The Chronic
1989'sStraight Outta Compton, by Dre's previous outfitN.W.A., may have shined the public spotlight on the genre, butThe Chroniclegitimized it. That is not to say thatSnoop Doggy Dogg(The Chronicmarks his debut) and Dre's raps are for everyone; the subject matter is the sex, drugs, violence, and politics of South Central Los Angeles, and the phrasing is explicit, to say the least. ButThe Chronic's real genius is the music. By breeding hip-hop, jazz (studio instrumentation includes saxophones and flutes), funk, and soul (sampled artists includeParliament,Donny Hathaway, andIsaac Hayes), Dre creates downright intoxicating grooves. If you can't feelThe Chronicpulsating through your veins, maybe your heart's not pumping.--Bill Crandall