Forgot About Dre

"Forgot About Dre"
Single by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem
from the album 2001
B-side	"Still D.R.E"
Released	January 29, 2000[1]
Format	CD
Recorded	1999
Genre	Hardcore hip hop · gangsta rap · horrorcore
Length	3:42
Label	Aftermath, Interscope
Writer(s)	André Young, Melvin Bradford, Marshall Mathers
Producer(s)	Dr. Dre, Mel-Man
Dr. Dre singles chronology
"Still D.R.E." (1999) "Forgot About Dre" (2000) "The Next Episode" (2000)
Eminem singles chronology "Dead Wrong" (1999) "Forgot About Dre" (2000) "The Real Slim Shady" (2000) Music sample "Forgot About Dre"

"Forgot About Dre" is a Grammy Award-winning single from Dr. Dre's 2001, featuring vocals from rapper Eminem. The track reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 14 on the U.S. R&B chart, No. 32 on the U.S. Pop chart, and No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart. Released as the album's second single on January 29, 2000,^[1] like "Still D.R.E.", the song addresses Dre's critics in a defiant manner, as Dre announces his return to the hip-hop scene and reminds listeners of his significant influence on the genre. "Forgot About Dre" won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2001 Grammy Awards.^[2] Parts of the song are sampled in rapper Meek Mill's song "Ooh Kill Em".

Background

The song is considered to be a response to disses made by Death Row artists on Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000, a compilation released by Suge Knight which takes its title from Dre's 1992 album The Chronic. The line "Who you think brought you the oldies, Eazy-E's, Ice Cube's, and D.O.C.'s, the Snoop D.O. Double G's, and the group that said 'Motherfuck the police'?" outlines Dre's importance in the rap world, the theme of the song. Eminem's verse features the bizarre violence and aggression typical of his "Slim Shady" alter ego.^[3]

Music Video

In the music video, a few explicit lines in Eminem's verse are replaced with a skit in which Eminem is answering reporter Jane Yamamoto's questions about a fire he and Dre had started. It also features Hittman, who was not in the official song. This video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video in 2000.

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of All Music marked it as a stand-out track praising Eminem's unpredictability.^[4] NME described this song: "In case folks been smoking too much heavy 'chronic' lately, West Coast rap founder and scary legend Andre Young, aka Dr Dre, jogs their memories on 'Forgot About Dre'. "Who you think brought you the OGs, Eazy Es, Ice Cubes and DOCs, the Snoop- D-O-G-Gs and the group that said motherfuck the police?" yammers the one-time NWA lynchpin, ex Death Row playa, inventor of - G-Funk and occasional breaker of rival producers' jaws. Yo, indeed, big bad Dre's back and, despite a four-year gap since his last hardcore missive, the Doc's recent collaboration with Eminem on 'The Slim Shady LP' has kept his legend simmering."^[5] Chris Massey of PopMatters praised: "[...] it’s the frantic rap of Eminem that truly stands out, perhaps only because he’s the freshest voice on board."^[6] Greg Tate of SPIN magazine noted that Dr. Dre uses this song to make sure all recognize his "majesty" with Eminem standing by him like a cartoon pitbull.^[7]

Track listing

• UK CD single #1^[8]

1. "Forgot About Dre" (Video Version) - 3:42
2. "Still D.R.E." (featuring Snoop Dogg) - 4:34
3. "Forgot About Dre" (Instrumental) - 3:42
4. "Forgot About Dre" (Explicit Music Video) - 3:45

• UK CD single #2^[9]

1. "Forgot About Dre" (Clean Version) - 3:42
2. "Still D.R.E." (Clean Version) (featuring Snoop Dogg) - 4:34
3. "Forgot About Dre" (Instrumental) - 3:42
4. "Forgot About Dre" (Clean Music Video) - 3:45

• 12" vinyl^[10]

1. "Forgot About Dre" (Director's Cut Video Version) - 4:28
2. "Forgot About Dre" (A cappella version) - 3:36
3. "Forgot About Dre" (Instrumental) - 3:42
4. "The Next Episode" (Instrumental) - 2:41

Charts

Peak positions Chart (2000) Peak position Germany (Media Control Charts)[11] 41 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 20 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 19 New Zealand (RIANZ)[14] 26 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 29 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 37 scope="row" UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[17] 3 UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[18] 7 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 25 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 14 US Pop Songs (Billboard)[21] 32 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[22] 3

End of year charts End of year chart (2000) Position U.S. Billboard Hot 100[23] 73

References

1. "Forgot About Dre: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Retrieved 25 April 2015.
2. "Grammy awards winners list 2001". Grammy.com.
3. "Forgot About Dre lyrics". All Music.
4. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1999-11-16). "2001 - Dr. Dre | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
5. "NME Album Reviews - 2001". Nme.Com. 1999-11-18. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
6. Massey, Chris. "Dr. Dre: 2001". PopMatters. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
7. SPIN - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
8. "Forgot About Dre: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Retrieved 25 April 2015.
9. "Forgot About Dre [CD 2]: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Retrieved 25 April 2015.
10. Dr. Dre - Forgot About Dre (Vinyl) at Discogs
11. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem, Forgot About Dre" (in German). charts.de. Media Control Charts. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
12. "Discography Eminem". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2000" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
14. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem - Forgot About Dre". charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
15. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem - Forgot About Dre". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
16. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem - Forgot About Dre" (in German). hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
17. "Archive Chart: 2000-06-10" UK R&B Chart. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
18. "Dr Dre" (select "View Singles" tab). The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
19. "Dr. Dre Album & Song Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
20. "Dr. Dre Album & Song Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
21. "Dr. Dre Album & Song Chart History: Pop Songs". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
22. "Dr. Dre Album & Song Chart History: Rhythmic Top 40". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
23. "Billboard Top 100 - 2000". Retrieved 2010-08-31.

External links

• "Forgot About Dre (explicit version)" Official music video on YouTube
• "Forgot About Dre (edited version)" Official music video on YouTube