Dr. Dre “Never Liked” N.W.A. Being Labeled Gangsta Rap

Dr. Dre has revealed he “never liked” N.W.A. being categorized as gangsta rap, and prefers their music to be recognized as hardcore Hip-Hop.

During a recent appearance on Kevin Hart‘s Peacock show Hart to Heart, the West Coast icon was asked about his work with the legendary rap group. Dre opened up about his feelings towards the label, disclosing he doesn’t know where that sub-genre originated.

“By the way, I never liked it being called that, ‘gangsta rap,’” Dr. Dre shared. “That’s never what we went in to do. We were just making hardcore Hip-Hop. That’s all it is. I don’t know why it got that title, or who gave it that title. I don’t know who the f**k that was but, it wasn’t us.”

“We just embraced it and let it go, but that’s not what we decided to do,” he added. “That’s not what we called. We [were] just doing Hip-Hop. Hardcore Hip-Hop.”

Later in the interview, the GRAMMY award-winning producer spoke about the inspirations for his classic album, The Chronic. He credited The D.O.C. with getting the ball moving on the LP after a conversation with the emcee.

“The difference, there was money and business got involved, and it separated the friendship. I had to separate myself from [Eazy-E] because he decided to take a different route. [Ice] Cube had already left, so I’m out here on my own. I have absolutely no idea what the f**k I’m gonna do. I just know I have this talent.”

“A close friend of mine, we’ll call him D.O.C., talked me into doing the Chronic album. It wasn’t my decision, I was talked into doing that. I just went in there and went for it because I felt, at that time, it was a life or death situation.”