Dr. Dre’s “Kush” Signals ‘Detox’ May Finally Be Near

Idolator Staff | November 16, 2010 4:19 pm

After roughly a decade of tiresome speculation and unfounded rumors about Dr. Dre’s long-in-the-works album Detox, it appears the doctor is, finally, seriously, in. We’ve been thrilled to see Dre construct what appears to be a slow return to center stage — he continues to collect accolades for his work, and, even better, has stepped out for some unexpected (heck, shocking) public performances. And now the final step: Dre has essentially confirmed that new single “Kush”, featuring Snoop Dogg, Akon, and a beat that will rattle your windows, is the first single from his LP.

Listen to “Kush” and see Dre preparing for checkmate on the cover of the new XXL after the jump.

In a rare interview with Big Boy (of Los Angeles radio station Power 106), Dre insisted that the blunt-blazing vibe of “Kush” shouldn’t be read as an indication of the album’s content: “There was a version of it that leaked that I wasn’t really happy about, so we’re gonna go on and push it and put it out because everybody seems to like it. I just thought that the content of it, it’s about weed smoking, and I don’t want people to think that that’s what my album is about. This is actually the only song with that type of content in it. It’s not a representation of what the album is.”

Separately, Dre says that his collaboration with Jay-Z, “Under Pressure”, won’t appear on the album (which, if we’re being honest, comes as something of a relief).

Hear the full interview at Rap-Up, and check the real, live “Kush” below:

The piano line recalls Game’s “Let’s Ride”, which isn’t a bad place to start. We’re not sure Akon was really needed (um, we feel like we say that a lot), but the beat vibrates with that signature Dre punch.

Here’s to the return of our favorite medical professional.