The Next Episode

This article is about the song. For the album by Next, see The Next Episode (album). For the novel, see Next Episode.

"The Next Episode" is a single by American rapper-producer Dr. Dre, released on June 26, 2000^[1] as the third single from his second studio album, 2001 (1999). The track features Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Nate Dogg, but only Snoop Dogg is credited. It is a sequel to Dre and Snoop's famous single "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" from the former's debut album, The Chronic.

"The Next Episode"
Single by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
from the album 2001
B-side	"Bad Guys Always Die"
Released	June 26, 2000^[1]
Recorded	1999
Studio	Encore (Burbank, California) Sierra Sonics (Reno, Nevada)
Genre	Gangsta rap West Coast hip hop
Length	2:41
Label	Aftermath Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Andre Young Calvin Broadus Melvin Bradford David Axelrod Brian Bailey
Producer(s)	Dr. Dre Mel-Man
Dr. Dre singles chronology
"Forgot About Dre" (2000) "The Next Episode" (2000) "Hello" (2001)
Snoop Dogg singles chronology
"Still D.R.E." (1999) "The Next Episode" (2000) "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name Pt. 2)" (2000)
Kurupt singles chronology
"Girls All Pause" (1999) "The Next Episode" (2000) "Who Ride Wit Us" (2000)
Nate Dogg singles chronology
"Game Don't Wait" (1999) "The Next Episode" (2000) "Where I Wanna Be" (2000)
Music video
"The Next Episode ft. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Nate Dogg" on YouTube

The song peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song has been performed live numerous times by both Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Notable performances include the 2000 Up in Smoke Tour and as the opener to Super Bowl LVI halftime show on February 13, 2022.

Background

The single is produced by Dr. Dre and fellow Aftermath producer Mel-Man. Dre's verse was written by then Aftermath artists Hittman, The D.O.C. and Ms. Roq. The single's title harks back to Dre's and Snoop Dogg's smash hit "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang" from Dre's 1992 solo debut The Chronic, in which Snoop Dogg instructs listeners at the end of the chorus to "just chill till the next episode". That line refers to the song "It's My Thing" from the EPMD album Strictly Business, which in fact did not refer to this single but to its predecessor, a song from 1993 originally recorded for Doggystyle but not included in its final version.^[2] Snoop, Dre, and Nate each have verses, while Kurupt shares the hook with Snoop and Dre. The song has many references to 2Pac's "California Love", which he did with Dre while at Death Row Records, and To Live & Die in LA.^[3] Originally listed on the back cover of Doggystyle as "Tha Next Episode", the original version of the song was by Snoop Dogg featuring Dr. Dre, and had a much different beat and different lyrics. The original was 4:36 long, and referred to Dre's "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" numerous times. The background of the original was later used in Warren G's "Runnin' Wit No Breaks" on the Regulate...G Funk Era album.

The song's predominant sample interpolates "The Edge" by David McCallum and producer David Axelrod, originally released on McCallum's 1967 album Music: A Bit More Of Me.^[4]

Music video

The music video is set in a strip club with many strippers pole-dancing. It also features many rappers, including Hittman, Ice Cube, Warren G, and Xzibit.

Remixes

A remix with the same name by Snoop Dogg and Lil' Mo appears on the mixtape DJ Felli Fel Featuring Snoop Dogg - The Heavy Hitters, released in 2002. A remix with the music from "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses is available unofficially. A version dubbed by The Game as a diss toward 50 Cent was released in 2005. A remix titled "TNE 2006" was released to radio airplay in 2006. It features Snoop Dogg & Nate Dogg. Joe Budden rapped over the beat during an appearance on DJ Green Lantern Sirius Satellite Radio show with Charles Hamilton. The prizefighter remix was released in 2001, featuring 2Pac, DMX and Nas. RED drummer Joe Rickard is known to perform this song among other popular rap and hip hop songs live in concert in a medley. A version in Arabic appeared in the 2012 film The Dictator performed by Aiwa, Mr Tibbz, and actor Sacha Baron Cohen as the film's title character, Admiral General Aladeen. In November 2014, trap music producer San Holo released a remix of the song that has since garnered over 250 million views on YouTube. A version by Lyric Jones, Rah Digga and Mark Batson appears in the 2018 film Dude.^[5]

Track listing

• UK CD single #1^[6]

1. "The Next Episode" (LP Version) – 2:42
2. "Bad Guys Always Die" (featuring Eminem) – 4:38
3. "The Next Episode" (Instrumental) – 2:43
4. "The Next Episode" (Music Video)

• UK CD single #2^[1]

1. "The Next Episode" (LP Version) - 2:42
2. "Fuck You" - 3:25
3. "Bang Bang" (Instrumental) - 3:42
4. "Forgot About Dre" (Instrumental) - 3:54
5. "Forgot About Dre" (Music Video)

• 12" vinyl^[3]

1. "The Next Episode" (LP Version) – 2:42
2. "Bad Guys Always Die" (featuring Eminem) – 4:38
3. "Bang Bang" (featuring Hittman) - 3:42

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000–2001) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[7] 56 Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)^[8] 6 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)^[9] 9 France (SNEP)^[10] 22 Germany (Official German Charts)^[11] 34 Ireland (IRMA)^[12] 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[13] 28 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[14] 26 Scotland (OCC)^[15] 7 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[16] 34 UK Singles (OCC)^[17] 3 UK Dance (OCC)^[18] 13 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[19] 2 US Billboard Hot 100^[20] 23 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[21] 11 Chart (2022) Peak position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[22] 21 Global 200 (Billboard)^[23] 35 Hungary (Single Top 40)^[24] 20 Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)^[25] 16

Year-end charts Chart (2000) Position US Billboard Hot 100^[26] 76 US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[27] 49 Chart (2001) Position Ireland (IRMA)^[28] 75 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[29] 79 Chart (2022) Position US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)^[30] 74

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)^[31]	Platinum	90,000
Germany (BVMI)^[32]	Gold	250,000
Italy (FIMI)^[33]	Gold	25,000
United Kingdom (BPI)^[34]	2× Platinum	1,200,000
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)^[35]	Gold	900,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

• Recorded at: Sierra Sonics, Encore Studios
• Engineer: Richard "Segal" Huredia
• Assistant engineer: Tom Gordon, Michelle Lynn Forbes, Dave Tenhouten
• Background Vocals - Kurupt
• Bass - Preston Crump
• Guitar - Sean Cruse
• Keyboards - Camara Kambon
• Rap [Featuring] - Snoop Dogg, Kurupt
• Vocals [Featuring] - Nate Dogg
• Director - Paul Hunter
• Writers - Ms Roq, Hittman, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, David McCallum
• Video cameo appearance - Xzibit, Hittman, Warren G

References

1. "Next Episode [Single, Enhanced, Maxi, Import] - Dr. Dre". Australian-Charts. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
2. "Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggy Style (Review)". Dubcnn.com. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
3. "Snoop Doggy Dogg* – Doggystyle". Discogs. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
4. "David Axelrod, Influential Musician and Producer, Dies: Report". Billboard.com. February 5, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
5. "Dude (2018)". Tunefind. April 20, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
6. "Next Episode [Single, Maxi] - Dr. Dre". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
7. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
8. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
9. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
10. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
11. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Next Episode". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 36, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
14. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
16. "Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
18. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
19. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
20. "Dr Dre Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
21. "Dr Dre Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
22. "Dr Dre Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
23. "Dr Dre Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
24. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
25. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 8". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
26. "Billboard Top 100 - 2000". Retrieved August 31, 2010.
27. "The Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Year End Charts 2000". Billboard.
28. . C&R. Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
29. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
30. "Digital Song Sales: Year End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2022.}
31. "Danish single certifications – Dr. Dre – The Next Episode". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
32. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Dr Dre feat. Snoop Dogg & Nate Dogg; 'The Next Episode')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
33. "Italian single certifications – Dr Dre ft Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2016" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "The Next Episode" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
34. "British single certifications – Dr Dre ft Snoop Dogg – The Next Episode". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
35. "Danish single certifications – Dr. Dre – The Next Episode (Streaming)". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved May 7, 2021.

External links

• Music video on YouTube