Dr. Dre - 2001 (20th Anniversary)

On his sophomore solo album, 2001, Dr. Dre was back for the throne with a new generation of talent and a record that would define an era and remains one of the best-selling hip-hop albums of all time.

How to follow the phenomenally-successful The Chronic album must have caused Dr. Dre more than a few sleepless nights. Five years on, for 2001 he's gathered a plethora of prime, new rap talent around him, including his prodigy-of-the-moment, Eminem, and Xzibit (who duet on boombastic anthem "What's The Difference?"); and is reunited with former compadres Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and MC Ren. 

Dr. Dre recounted his thoughts as he entered the year 2001. "The 90s were just like, hip-hop was a contact sport," he said. "All of a sudden, I'm on my own again and I have to go find new artists and new musicians to work with. Fortunately for me, I had done it once before when I separated myself from Eazy-E, Jerry Heller, Ruthless, and what have you. So I know what starting over feels like. But the second time, I had Jimmy Iovine."

20th Anniversary Edition. Heavyweight double vinyl produced by Interscope Records in 2019.