Dr. Dre’s 1992 solo debut album, released after his departure from N.W.A, was The Chronic.
The album appeared on December 15, 1992, through Death Row Records, the label Dre co-founded with Suge Knight. It introduced Snoop Doggy Dogg prominently as a featured rapper and helped establish the polished, funk-influenced G-funk sound associated with early-1990s West Coast hip hop.
The Chronic was both a critical and commercial success. It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and produced major singles including “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” “Dre Day,” and “Let Me Ride.” It is often confused with Dre’s later album 2001, released in 1999, but The Chronic was his first solo studio album. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it triple platinum, reflecting shipments of more than three million copies in the United States.