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Death Row Records
“The only two things that scare me are God and the IRS.”
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young was born in Los Angeles, in the red-light district of Compton, on February 18, 1965. Very early confronted with gang violence, the young man changes school and builds his musical culture by listening to Grandmaster Flash. When he started performing, he adopted the nickname of DJ, before becoming Dr. B. J in reference to the basketball player Julius Erving. It is at this time that he meets Antoine Carraby, his future sidekick in N.W.A.. In the midst of his ascension, he ends up proclaiming himself “Master of Mixology” and definitely becomes Dr. Dre. A stint in the World Class Wreckin’ Cru made him very popular in his home district. In 1986, his path crossed that of O’Shea Jackson, alias Ice Cube. Together, the two men collaborate under Ruthless Records, the label of Eazy-E. And so was born N.W.A., one of the most hardcore rap combos on the American scene. Known for its brutal Fuck tha Police, the formation is remarkably produced by its creator but does not manage to last. At the same time, the label Death Row Records was born.
Already seasoned, Dr. Dre composed The Chronic, his first solo record, on this newly created label which was to become a reference in the field. Accompanied by his friend Snoop Dogg, whose involvement on the album also allowed him to stand out and become a star, the musician was a triumph. The public does not cease pleasing the artist, in concert with the press, generally very cheerful. Responsible for the success of Death Row Records from then on, Dr. Dre remains often associated with it and produces the first album of Snoop Dogg and the single California Love of 2Pac.
In 1996, the artist left Death Row Records. In the meantime, the label has become the most powerful in the United States for rap and hip-hop music. However, major management problems, suspicions about the company’s ties to drug lords, and the departure of top artists such as Dr. Dre causes the collapse of Death Row. The artist continued his journey with brilliance, never ceasing to assert an undeniable superiority.
Snoop Dogg intervenes on eleven tracks of The Chronic.
Death Row Records (formerly)
Death Row Records is the most famous rap label in the world. An institution whose name alone evokes the sounds of some of the most influential figures in the business.
Founded in 1991 by Suge Knight and Dr. Dre, Death Row Records relies on the popularity of the latter to gain recognition and attract talent. Several classics such as The Chronic by Dr. Dre, Doggystyle by Snoop Dogg or All Eyez on Me by 2Pac were released during the golden age of the label. The departure of Dr. Dre in the mid-1990s diminished the company’s power. It eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2006. Nevertheless, even today, its address on Wilshire Boulevard remains mythical because it is associated with a number of albums that have long since entered the rap pantheon.
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Cult! music: 100 mythical music places [French Edition]
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By Gilles Rolland
Passionné de cinéma, de rock and roll, de séries TV et de littérature. Rédacteur de presse et auteur des livres Le Heavy Metal au cinéma, Paroles de fans Guns N' Roses, Paroles de fans Rammstein et Welcome to my Jungle : 100 albums rock et autres anecdotes dépareillées. Adore également voyager à la recherche des lieux les plus emblématiques de la pop culture.