While I was in Washington, D.C., in 2001 I went to buy a new CD. I wandered over to the Sam Goody and saw the newest Dr. Dre album on sale for $8.99. I snatched the album off the shelf and quickly paid the cashier.

After I left the store — much to my surprise — I realized the sale sticker covered up the “Instrumentals Only” label on the CD cover. I was pretty upset for a while, but I eventually bought the full album a few months later and discovered its greatness.

I still listen to Dr. Dre’s 2001, and it has proven to be one of the greatest rap albums ever created. 2001 features some of the best rappers alive and offers a few skits, making the entire album an easy listen.

The CD released in 1999 and had three singles. Most rap fans know the singles, “Still D.R.E.,” “The Next Episode” and “Forgot About Dre.” The songs received tons of play on the radio, and unlike most albums today, the supporting songs hold up with the singles.

The songs played on the radio today are usually the best songs on the album, with the rest of the CD offering few hits. Dre collaborated with greats such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, Mary J. Blige, Kurupt and Nate Dogg and received some Ed-Ucation from Eddie Griffin. The collaboration of hip-hop greats creates a sound that is unheard of today.

I enjoy hearing lyrics from rappers that tell a story. In 2001, Dre tells his side of the story, references Tupac and alludes to his former group, N.W.A. The album reminds me of the rapper feuds of the ’90s, including the Tupac-Biggie conflict. While I don’t think conflicts that end in death are something to be missed, the competition between rappers seems lost.

It is difficult to listen to hip-hop on the radio today. The songs usually have a pretty good beat, but the lyrics are absolutely terrible. 2001 offers different sounds, ranging from gangster rap to the West Coast hip-hop sound of gangster-funk.

The number of artists who combined forces with Dre creates a unique sound for each track, but they always seem to flow together. The lyrics usually seem to have meaning to the rappers and they share common stories.

Someone who doesn’t listen to rap may focus on the negative lyrics about drugs, sex and violence, but true fans will look past the obscenities. Rap became mainstream in the ’80s and ’90s, and Dre’s album was fitting to end the era. Gangster rap has gone underground, and it is difficult to find an album that has such a great mix of lyrics and beats.