DRE'S WEST COAST MOMENT

“This is the millennium of Aftermath,” Dr. Dre rapped in 2000 on “Forgot About Dre,” from his 1999 album 2001, released on his Aftermath Entertainment via Interscope Records. 22 years later, the prophecy is fulfilled. Spanning three decades of superstars and hip-hop history, Dr. Dre’s Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show introduced West Coast anthems to a new generation on the biggest stage possible—and reminded those who lived through the ’90s and ’00s how influential California hip-hop was on the culture. And pop culture.

The data reinforces the rave reviews and virality. Songs performed during the set soared to the top of DSP charts on Monday. “Still D.R.E.” w/Snoop Dogg flew to #2 on Spotify U.S. with 1m+ streams, while three other Dre tracks stomped into the Top 20. At Apple Music, “Still D.R.E.” and “The Next Episode” both hit the Top 10. And at YouTube, fans are watching the complete 14-minute showcase on repeat—it’s now surpassed 40m views. Further, the iTunes Top 10 was overrun by SB halftime tracks, and all the artists from the Dre spectacular saw their catalogs soar into the Top 200 on every platform.

“Yesterday’s price is not today’s price," as the kids like to say. As Dre’s killer set—alongside Snoop, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige—lifted the genre and its rich legacy to new heights, it provided a harbinger of the further fortunes of hip-hop catalog, which has traditionally seen lower valuations than other genres. Dre has confirmed that 2001 and 1992's The Chronic, among other rap stalwarts, are American classics that will find diehard fans in each new generation. His halftime hip-hop boost is undoubtedly just the beginning.