Dre’s latest music video plays out more like short film, really. The seven-and-a-half-minute video for “I Need a Doctor,” directed by filmmaker Allen Hughes, takes us on a journey through Dre’s career using inserted pictures and video from his past. In the present Dre remains alive on life support as Eminem thanks him for his support over the years. Em raps, “You picked me up, breathed new life in me, I owe my life to you.” A ghostly Skylar Grey sings the hook. Notice all the HP product placement? How could you not. The recently announced Pre 3 and TouchPad make Touch-to-Share magic at the 4:20 mark (how ironic for the man who produced The Chronic).
Tag Archives: Dr. Dre
Single: Dr. Dre – “I Need a Doctor” (Featuring Eminem & Skylar Grey)
It’s happening, it’s really happening. Dr. Dre’s Detox is for real and it’s coming out this year. Need proof? Two singles off the record are out now. We’ve had “Kush” since November, and today we got “I Need a Doctor.” The new track is dominated by Eminem, with up-and-coming artist Skylar Grey belting the hook and Dre closing things out with a single verse at the end. Producer Alex Da Kid had mentioned When it [the track] comes out, it will probably be the biggest song in the last 10 years.” Though the song is definitely growing on me, I don’t know if I’d go that far. When the song released earlier today it instantly skyrocketed to the #1 spot on the iTunes top ten chart, so what do I know? People are diggin’ it, so give it a preview at Dre’s new website and download it at iTunes. Detox is expected to drop this April, God-willing.
[Via Rap-Up]
Music video: Dr. Dre – “Kush” (Featuring Snoop Dogg & Akon)
With the release of a brand new music video, Dr. Dre’s Detox release is becoming that much more of an imminent reality. The music video for the lead single “Kush” features Dre, Snoop, and Akon partying it up but all the guests are frozen in time. These neat special FX mixed with the thumping bass of this catchy track make for an enjoyable video.
Single: Dr. Dre – “Kush” (Featuring Akon & Snoop Dogg)
Yeah, you read that right people. A Dr. Dre single has landed on the Internet. Detox, the follow up to 2001’s The Chronic 2001, was put on the back burner when Dre decided to help out fellow rappers in the studio as producer. But now it’s starting to look like things might just be moving forward with the creation and dissemination of this vapor-album. Today a single called “Kush” hit the ‘Net and it features Dre, Akon, and D-o-double-g rapping on top of a thumping base line that should get your blood pumping. The verse material is all about the marijuana, and in a radio interview Dre wanted to dispel rumors that Detox is only going to be about this particular drug. “[The single is] about weed smoking and I don’t want people to think that’s what my album’s about,” he said. “This is actually the only song with that type of content in it. But it seems that everybody likes it. So we’re going to go ahead and push with it.” Dre did not intend for “Kush” to release as a single, but the current crop of positive feedback is making him think twice about it. Official single or not, you need to take a listen and add this song to your playlist right now. I’m not gonna scream Dre is back just yet, but I have a feeling that expected early 2011 release date is certainly on the horizon.
[audio: Dr. Dre – Kush (Featuring Akon & Snoop Dogg).mp3]Dr. Dre & Monster collab to push out new lineup of Beats headphones
The Beats by Dr. Dre product line was co-founded by rapper/produced Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovin back in 2008 to “reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios.” The brand has branched in two directions: headphones and HP laptops (Envy models). The original crop of headphones included the over-the-ear Studio Beats ($349) and Solo Beats ($199) and the in-ear Tour Beats ($189). In time two new versions of the Solo Beats hit the market–Solo HD ($229) and Solo HD Product RED special edition ($229). Also, a new category called Artist Series Headphones introduced two new in-ear ‘phones–Heartbeats (Lady Gaga, $149) and Diddy Beats (Diddy, $179).
On Friday Dr. Dre & Monster unveiled five new Beats branded products, four headphones and a portable iPod dock. The Beatbox ($399) is a digital sound system built to dock iPods and iPhones and features “proprietary dual 5.25-inch long throw bass drivers for superior bass reproduction and two optimized 2-inch concave high frequency drivers for precise soundstaging.” Beats Pro ($449) relinquishes the Studio Beats as the top-of-the-line Beats headphones. These over-the-ear cans feature an all-metal body construction and are “ideal for in-studio production and ultimate quality music listening.” iBeats ($119) “feature a new sealed in-ear design that literally reduces external noise for a better music experience” and three custom-fit eartip sizes. They are “ideal for exercising and active lifestyles.” The latest edition to the Artist Series Headphones collection is the Power Beats (LeBron James, $179). The new in-ear “performance sports headphone” features a new dual driver design with a built-in subwoofer and midrange tweeter, an adjustable/bendable ear hook with a flexible arm, and a non-noise occluding headphone eartip which allows external noise to be audible during music playback. There are black, red, and white color options for these. And finally there’s the JustBeats, Justin Bieber branded headphones. They will come in two varients, over-the-ear ($199) and in-ear ($119). They are “specifically aimed at “opening the ears” of young music listeners.” The “eye-catching matte purple finish” happens to be Bieber’s favorite color, as you all should well know.
According to the press release, all the new Beats by Dre products (excluding the JustBeats) will be made available in the US, UK, France and Germany in the “coming weeks.” The purple Bieber cans will sell exclusively at Best Buy this holiday season. Look in the gallery below to see what they all look like. Dre says, “What you’re seeing today is what me and Jimmy set out to do with Beats. It’s not just about headphones it’s about changing the whole game in terms of the listening experience. And it’s still just the beginning…” The new ‘phones are simplistically elegant and I’m sure they produce sound nothing short of crystal-clear magnificence. Here’s what I’m worried about, though. Dre, you brand the Beats product line with the tag “people aren’t hearing all the music.” You’re going to have a hard time selling your passion for pristine sound reproduction to all the people at these exuberant price points.
[Via Engadget; BeatsbyDre]
Continue reading Dr. Dre & Monster collab to push out new lineup of Beats headphones
Rhys Darby shines in new HP ‘Let’s Do Amazing’ ad campaign
Rhys Darby of Flight of the Conchords fame (he played Bret & Jemaine’s boss Murray) stars in HP’s latest ad campaign. The $40 million “Let’s Do Amazing” ad campaign includes a series of commercials that appear to reintroduce the HP brand to consumers in a new, different, and quite humorous way. Dr. Dre lends a helping hand, making sure to promote his Dre Beats line of headphones and HP laptops. Look after the break for a second commercial.
UPDATED: You’ll find all the current HP “Let’s Do Amazing” commercials featuring Rhys Darby, plus an interview with the FOTC alum and the “Internal Launch” video, after the break!
[Via Engadget]
Continue reading Rhys Darby shines in new HP ‘Let’s Do Amazing’ ad campaign
HP & Dr. Dre reveal the first Beats-branded laptop
This HP-branded Envy laptop wears the Dr. Dre Beats logo proud. It is the first in a series of products Dre and HP have in the pipeline for music-oriented consumers looking for solid sound at an affordable price. This limited edition Envy 15 features a 15-inch screen and comes in at 1-inches thin and 5.18-pounds. It will include a ‘future’ Core i7 processor and will have the capacity for 16GB of RAM and two solid state drives. Although official specs are limited for now, expect the Beats-inspired Envy 15 to cost at least $1,799, as its counterpart (the standard Envy) costs that much. I will keep my ear to the ground and watch for updates on this and other Beats-branded machines. The time for a revolution in better sound quality is now, right Dre?
[Via Engadget; Tom’s Hardware]
Lady Gaga performs live at Marc Jacobs event; Heartbeats give-away details, too
Gaga’s performance, which involves only her voice and a piano, is actually quite good.
Remember the announcement of the new Heartbeats by Lady Gaga headphones I reported on last week? Well, if you were at all intrigued by the new headphones in the Dr. Dre Beats lineup, be sure to check out the Heartbeats Daily Giveaway on Facebook. “To celebrate the launch [of Heartbeats], Beats by Dr. Dre is giving away a pair of Heartbeats every day for 30 days, so enter..for your chance to win.” Good luck, ladies (and guys, I guess).
Thanks, Aaron.
Beats for the everyday man (..or not)
Adding to yesterday’s news of Lady Gaga’s Heartbeats is today’s announcement of a smaller, cheaper version of the original Studio Beats headphones. This product finds its home between the Tour Beats ($149) and the Studio Beats ($299). The Beats Solo is smaller and lighter than its older brother and will cost a mere $220. They will be available in black and white this November. According to Monster, the Beats Solo have the same sound quality as the Studio Beats. If Dr. Dre and the team at Monster Cable found a way to create the original Beats in a tinier form factor then all the power to them. However, I’d play it safe and wait for initial reviews before going out to make a purchase.
Lady Gaga creates her own Beats
Fashion and music maven Lady Gaga has teamed up with Dr. Dre and Monster Cable to create her own line of Beats headphones. Heartbeats is designed by Lady Gaga herself. They will be available in October in pink/white, silver, white, and black color variations and price will range from $99.95 to $149.95, depending on body type and jewel design. Included are multiple ear tips, a red travel case, and Monster’s tangle-resistant flat cable design, and Monster’s ControlTalk connection that allows you to swap between music and phone calls. For more information about the Heartbeats, see the press release after the break. Check out the gallery below for some product images and more.
[Via Engadget; ChipChick; Beatsbydre]
Dr. Dre + HP = revamped “digital music ecosystem”
Computer-maker HP, musical genius Dr. Dre, and Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine have announced a joint collaboration to make audio sound better, from what you hear on your computer to the earbuds or headphones you use on the go.
Iovine to CNET News: “We have to fix the entire chain. Our position is to go to all the sources and try to improve sound and educate people…We can’t put anything weak in the line. Whoever puts out things that sound bad shouldn’t be as cool as something that sounds great.” Iovine added: “I just want our product to sound better. The record business committed many, many mistakes in the last 10 years, and I’m right in there. One of them was letting its product get degraded. It’s one thing to let it get stolen, it’s another to allow it to be degraded because then you really don’t have a chance…video games and TV quality are getting better and the quality of our work is getting lower. If that happens, then music will become disposable. That’s something we can fix.”
This is very interesting news for the music industry. In today’s digital age of the MP3 format, iPods, and computers, it is very important that the sound of music quality does not disintegrate. The iPod earbuds that ship with every iPod, for example, do not produce good enough sound for the listener. Also, many computers are not constructed with speakers than can boast the proper bass and sound required for MP3s to be played at their potential. In the end, it is all about music being played the way they were meant to be heard and I believe that this alliance between HP, Dre, and Interscope will lead the way in incorporating premium sound capability in all mediums from MP3 players to PC laptops. Sources spilled to CNET News that “HP will release premium-priced laptops, headsets, and software featuring the “Beats by Dr. Dre” brand sometime this fall.”
[Via CNET]