Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre - Andre Young, rap producer
Person from United States
Genres: Hip-Hop, rap, Gangsta Rap, west coast, hip hop
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About Dr. Dre
Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and a co-founder of Death Row Records. He began his career in 1984 as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru and later gained prominence as a founding member of the hip hop group N.W.A alongside Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Arabian Prince. The group became known for its explicit lyrical content and its role in the development and popularization of gangsta rap. Their debut album "Straight Outta Compton" (1988) is regarded as an influential release in West Coast hip hop. During the early 1990s, Dr. Dre became associated with the development of G-funk, a subgenre of hip hop characterized by synthesizer-based production and slower rhythms. Following the breakup of N.W.A after the release of "Niggaz4life" (1991), he launched a solo career and became the flagship artist of Death Row Records. His debut solo album, "The Chronic" (1992), achieved commercial and critical success and established him as one of the leading figures in hip hop. The album's lead single, "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang", featuring Snoop Dogg, reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Let Me Ride" received the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In addition to his solo work, Dr. Dre produced Snoop Dogg's debut album "Doggystyle" (1993) and contributed to releases by artists including Warren G, Daz Dillinger, Tha Dogg Pound, and Tupac Shakur. In 1996, he left Death Row Records and founded Aftermath Entertainment. He subsequently released the compilation album "Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath" (1996) and the studio album "2001" (1999). His third studio album, "Compton", was released in 2015 after years of speculation surrounding an unreleased project titled "Detox". During the 2000s, Dr. Dre focused primarily on production work for other artists. He signed Eminem to Aftermath Entertainment in 1998 and 50 Cent in 2002, contributing extensively to the releases of both artists. Other musicians associated with Aftermath have included the Game, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic, Busta Rhymes, Eve, and Rakim. Dr. Dre has received multiple Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. He has also appeared in films including "Set It Off" (1996), "The Wash" (2001), and "Training Day" (2001). Dr. Dre has faced allegations of violence against women. In 1991, he pleaded no contest to assaulting television host Dee Barnes and received two years of probation; a related civil lawsuit was settled out of court. In 2015, singer Michel'le publicly accused him of domestic violence, and other former partners also made allegations against him. Rapper Tairrie B stated that he assaulted her at a party in 1990. Following the release of "Compton", Dr. Dre issued a public apology regarding his past behavior. Andre Romell Young was born on February 18, 1965, in Compton, California, to Theodore and Verna Young. His middle name was derived from the Romells, an amateur R&B group formed by his father. His parents separated in 1968 and divorced in 1972. His mother later remarried and had additional children. Dr. Dre spent much of his childhood in Compton and other areas of Southern California, including Carson, Long Beach, Watts, and South Central Los Angeles. He attended several schools during his youth, including Vanguard Junior High School, Roosevelt Junior High School, Centennial High School, and Fremont High School. Due to poor academic performance, he was unable to enter an apprenticeship program at Northrop Aviation. After high school, he briefly attended a radio broadcasting school before focusing on music and entertainment. Inspired by the song "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel", Dr. Dre became involved in DJing at the Los Angeles nightclub Eve's After Dark. Initially performing under the name Dr. J, inspired by basketball player Julius Erving, he later adopted the stage name Dr. Dre. There he met Antoine Carraby, later known as DJ Yella. Together they recorded demos, including the song "Surgery" (1984), before joining the World Class Wreckin' Cru. The group became associated with the electro-hop scene of the mid-1980s and achieved regional success. In 1986, Dr. Dre collaborated with rapper Ice Cube and Eazy-E to form N.W.A under Ruthless Records. The group released "Straight Outta Compton" in 1988, which became commercially successful despite limited radio airplay. The song "Fuck tha Police" drew attention from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which sent a warning letter to Ruthless Records regarding the song's content. Following Ice Cube's departure from N.W.A in 1989, Dr. Dre continued producing for Ruthless Records artists, including Eazy-E, Above the Law, Michel'le, the D.O.C., and J.J. Fad. In 1991, after disputes with Eazy-E and Ruthless Records, he left the label and joined Suge Knight in founding Death Row Records. In 1992, Dr. Dre released the single "Deep Cover" with Snoop Dogg and later released "The Chronic". The album helped define the G-funk sound and introduced several artists, including Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Nate Dogg, and the Lady of Rage. Singles such as "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang", "Let Me Ride", and "Fuck wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')" contributed to the album's success. "The Chronic" received multi-platinum certification and won a Grammy Award. Dr. Dre continued producing throughout the 1990s, including work on Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle", the soundtrack albums for "Above the Rim" and "Murder Was the Case", and the single "California Love" with Tupac Shakur. In 1996, amid disputes with Death Row Records and Suge Knight, he left the label and founded Aftermath Entertainment under Interscope Records. His 1996 compilation "Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath" received mixed commercial and critical reception. During this period, he also worked with artists including Nas, LL Cool J, and Jay-Z. In 1998, he signed Eminem to Aftermath Entertainment and produced several tracks on Eminem's debut major-label album, "The Slim Shady LP" (1999), which contributed to the label's renewed commercial success. Dr. Dre released "2001" in 1999. The album featured collaborations with artists including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, Devin the Dude, Mary J. Blige, and Hittman. It achieved commercial success and produced singles such as "Still D.R.E." and "Forgot About Dre". In 2000, he received the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical and participated in the Up in Smoke Tour alongside Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube. Throughout the 2000s, Dr. Dre produced tracks for artists including Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Eve, Gwen Stefani, Bilal, 50 Cent, and the Game. He served as executive producer on Eminem albums such as "The Marshall Mathers LP", "The Eminem Show", and "Encore", and on 50 Cent's debut album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (2003). He also worked on albums by Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Young Buck, and Raekwon. For many years, Dr. Dre announced plans for a third studio album titled "Detox". The project experienced repeated delays and underwent numerous revisions. Singles associated with the project included "Kush" featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon, and "I Need a Doctor" featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey. Despite extensive recording sessions and production work, the album was never officially released. In 2015, Dr. Dre released "Compton", an album inspired by the film "Straight Outta Compton" (2015), a biographical film about N.W.A. The album featured collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, the Game, and others. Around this period, he also became increasingly involved in business ventures related to Beats Electronics and Apple. In 2012, Dr. Dre performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival alongside Snoop Dogg, including a virtual projection performance featuring Tupac Shakur. In 2022, he performed at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Anderson .Paak. The performance received critical acclaim and won several Primetime Emmy Awards. Dr. Dre has also remained active in production work during the 2020s. He served as executive producer for Eminem's "Music to Be Murdered By" (2020) and contributed music to the video game "Grand Theft Auto Online" through "The Contract" update. In 2024, he collaborated with Snoop Dogg on the album "Missionary", which was presented as a spiritual successor to "Doggystyle". He also contributed production to Eminem's album "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)" (2024). Outside music, Dr. Dre has been involved in television and business ventures. A planned television series titled "Vital Signs" for Apple TV+ was announced in 2016 but later canceled. Through Beats Electronics, which was co-founded with Jimmy Iovine, he became involved in the consumer electronics industry following the launch of the Beats by Dre headphone brand. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Dre Studio albums The Chronic (1992) 2001 (1999) Compton (2015)
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