Producer Profile: Dr. Dre (Part 1, 1988-1989)

After the success and controversy of N.W.A. (which will be reviewed in a future post on this blog), Dr. Dre's production work was in high demand. Some of Dre's best work comes in the period between 'Straight Outta Compton' and 'The Chronic'. The entire album 'Eazy-Duz-It' was produced by the N.W.A. production team of Dr. Dre and DJ Yella and was released in 1988. Eazy's thick gangsta track 'Nobody Move' incorporates a sample from Yellowman's 'Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt' from his 1984 album of the same title.

The D.O.C. was a contributor to both 'Straight Outta Compton' and 'The Chronic', but shines on his little known Dr. Dre produced album 'No One Can Do It Better'. The D.O.C. single 'Mind Blowin'' features a series of samples including 'Mind Blowin' Decisions' by Heatwave and Sly and the Family Stone's 'Stand!'-era single 'I Want to Take You Higher'. This album would be the height of the D.O.C.'s career due to a car accident that damaged his voice. Though he would record more albums and have a cameo on 'The Chronic', no other album by the D.O.C. will be as good as 'No One Can Do it Better'.

In 1989, Dre produced the debut album for his then-girlfriend Michel'le Toussaint titled 'Michel'le'. Though probably known more for being the punchline to Tim Dog's 'F--- Compton', it's worth noting Michel'le's album as it sold over one million copies. 'Keep Watchin'' incorporates a sample from Lyn Collins' James Brown produced break 'Think (About It)', a staple of block parties.

One more notable pre-'Chronic' Dre production work is for Above the Law's 'Livin' Like Hustlers', which will be covered in a future two-part post on this blog.

The Lowdown:
Eazy-E 'Nobody Move'
from 'Eazy-Duz-It' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Nobody Move'
Yellowman 'Nobody Moves Nobody Get Hurt'
from 'Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt' (1984) (MP3/CD)
The D.O.C. 'Mind Blowin''
from 'No One Can Do It Better' (1989) (MP3/CD)
Heatwave 'Mind Blowin' Decisions'
from 'Central Heating' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'I Want to Take You Higher'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Michel'le 'Keep Watchin''
from 'Michel'le' (1989) (MP3/CD)
Lyn Collins 'Think (About It)'
from 'Think (About It)' (1972) (MP3 unavailable/Import CD)