Dr. Dre has become perhaps the most prolific and successful hip hop artist/producer the game has ever known. He goes back to at least 1986, to the very beginning of gangsta rap with NWA. That was some hardcore shit back then. It still is, really. Some real, gritty, vulgar, violent imagery that would go on to influence countless rappers and white suburbanite nation, nay, worldwide for years and decades to come.
Straight from the streets, or Straight Outta Compton as it were, was Dre, Ice muthafuckin Cube, Eazy muthafuckin E, MC muthafuckin Yella, MC muthafuckin Ren, and Arabian muthafuckin Prince, who left the group before they hit the big time.
This stuff was absolutely mind blowing and revolutionary when I and millions of other youngsters got hold of it at the tender age of 14 or so, and I have always had a place in my muthafuckin heart for Dre and his many projects. You gotta give Dr. Dre mad respect. Not only was he in NWA and had a dope solo hit or two, he discovered Snoop Dogg, who has gone on to be perhaps the most recognizable face in hip hop, Eminem, and later 50 Cent. Those are some big acts. We are talking about what, billions of records sold? All that doesn't even mention the legendary collaborations with Tupac, on tracks like "California Love", which to me has about the most gangsta beat ever. That's what genius about Dre. Not only does he rock upon the mic, but he comes up with these beats and hooks that add so much texture and layers to a song.
Suffice it to say that Dr. Dre is a hip-hop icon and hip-hop icons deserve to be celebrated in some fashion, and a yearly tribute on Dre's birthday seems as good a way as any. This was the sixth time such a celebration has been held, and it marked his 43rd birthday. This was the first time it's been at First Ave. Previously it was at the Triple Rock, which can often be counted on to host newer and more niche events like this must have been six years ago. This year, my first but not last year attending the festivities, First Ave had a healthy crowd of well mannered hoodlums and fun lovin holligans. The DJ's kept our muthafuckin heads ringing with Dre and Dre related jams, from the aforementioned collaboration with my all time numero uno hip hop artist, Tupac, "California Love", to the old school classic "Aint Nothin but a G Thing (baby)". Also, although we unfortunately didn't catch any of the lives acts, there was Arabian Prince, an original, if not memorable member of NWA in the house. Members of local label Doomtree were laso on hand, and I really wish I would have seen a live "$20 Sack Pyramid".
As if the music wasn't enough to make the night, the bar was selling fucking 40oz's in brown paper bags. Now, I have never bought a forty in a bar before, and tho it was mighty tempting, I do my best to avoid malt liquor after midnight. Instead I ordered a 24 oz Summit and offered the barkeep $1 for the street cred that would come with one of them paper bags. He declined the dollar but did provide said ghetto fabulousness, complete with a sticker proclaiming "Deez Nuts".
I hope to make this an annual tradition and I highly encourage those who have been fans of the D.R.E. for somewhere near half their lives to join in this recognition of a hip hop pioneer.
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