Dr. Dre has been a music producer for many artists. He has also written a lot of songs for other artists. But does he ever write any of his own songs?
The answer is yes! He writes and produces some of the tracks on Snoop Dogg’s new album “Doggystyle” for himself. Dr. Dre also produced “California Love” by Tupac Shakur which was one of the most popular hip hop songs in history.
He wrote this song because he wanted to show that there are still good things happening in California. Despite its sometimes negative reputation as the gangster capital.
Dre also wrote Bitches Ain’t Shit song for his own. Like this song, he was written by many others also.
Related: Does Dr. Dre Have a PhD?
Dre wrote Several Songs
Dre has written several songs for himself, but he has also written songs for other artists. His most notable songwriting work was with Snoop Dogg. On the hit single “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” from 1992’s The Chronic album.
In 1993, Dre helped write and produce several of the tracks on Janet Jackson’s Janet including number-one hits like “That’s the Way Love Goes.”
Dr. Dre wrote several popular rap songs in his own right before turning to produce full-time after founding Death Row Records with Suge Knight in 1991.
As well as instrumental contributions to some of NWA’s final albums, he made significant contributions writing lyrics and melodies for many of them.
He’s written most of the song hit single “Deep Cover” for the movie soundtrack Deep Cover.
Dre has also written songs that were recorded by other artists, such as Mary J. Blige on her album What’s the 411?, MC Breed and Tupac Shakur in 1993, Snoop Dogg from his
1993 debut album Doggystyle to his 1996 follow-up The Chronic (Snoop was signed with Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment), Kurupt of Tha Dogg Pound on Tha Last Meal, and Tairrie B from her 2007 EP My Life: The True Testimony of Traînerie with Tracks Produced by Dr. Dre.
But most notably he co-wrote Eminem’s hit song “I Need a Doctor” and it’s a big hit. In his career, he has written many songs that got successful.
Did he get paid for writing songs for others?
And yes one would think just like any artist everyone gets paid for their collaboration. Dr. Dre is still one of the most respected and successful artists in the music industry, but there are many steps before he actually makes a profit from his songs.
But he is still a very successful producer with many different clients to work with such as Eminem, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Nas, and Busta Rhymes just to name a few.
After all these years continuing to produce hit singles after hit single one would think at this point Dr was done but it’s clear from his latest album “The Chronic” that he’s on top.
In a recent interview, he talked about how he still has a strong desire to produce and that his only problem is time.
The Growing Popularity of Dr. Dre’s album “The Chronic”
As the ’80s drew to an end, hip-hop was well on its way into the nineties with many different artists emerging from around the world. It was in this decade where we would first hear about one Dr.Dre who later became famous as just rapper.
He emerged out of Compton California which had been known for being rough but through music, they were able to find peace with themselves and others around them.
While looking at songs by other artists like LL Cool J or NWA we can see how they tried their best not to perpetuate stereotypes.
Instead of glorifying drugs, violence, and gang life Dr. Dre aimed to show that the youth in Compton were creative individuals who just wanted to have a better life for themselves.
He was also able to use his music as an outlet instead of trying alcohol or other substances which would be risky behavior with the lifestyle they had been living before then.
After releasing ‘The Chronic’ album in 1992 it became one of his most popular works with many people praising him for being innovative at the time. Because he brought such different elements into play on this project than what we are used to seeing from hip-hop artists today.