The song is about the hedonism of the moment. Whether it’s performing near-fisting sexual acts in the back seat with a girlfriend, smoking marijuana to pass the time, or simply spending time with friends in either Compton or Inglewood, the point of the song is to empower the listener to enjoy life and to seek “the next episode,” which should, of course, be much better than the last episode. The rappers in the song, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Kurupt also intend the lyrics to be a “shout out” to hip-hop fans, who should strive for greatness in their lives by also searching for “the next episode.”

A Seminal Hit

The song is now 24 years old, so it has been featured in many television programs and movies, including “Skam,” “The Defiant House, “Rough Night,” “This Is the End,” and the 2012 movie called “Project X.” The inclusion in “Rough Night” is interesting because that film was directed by Lucia Aniello and had a cast of top-billed female stars, all of whom are empowered women. The juxtaposition between them and the way “hoes” are portrayed in much of hip-hop is jarring, but Aniello makes it work in her morbid comedy.

Dr. Dre told an interviewer once that “The Next Episode” was a simple track to record because he used David McCallum’s “The Edge,” from 1967, as the chief sample for the song. He further stated that all they needed to do was to have a bass player come in and play behind the sample and to have a guitar player do easy chords to support both. The interviewer then gave Dr. Dre his props, saying that “The Next Episode” was the first record he played back at the beginning of the new millennium when the song came out. Humorously, it couldn’t have been “The Next Episode” because he admitted to having had bought several other albums before. The inference is that those were inconsequential when compared to “The Next Episode.” During that same interview, the interviewer asked Dr. Dre if he knew that he and Snoop Dogg were making history when they made “Nuthin’ But a G Thang,” which was one of the precursors to “The Next Episode.” Dr. Dre humbly said, “No.”

A Diversity of Styles

Because the song involves four male rappers, each with his own personality, method of delivery, and vocal timbre, it quickly becomes furious and raucous. From Snoop Dogg’s high falsetto to Dr. Dre’s husky delivery, the song rams its powerful message home with great effect.

The song has been a massive success and featured in several TV shows and films such as: The Loud House, The Defiant Ones, Rough Night, The Watch, and This Is The End.

Lyrics

Da, da, da, da, da
It’s the motherf*ckin’ D-O-double-G (Snoop Dogg!)
Da, da, da, da, da
You know I’m mobbin’ with the D.R.E. (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
You know who’s back up in this motherf*cker! (What, what, what, what?)
So blaze the weed up then! (Blaze it up, blaze it up!)
Blaze that shit up, n*gga… yeah ‘Sup Snoop?

Top Dogg, bite ’em all, n*gga, burn that shit up
D-P-G-C, my n*gga, turn that shit up
C-P-T, L-B-C, yeah, we hookin’ back up
And when they bang this in the club, baby, you got to get up
Thug n*ggas, drug dealers, yeah, they givin’ it up
Lowlife, yo’ life, boy, we livin’ it up
Takin’ chances while we dancin’ in the party fo’ sho’
Slip my hoe a 44 when she got in the back do’
Bitches lookin’ at me strange but you know I don’t care
Step up in this motherf*cker just a-swingin’ my hair
Bitch quit talkin’, crip-walk if you’re down with the set
Take a bullet with some dick and take this dope on this jet
Out o’ town, put it down for the Father of Rap
And if yo’ ass get cracked, bitch, shut your trap
Come back, get back, that’s the part of success

If you believe in the S, you’ll be relievin’ your stress

Da, da, da, da, da
It’s the motherf*ckin’ D.R.E. (Dr. Dre, motherf*cker!)
Da, da, da, da, da
You know I’m mobbin’ with the D-O-double-G
Straight off the f*ckin’ streets of C-P-T
King of the beats—you ride to ’em in your Fleet- (Fleetwood!)
Wood Coupe DeVille rollin’ on dubs
How you feel—whoopty-whoop—n*gga what?
Dre and Snoop chronic’d out in the ‘lac (In the ‘lac!)
With Doc in the back, sippin’ on ‘gnac (Yeah)
Clip in the strap, dippin’ through ‘hoods (What ‘hoods?)
Compton, Long Beach, Inglewood!
South Central out to the Westside (Westside)
It’s California Love, this California bud got a n*gga gang o’ pub
I’m on one, I might bail up in the Century Club
With my jeans on and my team strong
Get my drink on and my smoke on
Then go home wit’ somethin’ to poke on (Wha’sup bitch?)

Loc’, it’s on for the two-triple-oh
Comin’ real, it’s the next episode

Hold up, hey
For my n*ggas who be thinkin’ we soft
We don’t play
We gon’ rock it ’til the wheels fall off
Hold up, hey
For my n*ggas who be actin’ too bold
Take a seat
Hope you ready for the next episode—
Hey
Smoke weed everday

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Calvin Broadus / Andre Romell Young / David Axelrod / Melvin Bradford / Barry Ridgeway Bailey

The Next Episode lyrics © Wb Music Corp., Ain’t Nothing But Funkin’ Music, Hard Working Black Folks Inc., My Own Chit Music, Loot On Loose Leaf Music, Big Yacht Music, Beechwood Music Corporation, Big Yacht Entertainment

Listeners that enjoy this song about Rebellion may also enjoy the song Scar Tissue by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Editor’s Note: This article was first published September 25th, 2022 and last updated April 5th, 2023.