Dr. Dre finished a new album, ‘Compton,’ and it’s coming out Friday
At last, the doctor will see you now.
Dr. Dre, the hip-hop producer who helped establish the sound of West Coast hip-hop with 1992’s triple-platinum “The Chronic,†has completed a new album, he announced Saturday. But the record isn’t “Detox,†his long-awaited follow-up to “2001,†which despite its title came out in 1999.
Instead, Dr. Dre will release “Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre,†a new disc “inspired,†in his words, by “Straight Outta Compton,†director F. Gary Gray’s film charting the ascent of Dr. Dre’s late-’80s L.A. rap group, N.W.A. The album is set to come out Friday, one week before the movie hits theaters.
FULL COVERAGE: ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and N.W.A’s legacy
Joined by Gray and Dr. Dre’s old N.W.A bandmate Ice Cube, the producer revealed his plans over the weekend during his show on Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio station. “Compton,†due exclusively on Apple Music and iTunes, includes appearances by a range of West Coast veterans -- such as Ice Cube, Xzibit and Snoop Dogg (whose early singles Dr. Dre oversaw) -- as well as younger successors including Kendrick Lamar. Eminem, Jill Scott and BJ the Chicago Kid are also featured on the album.
On Beats 1, Dre spoke frankly about “Detox,†saying he declined to put out the continually delayed album because “it just wasn’t good.†In contrast, “Compton,†which the producer described as his “grand finale,†is “bananas.â€
Twitter: @mikaelwood
MORE:
‘Straight Outta Compton’ film about N.W.A echoes the past and present
N.W.A’s MC Ren hates the official trailer for ‘Straight Outta Compton’
From the archives: Striking tales of black frustration and pride shake the pop mainstream
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
