In the latest episode of Drin Champs, N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN chop it up with the legendary, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg! A Drink Champs episode 30 years in the making.
Hip-hop is more than music; it’s a culture, a movement, and a collection of stories woven by pioneers who’ve shaped its sound and essence. One massive story is that of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Hip-Hop icons whose global influence spans decades. In this episode, COMPLEX offers an in-depth glimpse into their journey, highlighting their rise, collaborations, and impact at ComplexCon in Las Vegas.
The duo also premiered their much-anticipated Jelly Roll and Tom Petty song titled “LAST DANCE WITH MARY JANE” during the interview. Before they played the song, Dr. Dre said: “The great Tom Petty said something in our documentary, he said ‘the day Dr. Dre does the version of Mary Jane’s “Last Dance”, it’s gonna be an instant hit. Fortunately his family blessed us with the files and all of his vocals, so I did whole new beat and put his vocals on the chorus and his harmonica playing on the chorus and then Jelly Roll came to my house and sung the second verse. That’s the setup and that’s what we are about to hear.”
Detroit rapper Latto may be one of the biggest stars of the rap and hip-hop world, but that hasn’t stopped her from worrying about what Eminem thinks of her.
While sitting down with Jennifer Hudson during a Dec. 4 appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Latto, 25, opened up about a run-in she had with the 52-year-old rapper, revealing it didn’t quite go as expected.
When Hudson, 43, asked the Rhythm + Flow judge what it was like having Eminem as a guest judge on season 2 of the Netflix music competition, Latto said she was “so gagged.”
“I was like, ‘Oh, I bombed that. He thinks I’m weird because I just was like, ahh. I didn’t know what to say, so I was like, ‘Gah, thank you!’ ” she said, referring to Eminem revealing he’s a fan of her music during his appearance on the series, which aired its season 2 finale and announced the winner of a $250,000 cash prize on Wednesday.
She added, “My daddy listened to Eminem so much growing up, that’s, like, probably his favorite rapper. So, it was just like, ‘Oh, don’t lie to me. For real?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah.’ And then I asked for a picture later, and he was like, ‘Yeah.’ He probably thinks I’m a little awkward.”
Last Friday, Snoop Dogg released a new track titled “Another Part of Me” featuring iconic singer Sting, produced by Dr. Dre and The ICU via Death Row, Aftermath and Interscope. The track appears on Snoop’s new album “Missionary,” entirely produced by Dre, due December 13.
Snoop and Dre’s “Missionary” marks their second time completing a full body of work together since Snoop’s 1994 classic debut album ‘Doggystyle.’ The album includes features from Eminem, 50 Cent, Jelly Roll, Method Man, the late Tom Petty, Jhené Aiko and more, according to the news release.
“After 30 years, believe it or not, man, this is our first time working on an album in 30 years,” Dr. Dre told Complex. “I did ‘Doggystyle’ for him 30 years ago. We’ve done things in between, a song here and there and did shows and s–t, but this is the first time that we got together and worked on an entire album in 30 years. I feel like it’s some of the best music I’ve ever made and I’m really proud of it.”
Snoop Dogg ‘s new single “Another Part of Me” from his much-anticipated upcoming Dr. Dre-produced album Missionary takes major inspiration from the Police‘s 1979 single “Message in A Bottle,” using a sampled or replayed version of Andy Summers’ guitar line and part of the melody — as well as fresh vocals from former Police frontman, legendary singer Sting.
“Me and Snoop Dogg made a recording of ‘Message In A Bottle’, which he’s called something else. I played the guitar and I sang on it, but Snoop also sings on this, which is quite a revelation to me. Snoop is a very nice man.” Sting recently told BBC Radio 2. “
Snoop’s confident singing is just as prominent as his rapping on the track (produced by Dre and the ICU), and Sting fits seamlessly alongside him, adopting some of Snoop’s flow into his own part. At one point, the two vocalists even nail a harmony together.
“We hung out and we chilled. Like a child that’s infatuated with somebody as a singer, and you get a chance to meet them and they give you everything you expected. That’s what happens with me all the time: I meet people I’ve always wanted to meet and they’re everything I wanted them to be.” Snoop recently said of his time with Sting.
Missionary will drop December 13, 2024, a date that also marks the 30th anniversary of Snoop Dogg’s Dre-produced debut, Doggystyle. “We were kids at that timeSnoop may have been like 18 or 19 years old, and I’m, I think, I’m six years older than him… This one is gonna show a different level of maturity with his lyrics and with my music.” Dre said in August. The record also features Eminem and 50 Cent. Listen to the new single below and make sure to grab the album on Dec. 13:
Hip-hop’s hidden architect finally tells his story. Matt and Stak sat down with The D.O.C. on ALL THE SMOKE podcast to discuss his journey through West Coast hip-hop’s most notable period. From his near-fatal car accident that changed his voice forever to navigating the complex dynamics of NWA, Suge Knight, and Death Row, D.O.C. reveals never-before-shared stories about his relationships with Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Eazy-E. He opens up about his connection with Erykah Badu and teases upcoming projects. His voice might have changed, but the words D.O.C. drops in this episode are as powerful as any you’ll hear.
“It was during one of our break when Dre found Eminem. He started working on “2001” record. He reached out to me and said ‘I need your help.’ Usually if Dre calls, I’m just gon’ jump on the bird. And when I went there, he said I want you to hear something and he played this song called ‘I Just Don’t Give A F–k.’ And I was like, ‘wow, this motherf–ker’s off the chain. He reminds me of the early records we were making because his subject matter is so throwed off.” said The D.O.C.
Then he continued: “He said, let me show you picture of him. And he looked more like an actor. Who is this white boy? He said ‘that’s him.’ I was like ‘wow, that motherf–ker’s off the chain. I’m the purest in the form, I just like dope s–t. I wouldn’t give a f–k who you are, if you were red, black, green, purple or orange. If you dope, and if you not dope, I don’t give a f–k. Eminem is one of the greats in this music and you can’t take that away from him.”
Many of the contestants fighting for hip-hop stardom in Rhythm + Flow Season 2 are no strangers to adversity. Whether they’ve lost a loved one or have others constantly tell them “no,” each artist has cultivated the confidence to push through even the most difficult of obstacles. So when they’re tasked with going head-to-head with their fellow competitors in the ultimate cypher battle, they gear up without fear. That is, until they find out they’re being judged by Eminem.
In the basement of Detroit’s historic St. Andrews Hall where the behemoth cut his teeth, the 14 rappers are tasked with bringing their fiercest, tightest bars in order to impress the judges (Eminem is joined by Latto, Royce Da 5’9”, Mr. Porter, and host SMACK), and advance to the next round.
But while anybody can throw a lazy punch, Eminem is looking for something special in each of these rappers: a mastery of the craft of battle rapping. The iconic emcee explains what truly grabs his attention in a competition. “If I hear a rapper doing compound syllables, I immediately know this is a technician […]. And then there’s stage presence and delivery. That’s what I look for.”
After the gauntlets are thrown, only seven contestants remain after this challenge. But the judges aren’t the only ones who have opinions — the world is watching, too. It’s your turn to sit in the judges’ seats and weigh in. Of each of the seven matchups, who do you think deserved the crown? Watch the latest episode below.
6 years since his last solo project, one of hip-hop’s living legends, Ice Cube returns with a conceptual body of work in “Man Down.” The 19-track collection examines the status of manhood in the present day and offers wisdom and criticism from a steadfast alpha male of the entertainment industry.
“Well, I just think men gotta stand up nowadays,” says Ice Cube. “You know, we taking hits in all kind of areas and directions. Manhood is being, you know, really called toxic, which I don’t subscribe to. I think being a man is great, masculinity is great. And so to me, it’s a record just… not beating it over the head, but if you listen to the album, there’s sprinkles of why the record is called Man Down, and what we need to do as men to stand back up.”
Known for his unfiltered storytelling and relentless energy, Cube’s new album is a message for everyone who’s ever been criticized for loving yourself. It speaks to resilience, unapologetic confidence, and the strength to believe in yourself. Ultimately, “Man Down” focuses on overcoming adversity and standing back up when life knocks you down.
In the song “Break the Mirror,” featuring another hip-hop legend Xzibit, produced by Samuel “The IIIrd” Elliot and Bigg Von, Xzibit shouts out Eminem with the following lines: “Ice Cube, I don’t act feminine (Nah) / You know, kinda like him and them / I’m toxic as Eminem (Toxic) / When he’s high off adrenaline, your a-s is cinnamon (Sweet).” You can bump the song and entire new album below.
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have officially dropped off their latest “Missionary” album single, “Outta Da Blue,” which unofficially surfaced online last month.
Clocking in at just over two-and-a-half minutes, the cut is produced by Dre alongside Dem Jointz, BoogzDaBeast and FNZ, and features Alus as a guest feature. “Outta Da Blue” follows the release of “Gorgeous” featuring Jhené Aiko, with both set to appear on their “Doggystyle” (1993) followup, “Missionary.”
The dynamic duo’s upcoming album is dropping 31 years after its predecessor and marks the pair’s second full body of work together. Joining Alus and Aiko on the record are Eminem, 50 Cent, Jelly Roll, Method Man, Sting, the late Tom Petty and more. “This one’s gonna show a different level of maturity with his lyrics and with my music,” Dre previously said. “I feel like this is some of the best music I’ve done in my career… I’m not playing.” He continued, “The musicians I’m working with right now and some of the writers in the studio that are helping us… Snoop is really excited about this and so am I. I think people are gonna really enjoy this.”
Stream Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Alus’ “Outta Da Blue” below:
Method Man, Redman and Raekwon are each hip-hop legends, but they aren’t resting on their laurels. Huddled inside of Red Bull’s Los Angeles studio, the veteran MCs kicked their Red Bull Spiral Freestyle. Before filming the cypher, the three hip-hop icons did an interview with Billboard where they praised Eminem and Slaughterhouse’s freestyling skills.
Redman: I like Kendrick Lamar’s freestyle on BET. Him and TDE. There’s so many elements to a freestyle. It’s not just about bars. It’s the movement; it’s the body language. My favorite part of Kendrick’s freestyle was when he high-fived ScHoolboy Q. See, I pay attention to little things like that. It was the perfect high-five! It was clean and you heard it! I know when or if he sees this, he’ll be like, “Wow, that guy is detailed. He knows what he talking about.” Because I know that hand slap was practiced and perfected. Eminem too… Em always bodyin’ s–t. What he was talking about during a BET Hip-Hop Awards freestyle, the purpose he was talking about when he was freestyling is what I liked. He could have blacked out and just went HAM, but he talked about purpose and things that was going on, so I highly respect it.
Method Man: My favorite moment — I wasn’t there, but it was when Busta and Dirty had that cypher…It was kind of like a battle, but it wasn’t, but it was very respectable. And I think that started their friendship from that day, where they was, like, inseparable…I also really liked the Slaughterhouse/Eminem cipher. That s–t was dope. They was killing it. I also liked a battle rapper cipher that they did on their own. Everybody caught a body on that. K-Shine killed it. Those are the ones that stick out in my mind.
Raekwon: One year, we went to the Jack the Rapper convention. It was an event, but it felt like a neighborhood, because everybody from all over was there… We’d run up and start battles. I remember, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, God bless his soul, would approach artists and say, “Shoot your rhyme.” They shoot they rhyme, thinking that we were just inspired, but they don’t know they just walked into a f—kin’ liquid sword fight. I remember Dirty goin’ crazy.“I grab the mic and I damage ya/ Crush ya whole stamina/ Here comes the medical examiner!” Those three lines right there was like, “Holy s–t!”
Read the full interview on Billboard here and watch the cypher below.
“Fuel,” produced by Eminem and Denaun, is the 9th track on Eminem’s 12th solo studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), featuring East Atlanta rapper, JID who appeared in the music video for Eminem’s “Doomsday Pt. 2” earlier this year.
This high-octane collaboration sees the two rappers asserting their dominance in the rap game and their refusal to be silenced. JID sets the tone for the song with an opening verse that establishes his street credibility through references to the struggles and violence prevalent in his hometown.
Eminem follows with a verse that taunts his critics and doubters, weaving in contemporary references such as the Kyle Rittenhouse case, Halyna Hutchins’ accidental death on set by Alec Baldwin, and sexual assault allegations against Diddy, as well as his alleged involvement in the death of Tupac.
“Fuel” marks the first collaboration between Eminem and JID. The song debuted at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the chart week ending July 27, 2024. It marks JID’s first appearance on the chart in 2024. Em just released the lyrics video of the song, starting speculations that the actual music video also dropping, making it the 5th single off TDOSS.
A remix of the song, featuring Shady Records signees Westside Boogie and Grip, as well as a new verse from Eminem, was released on September 13, 2024 as part of the Expanded Mourner’s Edition deluxe edition, subtitled “Shady Edition”, without JID’s vocals, later released as a promotional single.
Eminem, who earned 3 Grammy nominations last week, could be headed to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Slim Shady is one of several performing songwriters nominated for the prestigious honor, along with Janet Jackson, Alanis Morissette, N.W.A., Sheryl Crow, George Clinton, Bryan Adams, Mike Love, Boy George, Steve Winwood, Doobie Brothers, David Gates and Tommy James.
Non-performing songwriters who earned nominations include Walter Afanasieff, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Narada Michael Walden, Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan, Mike Chapman, Tony Macaulay, Sonny Curtis, Tom Douglas, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Roger Nichols, Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, Franne Golde and Ashley Gorley, who earned two nominations for best country song at the Grammys last week.
Eligible voting members will select their choices of up to three nominees in each of the songwriter and performing songwriter categories. The winners will be honored next year at the organization’s Induction & Awards Gala in New York City. A songwriter with a catalog of notable songs qualifies for induction 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song.
R.E.M., Timbaland, Steely Dan, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford were inducted into the Songwriters Hall’s 2024 class earlier this year. The event also honored SZA and Diane Warren. [VIA]
West-coast’s finest Ab-Soul has always been a mercurial presence, and when he fully locks in, he’s an absolute beast. On his new album Soul Burger, Ab-Soul goes absolutely nuts.
Soul Burger follows Herbert, the album that Ab-Soul released two years ago. It also follows some big moments this summer — Ab-Soul reuniting with his old Black Hippy comrades at Kendrick Lamar’s Pop Out concert and in his “Not Like Us” video. In recent months, Ab-Soul has released weeks like “Squeeze 1st 2” and the JID collab “Crazier.” He only announced the release of Soul Burger last week, but the album is here now. It’s a full-length tribute to Ab-Soul’s late friend DoeBurger.
Soul Burger opens with “9 Mile” track, an allusion to the first scene from the movie Belly, and it’s an appropriately epic intro where he interpolates Eminem‘s 8 Mile: B-Rabbit vs Papa Doc scene. The rest of the LP has plenty of big-name guests, including Vince Staples, Doechii, Lupe Fiasco, Ty Dolla $ign, JasonMartin, Blxst, and Punch. The late DoeBurger makes an appearance, too. ScHoolboy Q doesn’t rap on the album, but he contributes production, as do people like 9th Wonder, Terrace Martin, and Beat Butcha.
In the first verse of the second part of the song, Soulo raps: “I am broke, I am on f–king drugs / Don’t owe s–t, I’m paying rent but my babies mom / I take a 7.62 for Top Dawg / I did jump off a bridge on Del Amo Boulevard / I’m blessed but question why God would have mercy on a junkie / Biggest lie I ever told was that it ain’t about the money / Hopped out the rabbit hole but now I’m really trippin’ / I’m still standing here screaming “F–k the whole system” / Couldn’t care any less if you judge me b–ch / You don’t know what the f–k I did for this s–t / And I don’t know much, but I do know this / I got the game in a headlock, I’m like Draymond / Yo, you think you f–kin’ with the squad just a little bit? (No!) / Dream on, and then apply for your Nembership.”
This, as well as the title of the track is in reference Eminem’s “8 Mile” movie. The first line is a direct reference to a line said by B-Rabbit “I am white, I am a f–king bum, I do live in a trailer with my mom.” Next lines are also reference to Eminem’s lines: ““I’m still standin’ here screaming, “F–k the Free World!” / Don’t ever try to judge me, dude / You don’t know what the f–k I’ve been through / But I know something about you…” Ab-Soul practically rapped his version of entire B-Rabbit’s verse in the final battle of 8 Mile against Papa Doc. You can listen to the song below:
