Dr Dre Admits That Today’s Hip-Hop Doesn’t Inspire Him

Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg‘s new album Missionary is finally here, and it’s been great to see the duo use this opportunity to reflect on their legendary careers. But it’s also been curious to hear such icons talk about the creative process, whether it regards their own artistry or that of their peers and successors. Moreover, they recently graced the cover of Complex‘s latest issue, and at one point during their conversation, the producer in particular commented on the state of hip-hop today. However, he made it clear that his point of view doesn’t come from a place of disrespect.

“I don’t want to be disrespectful to anybody right now, but I’m not really inspired by what’s happening with hip-hop these days,” Dr. Dre commented to the outlet. “It’s not for me. I’ve always said I’m not going to disrespect it or anything like that, but I haven’t heard anything that makes me go, ‘F**k, why didn’t I do that?’ I haven’t heard that in a long time, which makes my job easy, to be honest.” It’s unclear what exactly he’s referring to, but the “Another Part Of Me” artist maybe just doesn’t connect with the genre’s contemporary output despite his musical inclinations.

Still, this is an interesting comment from Dr. Dre considering his other remarks around music, time, and artistry during this Complex interview. For example, he also revealed that he doesn’t like listening to his older material, admitting that he tells his family members not to play it around him. Rather, the Compton native expressed that finds the most joy in the recording process itself, basking in his craft for a period of time before moving on to what’s next.

As for more modern hip-hop, Dr. Dre did mention the last albums that really inspired him, and unsurprisingly, he’s featured on both of them, and they both come from one of his protégés. But he would probably fawn Kendrick Lamar‘s good kid, m.A.A.d. city and To Pimp A Butterfly just like the rest of us if he was just a stranger tuning in. Elsewhere during this Complex interview, Dre and Snoop Dogg also spoke on bringing a “brotherhood” together with Eminem and 50 Cent on their Missionary cut, “Gunz N Smoke.”