Hot Off A Divorce, Dr. Dre Re-Enters the Spotlight Inside the GTA Universe
People have been speculating about new Dr. Dre releases for awhile now, whether people thought his new tracks were going to be dropped in the dead of night on streaming services or in the new "hot and future-forward method" of an NFT drop, I highly doubt anyone saw this coming.
In a truly legendary fashion Dre has decided to release his new tracks in the form of a playable mini-campaign inside Rockstar's GTA V, going as far as to feature the good Dr. himself as a character in the side quest.
RS - "Dre’s legendary perfectionism actually becomes a key plot point in the latest iteration of Grand Theft Auto. The producer misplaces some of his music, and the player becomes a gumshoe on the case hunting for the lost tunes. “This is his treasure that you need to go and retrieve for him,” Nelson explains. “We’re using quite a classic video game objective but using songs [as the missing item] instead of cash or goods.”
"Players get a chance to “meet Dr. Dre, earn his trust through the work you do for him, and kind of become friends with him, be able to be in a recording session or in a car listening to something with him for the first time,” Nelson adds. “That’s an experience that very few people in the real world will have. That’s only possible in our medium.”
Well done Rockstar. In a world of Travis Scott X Fortnite fan servicing and quick money Ariana Grande skin schemes, this is the way to do it. It's evident that careful thought was put into this move to give Dre's art the justice and respect it deserves in this new digital space.
What's even more legendary is the way this even transpired. Apparently, Dr. Dre's good buddy and producer DJ Pooh went over to Dre's house one day with a few consoles and a copy of GTA to play and Dre was blown away by the game. What a crazy and gangster life Dre lives in that platforms are foaming at the bit to release any new content from him and yet he decides to choose a freaking VIDEO GAME as his method for new releases just because he liked it that much.
Pitchfork - "GTA Online includes Dre collaborations with Eminem (“Gospel”), Nipsey Hussle and Ty Dolla $ign (“Diamond Mind”), Snoop Dogg and Anderson .Paak (“ETA”), and Rick Ross and Anderson .Paak (“The Scenic Route”). The game also boasts two new solo cuts from Dre, titled “Falling Up” and “Black Privilege.” There are currently no plans for the songs to hit streaming services."
I guess when you're hot, you're hot. And the Dr. is officially single, and loving life.
With no current plans to release these projects to the public through any other medium it looks like it's time for true Dre/hip-hop enthusiasts to dust off the old consoles, call up the boys, and reload into a world many of you had thought you'd left behind for good.
Listen to some of the leaks and previews down below.
Dr. Dre X GTA trailer:
Busta Rhymes X Dre track preview:
Dr. Dre (feat. Snoop Dog & Anderson .Paak) track "ETA":
Dr. Dre X EMINEM track "Gospel":
Dre also has more new music on the way.
The 56-year-old hip-hop mogul took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal he’s turned in some of his “best work” on a new album with singer-songwriter Marsha Ambrosius titled Casablanco.
p.s. - there's your video game blog @GTLovesPMT now go choke on one
h/t Griffin