dre Day, "G" Thang, etc. are amazing. I'm gettin' into it, bobbin' and weavin', thumpin' my chest and consuming those yummy hardcore lyrics signing "...I'm callin' 1-8-7 with my dick in ya mouth..." [record skips] Wait. What?! In addition to the beats, and possibly moreso, the popularity of this album is predicated on the attitude and strong persona it conveyed to those kids in Salisbury. And it's not such a far cry from recent tactics used by a former U.S. president. Both employ chest-thumping, direct FU conflict attitudes to up the ante. They both change the game, and normalize violence and confrontation to instill confidence in a people unsecure in the world around them. This album, for all of its regurgitated funk beats, deep bass and good grooves, does not outweigh its detriment on society and the mainstream acceptance of gangster rap. The Chronic killed hip-hop. Tribe / De La / Eric B. and Rakim / BDP / PE etc. groups with real messages and a good time dried up overnight for this shit. The Black Sheep track "Intro," cited at the top ends by waking up ... it was all a dream... he dreamed he was 'hard.' In reality, the popularity of this style rap lasted for years. So yeah, twenty years on, this album is worse than I remember. It has new meaning based on the times we live in and for that, I'm allocating a BIG FAT zero stars. Sorry, Dre and Co., the content of this shit sucks. You are better than this. But it's not all bad news, I'm doling out a bonus star for those dope funktastic beats that got me movin' and shakin'.

It feels almost blasphemous to give this album only three stars. It was and is a cornerstone of west-coast hiphop. But. How much do you really need to talk about your dick? At some point, you gotta move on to a different subject or people are going to start thinking you're compensating for some shortcomings, you know? Honestly, the album didn't age very well. Both Dre and Snoop are capable of more and, as time has moved on, they've proved it, leaving this album to stand by the road as a milestone but not a destination in its own right.

it's aged pretty badly and he relies on snoop...a lot.

Important - yes. Hugely influential, created an entire sound, often emulated, never bettered, there are some incredible beats here - Let Me Ride, Nuthin' but a G Thang, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat - and plenty of mood and novel innovations. It's hard to overstate The Chronic's significance in the history of hip hop and the rise of the West Coast. But - looking back - there are no classic verses on this album. Despite his charisma, Snoop was never a great rapper and Dr Dre isn't a rapper at all (the DOC would surely have featured more but for his tragic vocal accident). The skits are infantile, puerile and, most unforgivably, unamusing. The subject matter barely moves beyond smoking, macking, hoes, fronting and general gangsta BS - when you compare this record with the searing social commentary of Cube's Predator released the same year, this album just has nothing to say. Dre would later perfect the formula with the massive 2001, arguably near single handedly flipping hip hop from niche to the main stream (where EVERY beat in the charts was a hip hop beat). This album leads there for sure and it's a classic in its context but aside from a handful of tracks, age well it has not.

(Due to the nature of this album, I suppose I should add a content warning for language which some may find offensive. No offence is intended. By the by, am I the only one here offering such a courtesy?) God, I'm chary about reviewing this. I have previously suggested that the commercial success of gangsta rap proved ultimately detrimental to hip hop's artistic development, both in that it smothered other branches of the genre, and also it didn't have that much of interest to say. However, I recognise that maybe I'm arguing from a surface understanding of the music; I love other transgressive music like Throbbing Gristle and Slayer, so I might appreciate this particular style of bluenose-tweaking. Anyway, I had The Chronic aged 18, so I'm not coming into it virginally. But, one aspect that has made me uncomfortable with gangsta rap is, yes, the exploitation of negative stereotypes of a minority. Now, NWA were rather guilty of that themselves, but there was some leavening due to Ice Cube's undeniable intelligence. The Chronic, of course, does not have Ice Cube on it. And as such, it largely lacks any point to make. It's a repetitive series of depictions of racial violence, but it says nothing to make the listener ponder, except to wonder if this is unpleasantly comparable to a minstrel show. Are they just showing nasty caricatures of African-Americans for your entertainment? Take the song The Day the Niggaz Took Over. As a song, it purports to show narrratives of participants of the LA riots. But it conveys no message: it's just people saying they like to go looting. That would be criticisable enough, but the opening uses the word "apartheid". In 1992, apartheid was finally being dismantled, and even though he'd once committed sabotage against the regime, Nelson Mandela renounced violence. Did they not pick up on the cognitive dissonance? So what is good about The Chronic? Well, the production is fantastic: the squelchy synths and Funkadelic basslines still make white people bite their lower lip as they rock out. But it's in service to a charmless conceit. You know, the misogyny and homophobia aren't just massively offensive, they're not nice to listen to. Also, has there ever been a skit on a rap album that rises above the level of chore? But, the failure of The Chronic is due to none of this. Not the shallowness, not the coarseness, not even the bigotry. The album fails because it's boring. I realised that by track 10, the poetically titled Lyrical Gangbang, that I was really, really bored, that the album was just something on in the background. This should be no surprise; an hour of some men continually shouting out motherfucker for the sake of shouting out motherfucker doesn't appear prima facie to be the most enlightening use of your time. But it is surprising how tedious it gets. For all its supposed attitude, The Chronic is extremely ignorable. This is the sound of talented individuals wasting their time and yours solely because some idiots will always throw their money at people blowing raspberries and saying "bum".

Hated this album with a passion, though Snoop Dogg's contributions lifted my mood somewhat. Can't get past those gangsta rap subculture vibes, youknowwhatimsayin?

Very dated especially with the homophobia and misogyny

71. The Chronic - Dr Dre 16 tracks. He N****** I'm gonna F*** you up Mofo then I'm gonna shove my cock in yo Mofo mouth you Mofo N***** Yippe-yo-yippe-ye you Mofo N***** 😳 Nah. It's not for me you mofo's 🤣 2/5

Stone-cold classic. I feel unable to speak to the music in any cohesive way. But I know that the sampling work is second-to-none, pulling a wide swathe of music into a cohesive statement of the tip-top West Coast sound. There are multiple performers featured on top of that production, too, but they also blend beautifully. It's an exuberant album for the most part, occasionally dipping into dread. Predictably, most of those occasions are connected to cops somehow, but there's also a game show segment? In any case, it, like the other skits, is neither profound nor distracting. The last track could easily be dropped to keep the thing under an hour, though.

“This should be played at high volume. Preferably in a residential area.” Right on. I listened to this album many times as a youngster and thoroughly enjoyed it. However after listening again today, I realize that I used to skip a bunch of tracks. For instance, I don’t recognize Lil’ Ghetto Boy, A N**** With A Gun, nor Stranded on Death Row. But oh my are there some great tracks here. F**k Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’), Let Me Ride, and Nuthin’ But A G Thang are the standouts. The beats sound a bit outdated, but fresh enough to still get by. Nuthin’ But A G Thang is the best of them all. I listened to this over and over again on my Koss stereo writing down the lyrics a couple of words at a time until I had the whole thing. Where was AppleMusic with the live streaming lyrics??? The skits were also enjoyable, especially The $20 Sack Pyramid. I still like that one just as much as 30 years ago. Songs I like even though they aren’t the cream of the crop: Lil’ Ghetto Boy, Lyrical G******g, and The Roach (The Chronic Outro). In the 90s, this was definitely a five star album. If I were hearing this for the first time today, probably four stars due to the filler tracks. But I have too much history with The Chronic to not put it in my top tier.

Very dated with misogynistic lyrics.

rap music, with a lot of N****R & Mother F****R in the lyrics. ZERO if I could.

This used to be my favorite hip hop album, cruising the mean streets of East Oxford in the passenger seat of a BMW Z3 with this blasting down the Cowley Road. It's still great through the first skit ($20 Sack Pyramid) but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would today, and the end of the album just drags.. Made from the finest ingredients - like a good "Paul's Boutique"; Parliament, Donny Hathaway, Rudy Ray Moore. Part of the fun of this website is hearing the samples in their original settings, unexpectedly! Still well worth a 5

Impossibly overrated. If not for the contributions by the always appealing Snoop Dogg, this would be a challenge to get through. It has its moments, but maybe ease up on the historical praise a bit (really Rolling Stone? The 37th greatest album of all time?). Plus I never cared for Beats headphones. Snoop bumps it up from a 2. Actual rating is 2.5.

G-funk is the heart and soul of what makes West-Coast and LA Hip-hop so unique, and this is the blueprint that all other music I grew up on is based off of. Even with that being said, there were moments that come across as a little dated (mostly skits), which put it dangerously close to a low 10. Bit of a weird paradox, but still a phenomenal album.

I could do without the skits.

Offensive, misogynistic, an album of nothing but the N word because he thinks he can and an uncountable amount of mother fuckers.

Some of the best beats ever created, some of the best features, just an essential album. RBX steals the show on all his features.

Brilliantly produced album with some serious flaws that can't be ignored. On one hand, the central theme of life in South Central LA in the late 80s/early 90s is enlightening for those that didn't experience it and likely serves as catharsis for those who did. I remember seeing the Rodney King beatings, subsequent trial, and riots after the unconscionable aquittals of the LA PD officers from afar through the lense of CNN. Listening to this in 2024 puts in stark relief how little things have changed in regards to police violence and accountability; it's easy to identify with the anger and calls for uprising. On the other hand, the ever present misogyny is impossible to ignore and hard to get past. So is the imagery of the fantasy tyrant that rules his hood with a gun and kills for any and all infractions committed against them, no matter how small, which I think cheapens the overall message. The repeated suggestion? threat? of homosexual felatio, while obviously hyperbolic, is frequent enough to be a bit off-putting. Gangsta rap isn't really my thing, and there aren't any tracks that resonate with me on a lyrical level, but Dre's beats, mixing, and use of samples is masterful. Genius use of the Bernie Worrell synth sound, too. It's also pointing out that, while Dre has plenty of verses and is the genius behind it, this is Snoop Doggs album as much as anyone else's. Doc clearly knew he'd struck gold there. The interstitial skits are hit and miss, but "$20 Sack Pyramid" is objectively funny. Overall, technically impressive and a cultural touchstone.

This is the first good hip hop album I’ve heard on this list, and scandalously a new one to me. The opulent minimalism of the music is a sorcerer's creation, and the lyrical bombast has panache as well as bare offensiveness. More varied than the sound-image of West Coast hip hop I held, the synth squeak and whine is still a defining element, but the record has wallop, fuzz and a surprising quantity of space for the sounds to float in.

Never been into rap very much but heard this one a lot over the years. It's good enough that even without being a fan of the genre you'd say "oh yeah, The Chronic is all time" etc etc. A couple of things to note though: this album was pretty much the point where heavy sampling stopped, and also the point where the excessive weed worship began in rap. Pretty much everything released afterwards in the 90s took its cues from this - for better or worse. Some of it was awesome (Cypress Hill, Ice-T's Return of the Real), but towards the end of the 90s I really started to fucking hate a lot of what this album inspired. But can I hold that against this? The other thing is: it's a LONG album. I never really listen to the whole thing. It didn't bore me on this listen, but it did start to feel like the album could've ended already. 4/5

An album that changes music. How did that make this list? Oh right 90s hip hop. I think more garbage and pretension has been written about this album by suburban white critics than the same breed writing about Jimi Hendrix. In fact it is a great album. Dr Dre knows the form (much better than I do) and grows, expands and changes it. Snoop shows why he becomes a star. And the anger and bitterness is nicely done. . 5 stars.

A banger for the ages, arguably top 3 best rap album of all time if not number 1. There is no conversation about rap without Dre from the late 80s to today. Still waiting for that follow up to 2001!

I mean, classics

Dr. Dre's 1992 album "The Chronic" remains one of the most influential albums in West Coast hip hop, yeah, but it also stands as one of the most ICONIC pieces of music ever. After the break-up of NWA, Dr. Dre moved his sound in a different direction, one that's more laid back in many ways, but also one that's capable of bringing all the heat, pummeling, and relentlessness of albums like "Straight Outta Compton". But if there's one thing this album has over that one and many other hip-hop albums of the time, is an unrivaled level of absolute ridiculousness. From the intro, we have featured artist and co-rapper Snoop Doggy Dog rambling a diss over this chaotic and messy piece of synth-instrumentation. It's an incredible tone-setter with Snoop changing his vocal inflection in these absurdly over-the-top ways. This entire album comes off as almost a comedy or a satirization of its genre, it's a parody of itself...and it's incredible for it. The very first full track "Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebrating)" is eerily addictive. Maybe it's the blaring synth or the bouncy bassline, or maybe it's the simple, yet smooth flows of both Dr. Dre and Snoop (including a sick back-and-forth at the end). The entire track is a diss at Eazy, homophobic yes, but it's so absurd you can't help but smile at it. The "west-coast whistle" or "G-synth" or whatever you want to call it is the staple of this album. It makes this album a holistic experience. It captures a cruise through south central LA, in the scorching afternoon heat, and there's a blunt there of course. My favorite synth lines are on "Deez Nuts" and of course "Nuthin but a G Thang". I don't know what it is about this song but it's so addicting, I think it's the synth and bass. I also find it fascinating how simplistic Snoop's opening bars are like "1, 2, 3 and to the 4 Snoop Doggy Dog and Dr. Dre are at your door". Few rappers can pull off such a simple, almost nursery rhyme-type bar, and make it sound this smooth. Snoop's smoother delivery very nicely contrasts Dre's deeper voice all over this album, they're a great duo. "Deez Nuts" is just as ridiculous as it sounds, with a hilarious opener, and one of my favorite moments is that outro by Nate Dogg (RIP). In terms of hilarity, the skit "$20 Sack Pyramid" and the closer "The Roach" (one of two songs that interpolate Funkadelic's Mothership Connection directly) also hit the mark. I likened this album to a comedy, but the serious and tougher moments also work just as effectively. "Lil' Getto Boy" sounds incredible instrumentally, because it's a much-needed change-up with a gorgeous flute-driven groove. Snoop and Dr. Dre detail what they've experienced and what they continue to witness with the youth in Compton. The most spine-chilling song here must be "The Day The N Took Over". This album was released around the time of the infamous 1992 LA Riots, and this song captures the angry reactions of the community at the time. With clips of reporters dubbed over these incredible layered vocals and the posse cut aspect of it, this entire song perfectly captures the heated and chaotic events that unfolded at the time. The two other posse cuts here are incredible, "Lyrical Gangbang" and my personal favorite "Stranded on Deathrow". The Deathrow label itself had a very eerie (and possibly sketchy) aura surrounding it, but this song, with epic synth leads and incredible verses, never fails to make me go crazy. Bushwick's intro is great and RBX's line "Blinded by the Light it's time to learn braille" is one of my all-time favorite hip-hop lines. The Lady of Rage verse is great too. I think this album is so iconic that even if you've never heard any songs off it, you've still FELT this album through its influence. It sounds of the time but has also aged tremendously well. Aged well sonically at least, lyrically it stands as questionable today. I don't think it should be taken too seriously but I understand any criticisms leveled against certain lyrical moments here. This album still sounds grand and sounds like this entire subgenre of Hip-Hop captured in one tightly packed, hilarious, and damn-near flawless experience. Easily one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever.

The fact that I got to listen to this while driving around los angeles, windows down, blasting…. is a treat like no other.

Some of the lyrics are really dated and ruin the listening experience. The production, beats and grooves still reign supreme

good album, was perfected in 2001 however, this is rawer, but still has that Dre gloss

Yeah, the music and the grooves are great. Undeniably that this stuff, if you are into Gangster Rap is great. But I just felt... uncomfortable listening to it. There's a scene in Office Space where one of the characters is listening to Gangster Rap blaring out of his car and then a car drives by with black people in the car. This is probably the first album I listened to on headphones, just because I didn't want anyone in the house hearing it. The music itself is really good, but it's all about getting stoned and killing and f**king. No way I am going to listen to this again. I can see how this could be considered a classic. I remember a number of my students having this way back when I first became a teacher, and even years later. It definitely has staying power.

Really cool music, really uncomfortable lyrics. I can't remotely pretend I can relate with gangsta rap, but I can appreciate it. "The Day the N*****z Took Over" and "Little Ghetto Boy" are particularly powerful. The beats and music on this album are amazing. This album just oozes cool. Glad we recently listened to Parliament's Mothership Connection since it's so prominently sampled here. Loved hearing the drums from "When the Levee Breaks" on "Lyrical Gangbang." Amazing grooves on "A N***a with a Gun" and "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat" but, again, difficult lyrics. I feel like this album deserves a 5, but I reserve that for albums I can listen to any time...this is not that, but I can definitely appreciate why it's on this list. Solid, powerful 4.

A HUGE bounceback from the disappointing album yesterday. It's Dr. Dre's blueprint for West Coast hip hop, basically Cali's Illmatic. I do love this album, the production is consistently fantastic, and the charisma from and chemistry between Dre and Snoop is intoxicating. Sounds much fresher than 1992, there are plenty of '90s albums that followed this and did not age as well. I've always preferred 2001 to the Chronic, and that opinion remains the case as I think this one is bogged down by the skits. But still, a very excellent and impressive project, built from the ground up by one of the most influential forces in the history of hip hop production. Favorite tracks: Nuthin But a G Thang, Fuck Wit Dre Day, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat, Let Me Ride, Bitches Ain't Shit. Album art: Iconic, timeless. Such an amazing design here, to look like the Zig-Zag rolling papers logo. Perfectly referential. They don't make 'em like this anymore. 4.5/5

Great production. Lyrics Aged poorly. Snoop saves the show. Only hit is a G Thang

Une performance absolument minable de la part de Dr. Dre, qui vient récupérer la place de pire album de rap du générateur, éjectant ainsi Queen Latifah du trône. On peut légitimement se demander pourquoi cet album figure dans la liste, en lieu et place de 2001, le meilleur album de Dre. Mais ça, seul Robert en détient la réponse, en sécurité dans un de ses nombreux coffre-fort.

This album and artist just grind me, such an ignorant form of music, it is certainly the lowest form of Hip Hop, which although this crap may have sold well at the time, it is extremely stale, ignorant and childish in comparison to other HipHop out at the same time like Del La Soul. With conitnuous profanities for lyrics, aimed at their target audience of pubescent teenagers stoned out of their heads on mushrooms or sucking the end of a bong, who have just learnt how to tug on their pogo sticks, thinking they're "Billy big balls" cool listening to mutha fker niggah lyrics rapped out to a backing track created on a Rolf Harris Stylophone, bopping about in jerky alleged dance movements like a drunk chicken pecking through the grit for grain. Every track is exactly the same stylophone backing with different arrangements of every profanity you can think of.... So in summary... This album is pure shite.

Even with the vocal rendition of the theme from the $20,000 Pyramid this was the worst musical hour this month. Guns, big dicks, hoes, misogyny, homophobia. Ugly.

Unlistenable lyrical content from an evil man.

There’s a reason this album is here. It is the quintessential gangsta rap album from the ‘90s. Iconic beats and bars from start to finish. Dre shows off his producer hat as well as still breathing some fire with his incredible features as well. Back to front a classic.

It's rare you can find an album that captures two moods so well: there's a certain revelatory nature of the whole record; the beats are huge and have aged like fine wine while still capturing a time and place. At the same time, this record isn't as lackadaisical as it seems on the surface: there are plenty of shots to other rappers ("Come over here and let me suck your dick!") and just talks of hard living. G-funk is still a fantastic genre that only Dr. Dre seems to fully understand, and Snoop is in prime form on this record. Favorite tracks: "Lyrical Gangbang", "A Nigga Witta Gun", "The Next Episode"

Transformational. Changed the face of hip-hop and, by extension, pop music. Plus, introduced the world to Snoop. 'Nuff said.

Absolutely out of this world

DEEEZ NUUUUTTTTSS

Smooth beats. Great features. Slick verses and skits from Snoop. Actual classic

I'm not that much of a fan of hip-hop/rap, but I have to admit, this is one of the most influential albums in that regard. Was revolutionary at the time.

The innovator of G-Funk. Dre and Snoop are both incredible on this album. Very few weak spots. Best track: Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang

Excellent gangsta rap album, as well as an excellent output from a then-up-and-coming Snoop Dogg. Among the best in the rap genre, as well as all-time.

On this list of 1001 albums this album deserves 5 stars. If I were to rate it outside of this? 3/5

First album I got that I already listened to. Dre and Snoop are some of the greatest of all-time.

Yeah enough other people have already said it. Important album that talks way too much about dick.

For Christmas 2005, I made my son a cd consisting of hip-hop trax I’d gathered from magazine compilations & the odd cd single I’d collected. He was already in a hip-hop band & I assume I was trying to convince him that , at some level, I was along for the ride. I still have my copy of that cd. The title of it, & the opening track, was The Day The Niggaz Took Over. About a decade later, while I was at work, where I was allowed to blast out whatever I wanted to listen to as I completed mindless tasks on a computer, I was enjoying that cd so much that I decided to ring my son & tell him. As soon as I mentioned the title of the cd, he replied that I should never say the n-word & chastised me roundly for it. Anyway, it’s a track I do like, although as for this album, I love the music & the flow but I find a lot of the words hard to take.

Honestly, I can't even put myself in the frame of mind I would have had to been in to enjoy this. I agree with an earlier commenter noting that this album essentially signaled the end of rap's golden age (Tribe, De La, Run-DMC, etc). At least NWA was speaking truth to power. This just feels like punching laterally instead of punching up. There's a few good beats on here, but the lyrics all blend together for me and the skits kinda gross me out. Lots of homophobia and misogyny, which comes with the territory/era, but it's just not fun to listen to with today's ears.

this reminds me of my ex. he didn't listen to dre but he talked like that and was a white boy with a tiny dick.

Just a another mother fuckin'...

Motherfuckin’ OG Henny Loc strikes again.

Fantastic production. Dre is definately a better producer than rapper, but Snoog more than makes up for it on this one!

What a groove! I’m already back playing GTA San Andreas 😂

A true hip hop classic of course. I missed out on all the best records of the genre of this era, including this one because I was dumb as I was growing up. I got into them way too late BUT when I get to listen to a record like 'The Chronic' again, I can objectively judge it without the lens of nostalgia - it is truly a groundbreaking influential album.

Not my style but I can appreciate what is going on here.

CLASSIC.

What a great bunch of songs on here, effortlessly flowing into each other as well. Love the G-funk here, the beats are all amazing, even has a flute solo at one point. The lyricism and flow is really great too, maybe not the very best but certainly up there. Still has a few annoying skits but not nearly as bad as Ready to die. Great collection of songs to listen to.

OG. Gangsta. Never fails.

Absolute top! Geweldige beats, prima raps, ongelofelijk goede gastrappers. Weinig matige tracks, veel goede

Classic era defining G funk with cringy lyrics as per your worst stereotypes of gangsta rap. Love all the collaborations with his homies

A classic 90's gangster rap album. The sense of humor is the biggest allure here for me. These tracks are such a great portrait of Dre's personality. A lot of my favorite rappers drew inspiration from this, you gotta respect it.

💯

It’s an undeniable classic, and it’s easy to see why it’s considered one of the most influential albums in hip-hop

This album was a joy to listen to. Edgy, in your face, and unapologetic. Fun and catchy beats with aggressive lyrics keep each song fresh and different. A few songs that I'd consider throwaways, but when the intro and outro are just as good as the rest of the album, you know it's excellent

G-funky!

Few record can physically transport you to a place like The Chronic, and that place is the backseat of your friend’s boyfriend’s 20-year old used Chevy Malibu, blasting this record through 2 blown out subwoofers that are held in place in the trunk thanks to the magic of duct tape and a prayer. The Chronic’s biggest fault is that it’s long, and pretty one-note. Not as bad as its sequel, Doggystyle, but I’d say from the “$20 Sack Pyramid” skit through “Stranded on Death Row,” my focus and active attention begin to fade. That said, nothing on this final leg is bad, it’s just not the S-tier perfection of the first 9 tracks. Thankfully, “The Roach” and “Bitches Ain’t Shit” not only tie the record together as an outro/coda two-hitter, but they win me back. Definitely not my favorite hip-hop record of all time, but I’d be stupid to argue it’s not one of the best from a quasi-objective level, especially when I still really, really love it. Plus, it’s held up remarkably well even after all these years, both objectively speaking, because the production still sounds flawless, and personally, especially considering how rarely I smoke these days. Apparently, I can appreciate The Chronic without being high as a kite, so that’s great news.

yeah, this is the good stuff. packed full of absolute bangers

Super listenable, great samples on the tunes from the 70’s, great story telling that reflects inner city life in the 90’s, with some humor as well. Great to listen to from start to finish.

5/5

I love Dre and Snoop together. I know there are misogynistic lyrics, but this is just such a well done, storytelling kind of album, and there’s more depth than just bitches and hoes. And being openly horny was very fashionable in the 90s anyway. Nuthin But a G Thang is such a party. The $20 Sack Pyramid is hilarious. This album is pretty epic. I’m a fan!

This was an absolute game-changer, with its new sound that influenced so many Rappers going forward. Snoop Dogg sounded so fresh and innovative on this. The sound of my mid-teens. Magnificent.

5/5 This is fun and funky, with such an iconic, unbeatable sound. The beats are so clean and banging, and the change-ups incorporating samples are so good. The lyrics are great, and every line flows through the beat. Dre carries himself so well on the mic, and Snoop is absolutely on another level. Daz dips in to support and RBX has an outstanding feature. Then Nate Dogg comes in and it becomes really hard to stress just how good the features are on this. The Lady of Rage, Kurupt, Bushwick Bill, to name just a few who have some time to shine. Even the skits fit perfectly. Banger after banger until it's impossible to deny this is one of the best albums ever. Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebrating) 4.5/5 Let Me Ride 5/5 The Day The Niggaz Took Over 5/5 (FAV) Nuthin' But A "G" Thang 5/5 Deeez Nuuuts 5/5 Lil' Ghetto Boy 5/5 A Nigga Witta Gun 5/5 Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat 5/5 Lyrical Gangbang 5/5 High Powered 4/5 (LEAST FAV) Stranded On Death Row 5/5 Bitches Ain't Shit 4.5/5

There's so much of this that I really like. The production is just fucking rad. I wish I'd known about this as a teen, it would've given me a much better point of reference for hip-hop and rap than what was on the radio/MTV at the time. The choices of samples and the arrangements are much like what I would want to do today and lyrically, it's avoids to empty materialism or the macho violence and misogyny of most rap before or since while also not being as serious and messaged as the socially conscious rap that was more or less the primary alternative to gangsta rap. That being said, some of the lyrics get pretty silly and juvenile. But it's still cool. I dig this. Great tracks. Great production. Original lyrical content. Excellent.

yep, this is one that gets a lot of hype and i can say it is deserved. dr. dre's verses are great and his flow is iconic. the combination of him and snoop dogg creates a great tandem that stands above a lot of the music that was coming out in this era. what pushes this album over the top for me is the production, of which dr. dre is famous for. every song here sounds great, sounds of the era, but does not sound dated (a distinction that i think needs to be made). iconic beats, iconic verses, iconic album.

Listened Before? Y An all time classic and one of my favorite albums of all time. Did it age well? Thematically, no... Plenty of misogyny here and the N bombs are overwhelming. That being said, stylistically and influentially, this thing is straight up fire, and the language is a product of the time and situation that produced the record. I can ignore the transgressions and most others should too. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Lil Ghetto Boy

The cornerstone of 90s West Coast hip hop; incredible production and one of the best hip hop albums of all time. That said, I do wish it finished as strong as it started. 9/10.

Just an absolute stellar debut record from one of the best to do it in the hip hop game. Very easy 5.

It’s a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. There are some (ok, probably many) aspects of this album that haven’t aged well, but for 1992, Dre’s solo debut, and the introduction of Snoop Dogg to the world, it’d be ridiculous for me to not bump this up to a 5 on account of just how damn well Dre fucking nailed this. The biggest outliers are, frankly, the tracks where Dre isn’t as prominent on them – I’d say Snoop carries at least half of this album, but even in N.W.A., I can’t really say Dre was a featured rapper to that degree. He was the beats guy, and he fucking kills almost every single beat here. Yes, he dips into his bag of tricks in a way that feels a little same-y the deeper the album goes, but a lot of that is usually saved by just how damn good the lyricism and flow on these tracks are. I do think the album starts to lose a bit of steam after The $20 Sack Pyramid, and that’s why it’s only at a 4.5 that I’m bumping up and not a straight 5, but I’d be hard-pressed to not call this one of the top 5 rap albums of the 90s; I’m sure I’m being forgetful to a point where it could slip into a top 10 slot, but regardless, I just deeply enjoy this album. I think those first 6 tracks after the intro are all-timers, and even if the album goes on a bit of a descent after Track 10, it’s just too damn good to not bump it up to a 5. It’s a great fucking album, and a genuine landmark moment for west coast hip hop, arguably even more than Straight Outta Compton was. It’s absolutely worth the listen and absolutely worth being on the list.

I gotta go 5 here... this is one of the most important albums in my generation.

es un 10

I don’t think The Chronic holds up as well as some other rap classics (Illmatic, Doggystyle, Reasonable Doubt). The hits are huge and the deep cuts have great verses from everyone in Death Row, but there’s a lot of skits and some skips in the back half. However, this is one of the most impactful albums ever. While I almost want to give it a 4 since I don’t like it as much as other classics, the impact speaks for itself. It’s a must for anyone wanting to listen to rap for the first time.

Classic hip-hop album. Dr. Dre is probably the weakest rapper on the album but his beats are amazing they hit hard. If it wasn't for Snoop Dogg appearing on most of the songs this would be a dud. The lyrics are dated but doesn't really ruin the experience. The skits doesn't contribute to anything. This should be played at high volume. Preferably in a residential area.

own

Timeless classic!

5/5 - still dope; still a classic; Still D.R.E.

Welcome to Death Row. The most influential album of a generation, The Chronic introduced G Funk with real musicians instead of just samples (and that creepy high pitched horror film sounding moog). There’s no denying the Parliament influence and the stacked talent Dre brought to the album. The production value is insane! A bunch of white kids in small town USA got their first glimpse into west coast gangsta rap life. It became part of the lexicon. It was provocative, raw, and definitely vulgar - we couldn’t bump it hard it enough. The lyrics were playful in that time and place, today they would never be acceptable (rightfully so). We’ve since grown up, Dre made millions selling headphones and Snoop is besties with Martha Stewart - they aren’t the same guys. When you know better you do better, this is why cancel culture is harmful. People deserve the opportunity to grow, art can be uncomfortable, some of y’all need to lighten up and appreciate a good Deez Nutz joke.

A classic. Took me back to the 90s. Sometimes wonder if my parents knew what I was listening to...

bitches aint shit but hoes and tricks

Some good shit

This should be played at high volume. Preferably, in a residential area.

Stone-cold classic. One of the greatest gansta rap albums ever made and it still stands up today.

5 star album! Favorite track: F**k Wit Dr.Dre other picks: Nuthin' But a G thang, Lil Ghetto boy

5 stars forever... the P-Funk is strong

I mean.... it's The Chronic. Hard to understate how influential and pivotal this album is. I've never enjoyed the misogyny in gangsta rap, and the violence is something i've grown to understand over the years (being born and raised in an upper-middle class neighbourhood is quite a bit different than, you know, Compton, so the shit that I'd write about would certainly be different). But man, these songs still crank. The album still relevant, still makes you nod your head, and showcases how much of a genius Dre is.

usual music preference towards metal, classical, electronic, and rap. 7. Dr. Dre - The Chronic: classic 90's rap with awesome collaborations. 9/10.

I just looove the 90s west coast sound. This is a timeless album that defined the sound for the funky hiphop albums to come after this for so many years. This one deserves a 5

GOATED. So much of this album is just iconic. The beats especially, you can hear the influence so clearly even to this day!

Dr. Dre is better at producing than rapping which is why this features Snoop Dogg's and others prominently. Highly influential hip hop album that defined 90's west coast rap.