XXL Ranks Dr Dre's 50 Greatest Beats Of All Time.

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25. “Imagine” — Snoop Dogg (2006)
Album: Tha Blue Carpet Treatment
Thanks to orchestral keys and D’Angelo’s soothing voice, this is one of the best Dre tracks to simply kick back and light up to.

24. “How We Do” — 50 Cent (2005)
Album: The Documentary
50 Cent's hook and verses propelled this song up the charts thanks to Dre’s claps and keys.

23. “Lay Low” — Snoop Dogg (2000)
Album: Tha Last Meal
Snoop Dogg’s Tha Last Meal was a slept on album, especially when one considers there were singles like this collaborative effort with Dr. Dre.

22. “Nas Is Coming” — Nas (1996)
Album: It Was Written
This track from Nas’ It Was Written—recorded during a time of heightened tension between the East and West Coasts—also marked the beginnings of Nas and Dre’s collaborative efforts, which soon resulted in The Firm, as well.

21.”Bad Intentions” — Knoc-turnal (2001)
Album: The Wash (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Dre lent his touch on the mic and the boards to this up-tempo Knoc Turn’al track which is marked by it’s constant flute sounds.

20. “X” — Xzibit (2000)
Album: Restless
He calls the good doctor. Dre comes with a bone-shattering beat that sounds like a great leftover from the 2001 sessions for Xzibit’s first single off the Restless album, which Dr. Dre also executive produced.

19. “Let Me Ride” — Dr. Dre (1992)
Album: The Chronic
What do you get when you mix James Brown drums, with a bit of Bill Withers’ percussion, then throw in some Parliament for good measure? 1992’s “Let Me Ride,” one of Dre’s most memorable tracks.

18. “Phone Tap” — The Firm (1997)
Album: The Album
In the wake of the dreaded East Coast/West Coast beef and the deaths of both 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., Dre hooked up with Nas’ The Firm and helped bridge the coastal divide. A testament to the union was “Phone Tap”, Dre’s take on New York’s then-Mafia inspired sound. Ironic how a flip of Chris Barber’s 1959 diddy “Petite Fleur,” (translation: little flower) turned out to be one of rap’s hardest beats ever.

17. “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” — Eve (2002)
Album: Scorpion
Always known for hip-hop hits, Dre once again proved his pop prowess in 2001 when he laced Eve and guest Gwen Stefani with the instrumental for “Let Me Blow Yar Mind.” Hard enough for E-V-E’s aggressive raps, by bright enough for Gwen’s crossover-styled vocals, Dre conjured up the best of both worlds and gained a Grammy for the track.

16. “Guilty Conscience” — Eminem (1999)
Album: The Slim Shady LP
Sure haters poked fun at Eminem, writing him off as a one-hit wonder with his quirky first single “My Name Is”, but by the time he dropped “Guilty Conscience” that same year, even the saltiest of rap heads had to give it up. Dre’s flip of Ronald Stein’s 1970 song “Go Home Pigs,” with it’s prodding bass gave Em the perfect lane to spit some of his best bars and he has Mr. Dre, Mr. N.W.A. to thank for it.

15. “Tha Shiznit” — Snoop Dogg (1993)
Album: Doggystyle
Most artists go to Dre to secure a single, but some times a low-key album cut can be just as potent. Such was the case with “Tha Shiznit” off of Snoop’s Doggystyle album. Who would’ve thought that a sampling of Billy Joel’s 1977 cut “The Stranger” would make for one of the albums best beats? Well, Dre of course.

14. “B*tch Please” — Snoop Dogg (1999)
Album: No Limit Top Dogg
Back when Snoop was riding with Master P’s No Limit label, fans longed for a reunion with the Cali funk doctor and on “b**ch Please”, Dre didn’t disappoint. The formula was familiar, pulsating bass, bright keys and swirling flutes. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

13. “Doggy Dogg World” — Snoop Dogg (1993)
Album: Doggystyle
By the time Snoop Dogg’s debut Doggystyle dropped, the LBC MC was the epitome of gangster; that was until Dre smoothed things out on the album’s third single “Doggy Dogg World.” The deep rolling bassline, calming keys and the overlaying sleigh bells all combined to form one of hip-hop’s most two-steppingiest tracks of all-time.

12. “Ho’s a Housewife” — Kurupt (1999)
Album: Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha
Kurupt’s Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha album was filled with Left Coast goodness, but none sonically better than the Dre-produced “Ho’s a Housewife.” The mid-tempo, bottom heavy track oozed pimpery and was so good that it also appeared on 2001, which dropped two weeks after ’Rupt’s CD.

11. “California Love” — 2Pac (1995)
Album: All Eyez On Me
Out on bail, fresh out of jail, who did 2Pac call to map out his return to rap? Well the good Doctor of course. With his bouncy synths and thumping bass, Dre’s flip of Zapp And Roger’s “Dance Floor” proved to be the perfect backdrop for ’Pac’s West coast ode.

10. “Straight Outta Compton” — N.W.A (198
Album: Straight Outta Compton
If N.W.A’s “don’t-give-a-damn” attitude wasn’t obvious in the rhymes of Ice Cube and the group’s other MCs, the message was written all over this beat. Dre may have always had the ability to craft a beat for the dance floor, but in his early years, he was trying to do anything but make people move their feet. “Straight Outta Compton” is a stylized mess of diesel truck horns, shrieking record scratches, and aggressive percussion.

9. “The Watcher” — Dr. Dre (1999)
Album: 2001
It’s here, the very first song on 2001 where Dre proves his comeback was going to live up to all the hype his absence had created. The quiet whisper of the song’s chorus is a perfect compliment to all the instrumentals subtleties — tinkling keys, staccato horn blasts, and bass designed to put necks and bodies in motion.

8. “Still D.R.E.” — Dr. Dre (1999)
Album: 2001
In many ways, “Still D.R.E.” was a comeback record for Dr. Dre. After having taken a hit on his credibility for his lackluster work on the 1996 Dr. Dre Presents…The Aftermath, Dre returned to the form that made him famous with this song, the first single from 2001.

7. “F*ck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)” — Dr. Dre (1992)
Album: The Chronic
The lyrics to Dr. Dre’s second single from The Chronic were meant to sting Eazy-E, but what probably hurt more was the beat’s trunk-rattling bass line. It’s obvious from the moment “f**k Wit Dre Day” begins, the most talented artist on the West Coast was a man named Andre Young.

6. “Gin and Juice” — Snoop Dogg (1993)
Album: Doggystyle
By the time Doc went to work on Snoop Dogg’s debut album, Doggstyle, the producer’s G-Funk sound was a familiar presence on urban radio. In turn, “Gin and Juice” became a timeless hit record, sounding more like the street and party anthem it was than today’s jingly odes to a rapper’s drink of choice.

5. “In Da Club” — 50 Cent (2003)
Album: Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
It could be argued that without 50 Cent’s catchy hook and rhyme patterns over this fairly simple beat, “In Da Club” would not have been the hit that it was. There’s not much to “In Da Club”; the in-the-face smack of Dre’s drums, simple syncopated string patterns, and a drifting one-note guitar lick, but therein lays the innovation.

4. “It’s Funky Enough” — The D.O.C. (1989)
Album: No One Can Do It Better
Even now, it’s hard to believe Dr. Dre made this beat nearly 20 years ago. The way he pieces together samples of The Sylvers’ “Misdemeanor” and James Brown’s “Funky President” was an audio marvel and a big reason why many consider this record to be one of D.O.C.’s shining moments in his brief career.

3.”Xxplosive” — Dr. Dre (1999)
Album: 2001
This album cut from Dr. Dre’s Chronic 2001 was never released as an official single, but it surely felt like one. With its sampling of Soul Mann & The Brothers’ 1971 song, “Bumpy’s Lament”, “Xxplosive” was a proper update of the G-Funk sound Dre ushered in; a funky, soulful sound bed for Kurupt’s ferocious first verse, and Nate Dogg’s bluesy 16.

2. “Deep Cover” — Dr. Dre (1992)
Album: Deep Cover (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Most noted for being the song on which a young rapper named Snoop Dogg was introduced to the world (then named Snoop Doggy Dogg), “Deep Cover” was a haunting cut with hardcore lyrics to match the beat’s gritty mood.

1. “Nuthin But A “G” Thang” — Dr. Dre (1993)
Album: The Chronic
Dr. Dre and Los Angeles hip-hop were already on the map before the release of this 1992 single from his solo debut, The Chronic, but “Nuthin But A “G” Thang” made the whole country take seriously the contributions of G-Funk. The beat’s sneaky flutes and subtle guitar notes combined with the pavement pounding force of the thumping four-note bass line, woke people up to the idea that melody can indeed sound gangsta.

Pretty good list...Xxplosive would be my nr 1 pick tho. I dont know how Nas is coming made the Top 5o that beat was garbage...Eminem's Kill You or Tupac's Cant see me are all better imo..And I cant believe that Outta Control Remix aint higher up on that list that beat is ill ass fuck

What is your nr. 1 Dre beat?
 
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SMH @ this nigga producing most of the beats on this list. Biased-ass nigga lol
 
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dope list..they got some of the sample wrong and left out a few samples dre used...

Nuthing but a G thang (sampe)
[video=youtube;1gTVSvY2W_c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gTVSvY2W_c[/video]

Hi My Name Is (sample is towards the end of the song.....Jay Z used the beginning part)
[video=youtube;TbVl6nCmQ9o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVl6nCmQ9o[/video]
 
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onepunch;3308176 said:
dope list..they got some of the sample wrong and left out a few samples dre used...

Nuthing but a G thang (sampe)
[video=youtube;1gTVSvY2W_c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gTVSvY2W_c[/video]

Hi My Name Is (sample is towards the end of the song.....Jay Z used the beginning part)
[video=youtube;TbVl6nCmQ9o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVl6nCmQ9o[/video]

Dope drop sun! And yeah, the song second vid was sampled on Jay-Z's song Streets Is Watching.
 
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DMTxCannabis;3308218 said:
Dope drop sun! And yeah, the song second vid was sampled on Jay-Z's song Streets Is Watching.

dre sampled alot more than people think...he still top two producer....i could make a whole thread exposing samples producers used.
 
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[video=youtube;kG_qcud1ShM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG_qcud1ShM&feature=related[/video] them Lo Lo's nigga
 
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xxxplosive is that shit

also Just dippin

[video=youtube;TMzzKseQM6U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMzzKseQM6U[/video]
classic west coasst
 
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i never get how people dont put "Forgot About Dre" higher. its my favorite beat on that whole album. easily. wayyyyy better than Nuthin But a G-Thang.
 
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onepunch;3308270 said:
dre sampled alot more than people think...he still top two producer....i could make a whole thread exposing samples producers used.

Lol @ "exposing" producers who sample. That's how rap instrumentals started. You're not exposing anything. What else are you going to expose? Rappers that use studios to record their music?
 
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blackstarr;3308021 said:
40. “My Name Is” — Eminem (1999)
Album: The Slim Shady LP
The genius of Em’s debut single lays behind Dre’s decision to keep his presence as minimal as possible, so as this then fairly unknown MC could show and prove on his own.

I'll slap the shit outta whoever wrote this shit. My Name Is was comically terrible production wise. This shit was on the level of Laffy Taffy.
 
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i still say timbo is better hands down...his sound is great

but cosign still d.r.e. and xxplosive are 2 of my favorites
 
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the list is incomplete without

SMOKIN' WEED AND DRANKIN' TANGURAY

IF YOU NEVER HEARD IT YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD IT.
 
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Tommy bilfiger;3314156 said:
This list is bogus and mainstream

5-6 of dre's greatest beats didnt even make the list but plain bullshit like g thang is #1 and nas is coming which is one of the worst songs ever, made the list

Dr Dre :Nightmares,G'd up,Backdown,Ok you're right and start from scratch are better than both tracks

ok youre right is slept on. that beat goes hard as fuck. and the song is sick too, just people hate 50.

[video=youtube;h3rdQnZ_mV8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3rdQnZ_mV8[/video]
 
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onepunch;3308270 said:
dre sampled alot more than people think...he still top two producer....i could make a whole thread exposing samples producers used.

man you should. I love hearing these old classics that producers be using.
 
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soul rattler;3314098 said:
I'll slap the shit outta whoever wrote this shit. My Name Is was comically terrible production wise. This shit was on the level of Laffy Taffy.

Man, take Gee's c0ck outta your mouth. The way the goofy guitar melody contrasts with Em's violent lyrics is clever as fuck. That was genius production on Dre's part.

riddlerap;3314358 said:
ok youre right is slept on. that beat goes hard as fuck. and the song is sick too, just people hate 50.

A lot of times yeah, but c'mon, with bars like "when I say I'm ballin' I ain't talkin' bout a ball", people are right about it sucking.
 
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