Rating:
Genre:
Rap
Release Date: 11/26/1996
Dr. Dre shifted directions drastically halfway through 1996, leaving
Death Row Records and abandoning
gangsta rap, claiming that he had
"Been There, Done That." So,
Dre founded a new record label,
Aftermath, and built an artist roster consisting entirely of new, unproven talent. He also decided not to concentrate on
rap, signing
urban R&B acts as well as
hip-hop.
Aftermath's initial release was the various-artists compilation
Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath and one listen proves that
Dre wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't interested in
gangsta anymore. There are a number of rappers on
The Aftermath, even a handful of hardcore rappers, but nothing fits into the standard
G-funk template. The true revelation of the album is
Dre's skill for
urban R&B and
soul, all of which sounds fresh and exciting compared to several of the fairly pedestrian
hip-hop tracks. Despite the success of these
urban productions, none of the actual performers make much of an impact -- the tracks are impressive only because they demonstrate
Dre's musical versatility and skill. In fact, the two tracks that really stand out --
Dre's stately, sexy
"Been There Done That" and the powerful
"East Coast/West Coast Killas," which features cameos by
B-Real,
KRS-One,
Nas, and
RBX -- are a combination of terrific production and personality, which is usually what results in great singles. But that doesn't mean that
The Aftermath is a washout. Instead, it's a promising fresh start for
Dre that is full of potential and enough great music to make it a vital listen.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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