Dr. Dre's solo debut album, The Chronic, is celebrating it's 30th anniversary with a special reissue on Interscope Records.
"I am thrilled to bring The Chronic home to it's original distribution partner, Interscope Records," says Dre in a press release, adding that working with the label "to re-release the album and make it available to fans all over the world is a full circle moment for me."
Steve Berman, vice chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M, expressed similar excitement, saying: "Dr. Dre is without a doubt one of the most iconic and groundbreaking artists in the modern era. He has also used his platform to fuel some very impactful philanthropic efforts that will ensure his legacy is felt for generations to come. Dre's solo career all started with the The Chronic, one of the most celebrated recordings of all time. To have this album at Interscope once again where we work with Dre and his amazing team at Aftermath day in and day out is incredibly gratifying for me personally and all of us at Interscope."
Earlier this month, Billboard reported that Dre sold his music assets to Universal Music and Shamrock Holdings for a deal estimated to be $200 million. According to sources, the assets include mainly passive income streams, such as artist royalties from two of his solo albums and his share of N.W.A. artist royalties; his producer royalties; and more. The Chronic had long been available on streaming services but was pulled, along with several other Death Row classics, after Snoop Dogg purchased the label early last year. Considered one of the most storied albums in hip-hop, The Chronic had a splashy debut on the Billboard 200, entering the charts at No. 3. Released in 1992 on Death Row Records / Interscope, Dre's magnum opus earned three Hot 100 top 40 hits, "most notably "Nothin' But a "G" Thang," which peaked at No. 2.
John Janick, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M, said: "From my first day at Interscope the significance of Dr. Dre as a foundational artist at this label was incredibly important to me. We take our responsibility to Dre and his amazing body of work very seriously and we are honored to work closely with him on this re-release of one of the most important albums of all time."
Tracklist:
Side A
The Chronic (Intro)
Fuck Wit Dre Day (Any Everybody’s Celebratin’)
Let Me Ride
The Day The Niggaz Took Over
Side B
Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang
Deeez Nuuuts
Lil’ Ghetto Boy
Side C
A Nigga Witta Gun
Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat
The $20 Sack Pyramid
Lyrical Gangbang
High Powered
Side D
The Doctor’s Office
Stranded On Death Row
The Roach (The Chronic Outro)
Bitches Ain’t Shit