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Released on September 28, 1999, "" served as the lead single for Dr. Dre's second studio album, 2001 . Featuring Snoop Dogg, the track was a high-stakes "comeback" statement intended to prove Dre remained a dominant force in hip-hop after leaving Death Row Records. The Story of its Creation : The track was produced by Dr. Dre and Mel-Man . It was actually the final song recorded for the 2001 album, added after Interscope co-founder Jimmy Iovine urged Dre to create a lead single that "hit from a different way". Lyrics and Meaning : Producer Scott Storch , then a keyboardist for The Roots, came up with the signature staccato piano melody while "noodling" on the keys while Dre was out of the room for lunch. Dre immediately recognized its potential, declaring it his next single. : Despite being a West Coast anthem, the lyrics were entirely ghostwritten by New York legend Jay-Z . After Dre rejected an initial draft about "diamonds and Bentleys," Jay-Z reportedly completed the final "L.A.-style" lyrics in just 30 to 60 minutes. The song was born from a series of unplanned studio moments and high-profile collaborations: The song is a direct response to critics who claimed Dre had "fell off" during his seven-year hiatus following The Chronic (1992). |
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