I can’t remember an album ever being more highly anticipated that Dr Dre‘s ‘Detox.’ It has been the perpetual coming soon project for over 5 years and has been the source of countless rumors. Well now MTV.co.uk is reporting that the project might actually be in it’s final stages.  According to Snoop Dogg, long time Dre colaborator

“That record is real it’s coming.  You know me, I was starting to doubt it myself and then I went up in there and he played so much music for me it knocked my head off.  I see what he got them waiting for, it’s on and poppin. He got records, he got heat.”

The unfortunate thing is the project may just be too late.  If you’ve ever been a fan of Hip Hop at any level you HAVE TO have an appreciation for Dr. Dre’s music and more importantly the importance of his albums.  From the casual fan, to the cross-over rocker, to the suburban Hip Hopper to the G rap fanatic to the inner city backpacker, Dre’s albums have transcended all the invisible category barriers by which most artists have succumbed.  Although he’s only had two releases, they have clearly been two of the most thought out and developed works that Hip Hop has birthed and this is why his third installment has been so highly anticipated. 

However the game has changed so much even since Dre 2001 (Chronic 2001.)  At age 43, Dre faces his toughest test yet, appealing to an audience of youngsters who think that Lil Wayne invented rap, a major side effect of such a long hiatus.  During his slumber, Hip Hop has become watered down to appeal to the greater masses and the introspective and layered magic that Dre weaves in the studio may become lost to a great degree on the new audience.  Although more “seasoned” fans such as myself and most of the Nation may appreciate the project the truth is Hip Hop’s torch has been passed and she doens’t belong to us anymore.  Our opinions unfortunately don’t hold the same weight they used to and thus I’m affraid for how Dre’s work will be accepted.  Only time will tell.