After leaving Death Row Records and facing low initial sales with his new label Aftermath, critics claimed Dr. Dre had "fallen off" .

Although Dre raps the lyrics, Jay-Z wrote the entire song in roughly 30 minutes, aiming to capture the essence of L.A. street life and Dre's ego .

The song was a deliberate statement designed by Jimmy Iovine and Dre to prove he was still a dominant producer and artist after a five-year hiatus from the spotlight .

Produced by Dr. Dre and Mel-Man, with the iconic piano riff created by Scott Storch . 2. Key Themes in "Still D.R.E."