I don't take any shorts. I don't say, 'Okay, it's good enough.' I try to get exactly what I'm hearing in my head to the tape, and I won't let it move until then.
Dr. DreRead
Everything that I do is for sound goals. It comes from my gut. When I'm sitting in the studio, a mix isn't done till I feel it in my gut.
Interpretation
Pursuing excellence requires a deep, instinctive connection to one's work.
Dr. Dre emphasizes the importance of setting meaningful, sound goals in his work, asserting that true quality comes from an intuitive understanding and feeling for the music. He highlights that a project is not complete until it resonates deeply within him, showcasing the value of passion and instinct in creative endeavors.
In practice
Using this quote to inspire musicians at a workshop about creativity.
I don't take any shorts. I don't say, 'Okay, it's good enough.' I try to get exactly what I'm hearing in my head to the tape, and I won't let it move until then.
In L.A., we listen to everything. If it's banging, it's banging - we don't care where it's from.
No matter what type of equipment you have, you still have to have a certain talent to be able to make a good record.
One of the first people that believed in me, the first person to invest in my talent, me and this guy used to argue all the time in the studio, but at the end of the day, we both realized that we were after the same goal, and that was to make great music. And I'm talking about Eazy-E.
I'm never gonna stop music, it's like air to me.
And even when I was close to defeat, I rose to my feet.
What is failure? We can’t possibly know what failure is. Most people think they do, but that’s because they’re judging how their lives should be and what they need it to be: a success. Who is to say what’s a success and what’s a failure? Do your best. Trust. Relax. Do your best. Enjoy yourself.
I was never, ever physically afraid. My terms of reference were basic and simple: put the ball in the net. That was my job, that's the way I saw it, and I allowed nothing and nobody to distract me from that purpose.
It's really annoying for me. That's not what I'm playing for, to be the face of the NBA or to be this or that or to take LeBron's throne or whatever.
I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.
Even with G.O.O.D. Music, we have artists that have done very well, and we've had artists that haven't. Being attached to Kanye is only going to get you so far. You've still got to have the records and the talent and the artistry on your own to carry it.
It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.
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