The Evolution of Dr. Dre

Follow the Good Doctor's journey.

Rappers Boss Up - After The Chronic's groundbreaking success, Dr. Dre's role as founder and executive at Death Row became the new measure of success for rappers. Tired of merely working for major labels, artists began starting their own, or demanding the labels that emply them give them their own imprints. Nowadays rappers own sports teams and major clothing lines, but The Chronic and Dre paved the way.  (Photo: Ken Weingart/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)  

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Today, February 18, may be one of the most important days in hip hop history. Why? It's the day one Dr. Dre, the legendary Compton MC/producer/mogul, was born. Exaggeration? Hardly. It's impossible to envision what hip hop would look like without his contributions. Gangster rap, and its '90s subset G-funk, are his babies. For the past three decades, he's been the man behind several benchmark artists that changed hip hop forever: N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent. And his own two solo albums are classics in their own right. There's a reason hip hop's been eagerly awaiting his next project, Detox, for more than a decade now. But Dre didn't become a legend over night. Click on to follow the Good Doctor's journey. —Alex Gale(Photo: Ken Weingart/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)  

How the West Was Won - Though Ice T, Too Short and N.W.A. first put West Coast hip hop on the map, The Chronic was a geographic game-changer. For the next several years, Cali rap wasn’t just in the building anymore—it owned it. Snoop Dogg and Tupac broke through soon after, and artists from all over, including Da Brat and Redman, showed a heavy West Coast influence. (Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dr. Dre was born André Romelle Young in Compton, California, on February 18, 1965, to two teenage parents. (Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The Dayz of Wayback - Prior to establishing N.W.A., Dr. Dre and DJ Yella were members of the electro collective World Class Wreckin' Cru and created hits like the R&B gem "Turn Off the Lights." Their funky futuristic image was the farthest thing from the gangsta persona they would later adopt. Let's hope they don't skate over this pivotal transition.(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Eazy E)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre first made noise as a DJ for the World Class Wreckin' Cru, an electro-rap group whose first hit, "Surgery," made major noise in the Los Angeles area. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

"Dope Man," N.W.A. - In 1988, the year crack exploded in the news, N.W.A. debuted this ultra-real (and super hilarious) portrayal of a dope dealer and N.W.A.'s (super serious) message that the community was stupid for supporting the dope dealer and his product. Or, in other words: "If you smoke 'caine you's a stupid m*****f*****!" (Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre left the sequins, electro and the World Class Wreckin' Cru behind when he formed N.W.A. with Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Yella and Arabian Prince. The pioneering group brought gangsta rap to the masses with their seminal, double-platinum debut, Straight Outta Compton, which featured classics like "Fuck tha Police" and the title track. Dre had already established his niche — funky, multi-layered beats laced with aggressive, criminal-minded shock-and-awe raps.(Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - N.W.A. lost two members — Arabian Prince and standout MC Ice Cube, who then engaged with a heated on-wax war with the crew — but that didn't slow their roll. Their sophomore LP, Elif4zaggin, was a watershed moment. Dre's beats were bigger, crisper, more dramatic, more Compton, more gangsta, and really more "Dre" than ever. His signature sound had truly emerged (you can even hear the first traces of G-Funk on this album), and hip hop would never sound the same.(Photo: Ruthless Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - N.W.A. lost two members — Arabian Prince and standout MC Ice Cube, who then engaged with a heated on-wax war with the crew — but that didn't slow their roll. Their sophomore LP, Elif4zaggin, was a watershed moment. Dre's beats were bigger, crisper, more dramatic, more Compton, more gangsta, and really more "Dre" than ever. His signature sound had truly emerged (you can even hear the first traces of G-Funk on this album), and hip hop would never sound the same.(Photo: Ruthless Records)

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Stranded on Death Row - The Chronic introduced Death Row's shockingly deep roster—Dr. Dre, Snoop, Nate Dogg, Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage, RBX—and immediately made it hip hop's biggest powerhouse for much of the decade. Other classic, best-selling releases, including Tupac's All Eyez on Me and Snoop's Doggystyle, followed, and stars including Hammer and Left Eye later gravitated to the label.  (Photos From Left: Chris Weeks/Liaison Robert Mora/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of N.W.A. - Criticizing allegedly shady financial practices by Eazy-E and his Ruthless Records partner Jerry Heller, Dre bounced from N.W.A. to form Death Row Records with his bodyguard, former Rams linebacker and renowned strongman Suge Knight.(Photo by Chris Weeks/Liaison/Getty Images; Robert Mora/Getty Images)(Photo: VIBE Magazine)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre's first release was a doozy. Backed by a monstrous Sly Stone drum break and Snoop Dogg's astonishing debut verse, "Deep Cover" was an instant classic. (Photo: Death Row Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre's first release was a doozy. Backed by a monstrous Sly Stone drum break and Snoop Dogg's astonishing debut verse, "Deep Cover" was an instant classic. (Photo: Death Row Records)

Dr. Dre's The Chronic: Where Are They Now? - The Chronic was a turning point. One of the best and most influential albums ever made, it changed music forever when it dropped 20 years ago on Dec. 15, 1992, introducing G-funk, shattering sales records and birthing several new stars — Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and of course, Dr. Dre himself. And although Dre's face adorns the classic cover, it was truly a group effort, with a rotating crew of guest rappers, ghost-writers and co-producers giving their all. Many of them went on to have their own amazing careers; others weren't so lucky. Here, two decades later, we catch up with the team of heavy hitters that made The Chronic a classic. —Alex Gale  (Photo: Death Row Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - But "Deep Cover" was just a warning shot from the sonic shotgun that was The Chronic, Dre's first solo album. Filled with classics like "Nuthin But a 'G' Thang," "Let Me Ride" and "Rat-Tat-Tat," the album made Dre and Snoop — who contributed several verses to the album, alongside Tha Dogg Pound, Rage and other Death Row signees — stars, and introduced Dre's signature G-Funk sound, which dominated hip hop through the mid-'90s.(Photo: Death Row Records)

Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle - Based on his name, it's really no surprise that Snoop featured a dog on the album cover of his debut. In addition to the cartoon cover — which was a riff on the iconic image of Snoopy lying on a doghouse — the video for "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)" featured the Cali native morphing into a canine. (Photo: Death Row Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - With the buzz around his canine protégé at a fever pitch, Dre produced the majority of Snoop's classic debut, Doggystyle. The album bowed at No. 1 on Billboard — a first for a debut album — and proved to be every bit as influential and ubiquitous as The Chronic.(Photo: Death Row Records)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Fresh off his success with Snoop Dogg, Dre engineered Tupac's post-prison Death Row comeback by producing and appearing on "California Love," the chart-topping first single from Pac's 1996 magnum opus, All Eyez on Me.(Photo: Death Row Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Fresh off his success with Snoop Dogg, Dre engineered Tupac's post-prison Death Row comeback by producing and appearing on "California Love," the chart-topping first single from Pac's 1996 magnum opus, All Eyez on Me.(Photo: Death Row Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre broke free from Death Row in 1995 in the wake of Suge Knight's increasingly violent and corrupt ways, founding a new label, Aftermath Entertainment. His first post-Death Row single, "Been There, Done That," was a symbolic farewell to a gangsta rap. But fans weren't ready to let go: Dre's first Aftermath project, Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath, which featured Dre rapping alongside new Aftermath artists (most of whom have faded into obscurity since), was widely seen as a disappointment. It was the first black mark on Dre's flawless track record.(Photo: Aftermath Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre broke free from Death Row in 1995 in the wake of Suge Knight's increasingly violent and corrupt ways, founding a new label, Aftermath Entertainment. His first post-Death Row single, "Been There, Done That," was a symbolic farewell to a gangsta rap. But fans weren't ready to let go: Dre's first Aftermath project, Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath, which featured Dre rapping alongside new Aftermath artists (most of whom have faded into obscurity since), was widely seen as a disappointment. It was the first black mark on Dre's flawless track record.(Photo: Aftermath Records)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre turned things around by signing a bleach-blonde MC from Detroit to Aftermath in 1998, and you know what happened next. Backed by Dre's production and legendary co-sign, Eminem blew minds with his debut single, "My Name Is," and went on dominate hip hop for the next decade and become the most commercially successful rapper of all time.  (Photo: Interscope Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre turned things around by signing a bleach-blonde MC from Detroit to Aftermath in 1998, and you know what happened next. Backed by Dre's production and legendary co-sign, Eminem blew minds with his debut single, "My Name Is," and went on dominate hip hop for the next decade and become the most commercially successful rapper of all time.  (Photo: Interscope Records)

Dr. Dre, Chronic 2001 - Dr. Dre's stature waned after he attached his name to a few clunkers (The Firm, the pre-Eminem Aftermath Entertainment roster) in the seven years after his classic debut, The Chronic. But he resurrected his trademark G-funk — and his recording career — with this six-time platinum opus.   (Photo: Aftermath/Interscope Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - With an upstart Em recharging his batteries, Dre returned to classic form with his sophomore album, The Chronic 2001. The six-times-platinum LP found Dre going back to his old gangsta ways lyrically, reuniting with fellow Death Row escapees like Snoop, Nate Dogg and Kurupt, and expanding his G-funk production to epic heights.(Photo: Aftermath Records)

Dr. Dre, Training Day - Training Day will always be remembered for Denzel Washington’s powerful performance, but there were a number of other performers of note in the film as well. In addition to artists like Snoop Dogg and Macy Gray, Dr. Dre scored a role in the 2001 film playing Detective Paul, who was part of the gang of crooked cops that ran with Denzel’s character. Dre also contributed to the film's soundtrack with "Put It on Me."(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre flipped his music fame into an acting career in the late '90s, landing supporting roles in the acclaimed Training Day, Set It Off and The Wash.(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Even with Em's career taking off, Dre was far from done leaving his mark on the game. Setting up a joint venture with Em's Shady Records, Dre signed 50 Cent and helped launch him to superstardom by producing several standouts on the six-times-platinum Get Rich or Die Tryin', the most hyped-up rap debut since another Dre-helmed classic, Snoop's Doggystyle.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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Even with Em's career taking off, Dre was far from done leaving his mark on the game. Setting up a joint venture with Em's Shady Records, Dre signed 50 Cent and helped launch him to superstardom by producing several standouts on the six-times-platinum Get Rich or Die Tryin', the most hyped-up rap debut since another Dre-helmed classic, Snoop's Doggystyle.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre ushered in a new era of West Coast gangsta rap by signing Compton up-and-comer Game. With Fif's well-placed cameos and Dre's beats and industry muscle, Game's 2005 The Documentary debuted at No. 1 and went on to sell more than two million copies.(Photos: Jason Merritt/Getty Images; (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Dre ushered in a new era of West Coast gangsta rap by signing Compton up-and-comer Game. With Fif's well-placed cameos and Dre's beats and industry muscle, Game's 2005 The Documentary debuted at No. 1 and went on to sell more than two million copies.(Photos: Jason Merritt/Getty Images; (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - With the success of Em, 50 and Game under its belt, Dre's Aftermath Entertainment began attracting major talent to its roster, including established stars like Busta Rhymes and Eve.  (Photos: Getty Images; Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - With the success of Em, 50 and Game under its belt, Dre's Aftermath Entertainment began attracting major talent to its roster, including established stars like Busta Rhymes and Eve.  (Photos: Getty Images; Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Lots of rappers have side hustles and business ventures, but few on Dre's level. He launched Beats by Dre headphones with Interscope Records chairman Jimmy Iovine in 2008, and then sold it for a cool $300 million three years later. Explosive, indeed.(Photo: Elsa/Getty Images)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Tragedy struck Dre on August 23, 2008, when his second son, Andre Young Jr., died at the age of 20 from a heroin and morphine overdose.(Photo: PNP/WENN.com)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - Tragedy struck Dre on August 23, 2008, when his second son, Andre Young Jr., died at the age of 20 from a heroin and morphine overdose.(Photo: PNP/WENN.com)

The Evolution of Dr. Dre - After spending most of the previous years working on his long-delayed third album, Detox, Dre reunited with Eminem to produce the majority of 2009's Relapse, Slim's first real album in five years. (Photo: Aftermath Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - After spending most of the previous years working on his long-delayed third album, Detox, Dre reunited with Eminem to produce the majority of 2009's Relapse, Slim's first real album in five years. (Photo: Aftermath Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - After 12 years of rumors, delays and false starts, the release of Dre's "I Need a Doctor," featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey, signified that Detox was more than a pipe dream. The song was Dre's most commercially successful as a solo artist since 1992, and landed two Grammy nominations. (Photo: Aftermath Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - After 12 years of rumors, delays and false starts, the release of Dre's "I Need a Doctor," featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey, signified that Detox was more than a pipe dream. The song was Dre's most commercially successful as a solo artist since 1992, and landed two Grammy nominations. (Photo: Aftermath Records)

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The Evolution of Dr. Dre - With Detox sorta-kinda-maybe confirmed for a 2012 release, and with Eminem, Snoop, Game and Kendrick Lamar all slated to be prominent collaborators, Dre is set to extend his legacy to an unprecedented fourth decade. The Doctor is most definitely in.(Photo: Scott Kirkland/PictureGroup)