Forgot About Dre

"Forgot About Dre" is a song by American rapper-producer Dr. Dre featuring vocals and sole songwriting from American rapper Eminem, released as second single from the former's album 2001 (1999).

"Forgot About Dre"
Single by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem
from the album 2001
B-side"Still D.R.E."
Released2000
RecordedFebruary 1999
Studio
Genre
Length3:42
Label
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s)
Dr. Dre singles chronology
"Still D.R.E."
(1999)		 "Forgot About Dre"
(2000)		 "The Next Episode"
(2000)
Eminem singles chronology
"Dead Wrong"
(1999)		 "Forgot About Dre"
(2000)		 "The Real Slim Shady"
(2000)
Music videos
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

Background

The song is considered a response to diss tracks by Death Row artists on Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000, a compilation released by Suge Knight that takes its title from Dre's 1992 album The Chronic. The line "Who you think brought you the oldies, Eazy-E's, Ice Cube's, and DOC's, the Snoop D.O. Double G's, and the group that said 'Motherfuck the police'?" outlines Dre's importance in the rap world, the theme of the song. Dre also mentions how people said he turned to pop music and the criticism that Nas' supergroup The Firm received about The Album, which Dre produced. Eminem's verse features the bizarre violence and aggression typical of his "Slim Shady" alter ego. In an interview, Kendrick Lamar said this and Six-Two's verse from "Xxplosive" tied for the best verses on 2001.[1]

Music video

The video was directed by Philip G. Atwell and was shot between December 24-26, 1999.[2] It was released on January 9, 2000. The video opens at night with Dr. Dre rapping in front of a newsstand in a city. Eminem raps as he walks through a dark city street. A few explicit lines in Eminem's verse are replaced with a skit in which Eminem is answering reporter Jane Yamamoto's questions about a fire he and Dre started.[3] When the video ends, it switches to "Last Dayz" by Hittman. This video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video in 2000.

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called "Forgot About Dre" a standout track, praising Eminem's unpredictability.[4] NME wrote that the song "jogs [listeners'] memories" as to Dre's accomplishments" and keeps "his legend simmering."[5] According to Chris Massey of PopMatters, "it's the frantic rap of Eminem that truly stands out, perhaps only because he's the freshest voice on board."[6] Greg Tate of SPIN noted that Dr. Dre uses this song to "make sure all recognize his majesty", with Eminem "standing by him like a cartoon pitbull."[7]

"Forgot About Dre" has been widely regarded as one of Eminem's best songs. Rolling Stone and The Guardian both ranked the song number three on their lists of the greatest Eminem songs.[8][9]

Awards and nominations
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Eminem
Year Ceremony Award Result
2001 43rd Grammy Awards Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Won

Track listing
UK CD single #1[10]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Forgot About Dre" (video version)
3:42
2."Still D.R.E." (featuring Snoop Dogg)
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
4:34
3."Forgot About Dre" (instrumental)
  • Young
  • Bradford
  • Mathers
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
3:42
4."Forgot About Dre" (explicit music video)
  • Young
  • Bradford
  • Mathers
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
3:45
Total length:15:42
UK CD single #2[11]
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Forgot About Dre" (clean version)
3:42
2."Still D.R.E." (featuring Snoop Dogg) (clean version)
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
4:34
Total length:8:16
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Forgot About Dre" (instrumental)
  • Young
  • Bradford
  • Mathers
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
3:42
2."Forgot About Dre" (clean music video)
  • Young
  • Bradford
  • Mathers
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
3:45
Total length:7:27
12" vinyl[12]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Forgot About Dre" (director's cut video version)
4:28
2."Forgot About Dre" (acappella version)
  • Young
  • Bradford
  • Mathers
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
3:36
3."Forgot About Dre" (instrumental)
  • Young
  • Bradford
  • Mathers
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
3:42
4."The Next Episode" (instrumental) (featuring Snoop Dogg)
  • Dr. Dre
  • Mel-Man
2:41
Total length:14:27

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[32] Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[33] Gold 250,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Forgot About Dre lyrics". AllMusic.
  2. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Eminem & Dr Dre Behind the Scenes of Forgot About Dre the Music Video". YouTube.
  3. DrDreVEVO (July 19, 2010), Eminem, Dr. Dre – Forgot About Dre (Explicit) ft. Hittman, retrieved October 27, 2017
  4. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (November 16, 1999). "2001 – Dr. Dre | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  5. "NME Album Reviews – 2001". NME. November 18, 1999. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  6. Massey, Chris. "Dr. Dre: 2001". PopMatters. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  7. SPIN – Google Books. January 2000. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  8. "Eminem: 50 Greatest Songs". Rolling Stone. November 21, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  9. Hobbs, Thomas (February 20, 2020). "Eminem: his 30 greatest tracks, ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  10. "Forgot About Dre: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon UK. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  11. "Forgot About Dre [CD 2]: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon UK. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  12. "Dr. Dre – Forgot About Dre (Vinyl) at Discogs". discogs. 2000.
  13. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  14. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Dr. Dre". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  16. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  17. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  18. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  19. "Dr. Dre feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  21. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  22. "Dr. Dre Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  23. "Dr. Dre Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  24. "Dr. Dre Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  25. "Dr. Dre Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  26. "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  27. "Dr Dre Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  28. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2000". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  29. "Top 40 Urban Tracks Of 2000" (PDF). Music Week. January 13, 2001. p. 20. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  30. "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Archived from the original on March 4, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  31. "2000 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 53. December 30, 2000. p. YE-56. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  32. "Danish single certifications – Dr Dre Feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  33. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Dr. Dre Feat. Eminem; 'Forgot About Dre')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  34. "British single certifications – Dr Dre Feat. Eminem – Forgot About Dre". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
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