The Chronic

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The Chronic is Dr. Dre’s debut solo album, released on December 15, 1992 by Death Row and Interscope. It made G-funk the dominant sound of mainstream hip hop and launched Snoop Doggy Dogg.

The story

Recorded in 1992 in Los Angeles after Dre’s exit from N.W.A and Ruthless Records, the album introduced Death Row as a powerhouse. Singles “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” “Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)” and “Let Me Ride” dominated radio and MTV, while several tracks took aim at former N.W.A partner Eazy-E.

Sound and production

Dre built smooth, slow-rolling tracks on P-Funk samples and live instrumentation, adding high-pitched synthesizer leads and deep bass that became the G-funk signature. Snoop’s relaxed flow is on much of the record.

Charts and certifications

The Chronic peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and it is certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA. “Let Me Ride” won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.

Legacy

The Library of Congress added The Chronic to the National Recording Registry in 2019, and Rolling Stone ranked it No. 37 on its 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.