Rap Critics Reactions to the Kush video (and song)

By Erika Ramirez

Do you finally believe the doctor?

On Friday (December 10), Dr. Dre finally debuted the first visuals from his forthcoming Detox LP, in "Kush," a clip featuring the producer with Snoop and Akon. After hearing what the fans had to say about the Joseph Kahn directed clip, RapFix turned to the experts for their thoughts on the video and Dre’s comeback.

Legend, Content Manager of OnSmash.com, is hopeful of Dre’s return.

"Although 'Kush' — and by default, Detox — is about six years overdue, the combination of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg never fails," Legend said. "The first single finds the good doctor sticking to the script and not shying away from what made The Chronic famous. It may not be what he anticipated for his debut single, but the fans spoke out and forced his hand."

Rob Markman, Deputy Editor of XXL magazine, agreed.

"The 'Kush' video is a far cry from the 'Deep Cover' clip where we were first introduced to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg as a duo, still it is fitting for 2010," he said. "It's amazing how far Dre has come and 'Kush' is a testament to that. While the budgets may have gotten bigger, Dre still exhibits that 'I don't give a f--k' attitude that he did in his N.W.A. days."

"I'm feeling the video for 'Kush,' the visuals are slick and the concept is pretty cool," Kazeem Famuyide, Online Editor of The Source.com, said. "The song, even though it is a step up from 'Under Pressure' wasn't what I expected. 'Kush' sounds like something that could've been on 2001. That isn't really a bad thing, but it doesn't give me the same feeling as when I first heard 'Still D.R.E.' "

Others weren’t as impressed by "Kush."

"Dr. Dre carries a heavy burden since he's regarded as one of hip-hop's torchbearers," John Gotty of SmokingSection.uproxx.com said. "With each album, he's expected to reinvent the wheel and steer the course of rap. And while 'Kush' and its accompanying video help satiate our desire to see Detox, the song itself is okay in today's music climate and making music that's merely okay won't do for Dre. Judging him by previous works, 'Kush' has no highs and sounds as appealing as the prospect of watching paint dry."

Andreas Hale, founder of TheWellVersed.com agreed.

"The very first thing I thought when watching the 'Kush' video was, ‘Dre is too damn old for this s--t,’ " Hale said. "He's 45 years-old and kicking rhymes about things a man of he age shouldn't. I understand why it has taken so long for Dr. Dre to finalize Detox — he simply can't relate and rap about the same things he did 20 years ago. That's he difficulty of making hip hop for older fans while your base still consists of young people."

Brendan Frederick, Deputy Editor of Complex Magazine, couldn’t agree more.

"After seeing Dre in nothing but computer, headphone and soda advertisements for the last decade, I was starting to think he had become a professional spokesperson, kind of like Ronald Reagan's gig with General Electric in the 1950s," Frederick said. "Watching 'Kush,' it's a little uncomfortable having to see the old guy in the club again — any time a 45-year-old man wears a tight motorcycle jacket, it screams 'mid-life crisis.'

"Ironically, technophile director Joseph Kahn brings back the old 'bullet-time' special effect that was made famous by The Matrix in 1999, the same year that Dre's last album was released," he continued. "Both visually and sonically, Dre is bringing nothing new to the game. While it isn't the ground-breaking banger Dre seems to think it is, 'Kush' is certainly catchy enough to sell some headphones and keep his Detox release on track for next year."

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