“Forgot About Dre” has officially crossed 1 billion streams on Spotify, marking another milestone for both Dr. Dre and Eminem.
The track is now Dr. Dre’s third most streamed song as a lead artist and Eminem’s 14th overall to surpass the billion mark. It also stands as his second most streamed collaboration on the platform.
Currently, the song attracts about 500,000 streams daily, it is Dre’s fourth most played song these days.
With this song, Dre responded to the hostility after his escape from Death Row in 1996. He told MTV: “The song is basically about the little period of time I went through in between records, and what people out in the street were saying about me, about, you know, how I fell off and how I couldn’t do it anymore, and all this nonsense. So this is just a response to that. That’s all it is. Period”.
A Timeless Collaboration Reaching New Heights
Released on January 22, 2000, the single became one of the defining hits from Dr. Dre’s “2001” album. The collaboration brought together Dre’s production mastery and Eminem’s witty lyricism. Hence, they created a track that everyone recognises even today.
The Story Behind the Iconic Track
Interestingly, Eminem originally wrote the lyrics for Snoop Dogg. He recorded them as a reference guide, but Dre liked the performance so much that he decided to keep Eminem’s version. The move proved legendary: Eminem’s rapid delivery and Slim’s hectic persona gave the song its unique edge.
At the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards on February 21, 2001, “Forgot About Dre” won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group – another victory for Shady.
Additionally, the video for the song won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video in 2000.
Awards and Global Success
The song has also earned multiple certifications around the world:
United Kingdom: 2× Platinum (1,200,000 units)
New Zealand: 5× Platinum (150,000 units)
Germany: Gold (250,000 units)
Italy: Gold (50,000 units)
Denmark: Platinum (90,000 units)
Austria: Gold (25,000 units)
More than two decades later, “Forgot About Dre” still reminds fans why its creators are among rap’s most respected names.
