Dr. Dre’s Detox has been alluding fans for six years now, with little known about when the hip-hop icon’s long-awaited opus will arrive. Where most albums are pushed back due to label turmoil or economic mishaps, it’s Dre’s perfectionism that has been the driving force behind the Detox delay. Rap-Up caught up with the Doc’s protégé and former Shady/Aftermath signee Stat Quo, who shed some light on the heavily-guarded project.

“It’s whenever Dre’s ready,” the Atlanta MC tells Rap-Up. “If you want my opinion on it, I think he wants to be confident in what he has to put out as an ensemble piece. Dre is hip-hop in a sense, so hip-hop needs him to put out a great album, ’cause if he doesn’t, it affects all of us—not just what he does, but the whole culture.”

Stat is no stranger to album setbacks himself, which is part of the reason he chose to depart Shady/Aftermath in 2008. However, Eminem and Dre’s influence on him as an artist, as well as a person, has remained a vital part of who he’s become today.

“Em has taught me, in terms of function, how to put a rhyme together, just being around him and watching him, I’ve taken that and incorporated that in what I do,” he says. “And Dre is just all around a better artist, a better person. Whenever I need advice on anything—my personal life, business, whatever—I go and ask him. He’s like a real live mentor for me.”

Despite not being part of the Shady/Aftermath family any more, it’s still all love between Stat and his mentors. The rapper was actually featured in one of Dre’s recent HP commercials (and as a result has created a pseudonym for himself—Russell Quo), and has also been one person who’s had a chance to not only listen to, but be a part of Detox.

“I still work with Dre every day,” he reveals. “I’ve heard and been a part of some incredible music.”

The burden of perfectionism is a heavy one—and apparently a six-year long one, but it’s clearly something that Dre takes very seriously and has passed onto Stat as well.

“He’s very important and he knows that, so he’s not just gonna put out some bullshit. You never get that second chance to make that first impression.”

Stat Quo’s debut album Statlanta has a tentative release date of June 22. As for Detox, Stat assures it’s coming sooner than later.

“I think he’s gonna be putting something out real soon,” he adds. “It’s all on him. He’s the captain. We’re ship hands working on that ship.”