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Dr Dre's 'Detox' album is one of the most anticipated in years for rap fans, but after two singles "Kush" and "I Need A Doctor" there is no release date in sight.

One of Dre's frequent collaborators, Snoop Dogg spoke with Tim Westwood about the project and was very blunt in his assessment of what needs to be done for the album to finally see the light of day.

"It's a formula, when we made records in the past it was always girls, it was always party, it was always the right atmosphere to create that type of album that sounds like the albums you have heard in the past," Snoop told the BBC radio host. "If there's not that atmosphere you can't create that kind of album. So that's what's happening right now -- the songs don't match the atmosphere and the atmosphere don't match the songs."

'The Chronic' and 'The Chronic 2001' featured lots of collaborations with artists from the old Death Row Records days. People like Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Nate Dogg, Snoop, RBX, Lady Of Rage and D.O.C. heavily influenced the sound of those classic albums. Snoop thinks those key ingredients were vital and are not there anymore.

"What we're accustomed to hearing from Dr Dre is the brand new next best everything, and right now people are not getting that," Snoop continued. "He knows that... he's a perfectionist, until he gets that he's not going to release it because he doesn't want the scrutiny of people saying 'ah I waited this long for that?'

"He's got a strong work ethic, but I'mma say this and I don't know if it's gonna ruffle any feathers. I just think the wrong people are in the environment. When he made records that were hit records in the past, D.O.C., Snoop Dogg, RBX, Kurupt -- it's like it's pieces that's not there that need to be there. And I'll say D.O.C. and Snoop Dogg is the backbone. When you take those two out of the equation it's not gonna work. You need to put them two back into the situation and let us mastermind and the project like did Chronic and 2001. That's what's missing."

Wow, that's the most direct statements we've heard on the real reasons behind the 'Detox' delay. Kind of makes you wonder if the album will still come out this year.