Dre Day

The Chronic

Jade POV

September 1992

Months have now gone by and I find myself in the studio with Dre, D.O.C. and T.A leading the pack, with the young crew up ahead; Calvin aka Snoop, Nate and Warren are there now, Snoop's cousins Daz and RBX, and of course Kurupt, Rage and Jewell being in the studio as well. It's coming along together like a family, the vibe is similar to Ruthless in a way which makes me a little nostalgic.

Eric

I sigh as I think about him. My own brother, to be honest I have been speaking to him behind Dre's back in a way. I can't not shut him out, he's family and Dre knows that but I feel that whatever the issue is between the two isn't really Eric's fault. I think Jerry has something to do with it. Dre wouldn't listen to me though, he'd just shrug it off and still say it's Eric's fault and vice versa whenever I try talk to Eric about it saying it's Dre's fault and not Suge's.

I watched as Dre, T.A., and D.O.C. huddled together in the studio, their energy palpable. There was a certain electricity in the air, a mix of anticipation and determination. T.A. had that glint in his eye, the same one I saw back in our living room when Street Knowledge hit number one.

I had always known Dre as the mastermind behind the beats, the wizard in the studio, but now, he was about to step into a new role. As he picked up the microphone, I could see the quiet confidence in his eyes. He was ready for this, ready to add his voice to the rhythm of our crew.

T.A., with his firm yet encouraging demeanor, nodded at Dre. "You got this, Dre. Let your words flow, let your truth be heard."

D.O.C., always the hype man, chimed in, his energy infectious. "Show 'em what you're made of, Dre! We got your back!"

I could feel the unity in the room, the shared passion for music that bound them all together. As Dre started to rap, his words weaving a story, I saw a different side of him. The raw emotion in his voice, the power of his lyrics, it was like he had found his true art.

Dre started rapping, his words flowing with a newfound intensity. T.A. stood there, nodding to the beat, encouraging Dre to keep going. "That's it, Dre! Let it out, man, let it out!" T.A.'s voice was a mix of mentorship and camaraderie, spurring Dre on.

D.O.C. chimed in, his pen scribbling furiously on a pad, crafting lyrics that resonated with Dre's style. The energy in the room was infectious, the synergy between them undeniable.

After the session, Dre's face lit up with a genuine smile. He looked at T.A. and D.O.C., gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thanks, y'all. That felt... right, you know?"

T.A. and D.O.C. exchanged a knowing glance before they started writing lyrics for Dre, their creative minds at work. Meanwhile, Dre turned to me, his expression softening as he spoke. "Jade, I can't believe I waited this long to start rapping. It feels like I've found a piece of myself I didn't know was missing."

I smiled, proud of his newfound passion. "I'm glad you're following your heart, Dre."

But then, I couldn't help but shift the conversation, my tone serious. "Dre, I gotta talk to you about something. The tension between you and Eric... it's making things uncomfortable for me. I love you both, and I hate seeing this divide between the people I care about."

Dre looked at me, his eyes tired but filled with a mixture of frustration and understanding. "Maybe if Eazy had been straight with the money, none of this would have happened, Jade."

I felt a pang of defensiveness for my brother. "Dre, you know it's not that simple. Things were complicated back then, and people made choices based on what they thought was right at the time."