"When Dr. Dre formed Aftermath Entertainment and released his first flop (The Firm), it appeared he had lost his connection to the streets. After a brief hiatus, the Good Doctor cut his losses and reestablished himself as the controversial gangsta producer/rapper that hip hop fans love to love. That love only grew in 2000: Dre produced The Marshall Mathers LP, the tightly anticipated follow-up to Eminem's The Slim Shady LP, which landed EM a Grammy for Best Rap Album. Eminem's mike skills are undeniable but without the oomph of Dre's obscure samples and relentless sound structures, would anyone know his name? Dre returned to his roots of weed, sex, guns, and, of course, Snoop Dogg on Dr. Dre 2001. Lauded for its high-octane production, 2001 proved Dre hadn't lost his Midas touch. And while he enjoyed great success as a producer, Dre made 2000 his most prosperous year in half a decade by organizing and headlining Up In Smoke. One of the most successful traveling shows in rap history, Up In Smoke featured the superstar power of Dre, Eminem, Ice Cube, Xzibit, and Snoop; wowed audiences with its spectacular visuals... Nineteen ninety-three may have been the inception of Dre Day, but 2000 was unquestionably the Year of the Dre."
Vibe added these stats, "Tale of 2000: Sales - Dr. Dre 2001 (5.6 millon). Credits: produced Eminem's multiplatinum CD The Marshall Mathers LP. Props: MTV Video Music Award for "Forgot About Dre" (Best Rap Video). Game: The Up In Smoke tour stopped in over 25 cities nationwide, selling 521,000 tickets for a profit of more than $24 million." - Vibe Magazine, January 2001.
