You know that opening riff. Those first three notes of The Next Episode are basically the universal signal for "the party has started." It doesn't matter if you're at a wedding in 2026 or a club in 2000; when that beat drops, everyone knows exactly what to do. But here’s the thing: most people singing along to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg have no clue how this song actually came together. They think it was just a quick sequel to "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang." It wasn't.
Actually, the history of this track is messy. It involves a dead TV star, a lost version from 1993, and a writing credits list that looks like a small village. If you think Dr. Dre just sat down and cooked this up in an afternoon, you've been misled.
The Secret Ingredient from NCIS
Most fans assume the iconic, staccato melody was some futuristic synth work Dre dreamed up. Wrong. The backbone of the song is actually a sample from a 1967 track called "The Edge" by David McCallum. If that name sounds familiar to your parents, it’s because McCallum was a legendary Scottish actor. He played Ducky on NCIS for decades.
Imagine that for a second. One of the hardest gangsta rap anthems in history owes its soul to a classically trained musician who eventually became a staple of CBS procedural dramas. Dre, along with producer Mel-Man, took a tiny sliver of McCallum’s orchestral arrangement and looped it into immortality. It's the ultimate example of the "architect" style of production Dre is famous for—finding the diamond in the rough and polishing it until it blinds you.
The 1993 Version You Never Heard
Here is a bit of trivia that usually wins bets: The Next Episode was supposed to be on Snoop’s debut album, Doggystyle, back in 1993.
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If you look at the back of the original Doggystyle cassette or CD, the title "Tha Next Episode" is actually printed there. But the song isn't on the disc. Why? Samples didn't clear, or the vibe wasn't right—the stories vary depending on who you ask. That original '93 version sounds nothing like the hit we know today. It was slower, more "G-Funk" heavy, and lacked that sharp, aggressive edge. Dre shelved it for six years. He waited until the technology and his own production style evolved to match the vision.
When it finally landed on the 2001 album (which, confusingly, came out in 1999), it felt like a comeback because it was. It was a calculated move to reclaim the West Coast's throne.
Who Actually Wrote the Verses?
Hip-hop purists love to debate Dre’s pen. It is a well-known "open secret" that Dre uses a room of writers to get his vision across. For this track, the heavy lifting wasn't just done by Snoop. A rapper named Hittman, along with The D.O.C. and Ms. Roq, were the architects behind the lyrics.
Snoop, of course, brought his effortless flow, but the structure of the song is a collaborative masterpiece. And we have to talk about Nate Dogg. Honestly, the song doesn't work without him. His closing line—the one about "smoking weed every day"—became so legendary it spawned a decade of internet memes. Sadly, Nate Dogg passed away in 2011, but that four-second vocal run is arguably the most famous outro in music history.
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Interestingly, while the song is credited to Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Kurupt are the ones holding the whole thing together in the background. Kurupt’s ad-libs and Nate’s melodic gravity gave the track its replay value.
The Super Bowl and the Olympic Handover
Fast forward to the 2020s, and the song has taken on a life of its own as a "legacy" anthem. When Dre and Snoop opened the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show with it in 2022, it felt like a victory lap. But the real "next episode" happened more recently.
At the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Snoop and Dre performed the track to signal the handover to Los Angeles 2028. It was a literal interpretation of the title. For a song that started as a rejected 1993 demo, seeing it used as a diplomatic tool for the International Olympic Committee is kind of hilarious. It shows how "The Next Episode" has transitioned from a "dangerous" gangsta rap song to a piece of American folk music.
Why It Still Knocks in 2026
Production-wise, the song is a masterclass in minimalism. There isn't a lot going on—a bass line, the McCallum sample, and some crisp percussion. That’s why it hasn't aged. Modern trap or mumble rap often feels cluttered, but Dre’s work on 2001 was about "sonic space."
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You've probably noticed that even in 2026, Dr. Dre’s production is being debated on social media. People are asking if he’s a "real" producer since he uses ghostwriters and co-producers like Mel-Man. But looking at the staying power of this track, that argument feels thin. A conductor doesn't play every violin in the orchestra, but the symphony doesn't happen without them.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Creators:
- Study the Sample: If you're a producer, go listen to David McCallum's "The Edge." See how Dre pitched it and chopped it. It's a lesson in "less is more."
- Check the 1993 OG Version: You can find the original "Tha Next Episode" bootlegs on YouTube. It's a fascinating look at how a great idea can fail if the timing isn't right.
- Appreciate the Collaborators: Next time you play the track, listen for Kurupt and Hittman. They are the unsung heroes of the 2001 era.
- Watch the 2024 Olympic Performance: It is the definitive modern version of the song, showing two legends who have outlasted every trend in the book.
The reality of "The Next Episode" is that it’s more than just a song. It’s a multi-decade project that survived label shifts, internal beefs, and the death of its iconic hook-man. It’s a testament to the idea that some things are worth waiting six years to get right.
To truly understand the legacy of this duo, you should look into the production credits of Snoop's latest album, Missionary, which Dre produced in late 2024. It serves as a spiritual successor to their early work and proves their chemistry hasn't faded.