Dr. Dre "2001"

The album called "2001", also known as "The Chronic 2001" or "The Chronic II", is Dr. Dre's second studio album in which he is an American rapper and hip-hop producer. It was released on November 16, 1999, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, following his debut album The Chronic in 1992. Dr. Dre and Mel-Man produced most of the tracks, while Lord Finesse also contributed. Several guest artists, including Hittman, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Xzibit, Eminem, and Nate Dogg, feature on the album.

"2001" shows an evolution of Dr. Dre's G-funk style from his debut album and deals with themes of gangsta rap, such as violence, crime, promiscuity, sex, drug use, and street gangs. The album debuted at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and sold 516,000 copies in the first week alone. It spawned three successful singles and has been awarded 6× Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of August 2015, the album has sold 7,800,000 copies in the United States. Although some critics criticized the lyrics, most reviewers gave "2001" positive feedback, praising the music and production.

Dr. Dre revealed in an interview with The New York Times that his drive to create the album stemmed from doubts about his talent as a rapper and producer. He had not released a solo studio album since The Chronic in 1992, and there was talk on the streets and in the media about whether he still had what it takes. To prove himself, Dr. Dre decided to create an album, which was originally meant to be a mixtape. However, he later changed it to have a film-like structure, with tracks linked through interludes and turntable effects. He carefully planned the album to include different situations, from buildups to aggressive moments, and even a "Pause for Porno". Despite having comical aspects throughout, Dr. Dre said that he did not create the album for club or radio play, but for entertainment. He added that people should not take it too seriously and that the media often misinterprets his music.

Critics generally gave positive reviews to Dr. Dre's "2001" album, with some praising the music's character and production. Entertainment Weekly's Tom Sinclair called the production addictive and praised Dr. Dre as a composer, while NME found the album powerful in parts but not clever enough. PopMatters writer Chris Massey considered the music brilliant, and Time's Christopher John Farley described the beats as fresh and involving. However, some reviewers criticized the album's lyrics, particularly Dr. Dre's treatment of women, with The Village Voice's Robert Christgau calling it distastefully misogynistic. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot also found fault with the lyrics and the use of guest rappers. Despite these criticisms, the album has been well-regarded, with Hip Hop Connection ranking it number 10 on its list of the 100 Best Albums in hip hop from 1995-2005, XXL giving it a maximum score in a retrospective rating, and Kanye West citing it as an influence on his own sound.