Things to Know About Dr Dre

Dre was born as Andre Romelle Young on February 18, 1965 in Compton, California to Theodore and Verna Young. He is an American rapper, record producer, and businessman.

In 1986, he co-founded N.W.A with Eazy-E and Ice Cube. Later on, he served as head of Aftermath Entertainment before co-founding Beats Electronics–a headphone brand which was acquired by Apple in 2014.

1. He is a rapper

Dre is an award-winning rapper and producer known for his g-funk production style. He’s produced hits by artists such as Eminem, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Jay Z; plus Dre has earned six Grammy Awards plus the Producer of the Year title.

On February 18th, 1965, Andre Romelle Young was born in Compton to his mother Verna and raised by her until they divorced when he was 17. As a teenager, his parents separated and her new spouse remarried shortly thereafter.

He developed an interest in music while still in his teens, and eventually joined forces with Eazy-E, Ice Cube and MC Ren to form N.W.A – revolutionizing West Coast hip-hop. Additionally, he produced multiple albums by rappers such as Snoop Dogg and Eminem while earning numerous Grammy awards for his production work.

His debut album The Chronic, released in 1992, became a huge success and cemented his g-funk style of rap music. It is considered one of the most influential albums in rap history and helped shape what would come to be known as gangsta rap music.

In 1996, he left Death Row Records to form Aftermath Entertainment and created both a compilation album and solo record. Additionally, he signed Eminem and 50 Cent to his label, contributing production on their albums.

Dre has achieved great success through his music, despite never having achieved academic excellence. He has produced numerous rap hits and earned himself numerous awards for his work as a rapper, producer, and entrepreneur.

He is best known as co-founder of Beats Electronics, which he sold to Apple in 2014 for an immense sum. This has earned him the title as richest rap star ever with a net worth estimated at approximately $800 million.

Dre has earned multiple Grammy Awards for his rap music and is an incredibly successful businessman. He made his fortune producing various hit rap songs and owns his own record label, Aftermath Entertainment.

Dre has had a remarkable career, but not without some legal troubles. In 1991, he was accused of hitting television host Denise Barnes and fined $2,500 for the incident.

2. He is a producer

Dre has had an illustrious career as a producer, working with many renowned rappers such as Eminem and 50 Cent. Additionally, he co-founded successful music company Aftermath Entertainment which still operates today. Dre is renowned for his unique ability to translate the message and emotions of his artists into powerful beats that can convey intense feelings without words.

He has produced numerous albums, but two of his most successful works include Straight Outta Compton – N.W.A’s final studio album – and D.O.C’s No One Can Do It Better, both going platinum and topping the charts.

The rapper began his music career as a DJ, but quickly transitioned into production. He collaborated with World Class Wreckin’ Cru and N.W.A before founding Death Row Records in 1991. His first solo album The Chronic was an instant success and earned him several awards; additionally, he helped pioneer G-funk, which combined samples from soul music with gangsta rap music.

Dre is a multi-talented musician, businessman and member of the National Board of Directors for the Recording Industry Association of America. He recently sued Napster, an online platform that allows users to swap copyrighted songs, as part of his legal battle against illegal downloading music.

Dre is a master producer with an eye for detail and perfection. He often acts as mentor to new producers, producing albums for other rappers such as D.O.C (Tray Curry) whom he discovered while living in Dallas, Texas.

His success as a producer is due to his unique combination of artistry and business acumen. He always ensures that he earns royalties from each record he produces, providing him with an ongoing source of income which can be used for funding his own music projects.

He is an effective communicator and works well with his team. Additionally, he has mentored other musicians like his stepbrother Warren G and cousin Daz Dillinger, who have gone on to achieve success as producers.

3. He is a businessman

Dre is not only a famous rapper, but he’s also one of music’s most successful entrepreneurs. In 2014, Apple purchased his Beats electronics brand for an estimated $3 billion dollars – making him one of the world’s richest hip-hop artists.

Andre Romelle Young hails from a musical family. Both his parents were singers; Verna quit her group The Four Aces before he was born and Theodore Romell performed locally with his band called the Romells.

Despite having a difficult childhood, he has managed to rise above it and build an impressive business empire in the music industry. A six-time Grammy award winner, he is ranked 56 on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 greatest artists of all time.

In 2008, Dre joined Jimmy Iovine to launch Beats Electronics: an audio brand designed to give music listeners the same thrill they experienced while listening to their favorite artists. With headphones and speakers designed with this in mind, Beats Electronics promised music fans all-encompassing sound quality at their fingertips.

Dre saw an opportunity to combine his love of music and business. He began making sure every record produced had value-added royalties, providing him with a steady source of income.

He pursued numerous endeavors in the music industry, founding Aftermath Entertainment and co-founding Death Row Records with Suge Knight. Under his guidance, Snoop Dogg, Eazy-E and 2Pac released albums.

The company’s catalogue boasted platinum-selling hits like Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle and Tupac Shakur’s All Eyez On Me. Furthermore, it was this label which provided Dre with his start as an entrepreneur.

Dre’s success as a musician and producer led to him investing in real estate. In 2014, he paid $40 million for the former home of Giselle Bundchen and Tom Brady in Brentwood, CA which he sold three years later.

His business prowess has seen him become a billionaire, ranking as the second richest rapper worldwide behind Jay Z. Additionally, he has philanthropic interests; in 2013, he donated $70 million to the University of Southern California.

4. He is a singer

Dre is one of the most renowned and influential figures in American music history. As a rapper, producer, entrepreneur, his contributions have had an immense effect on the industry. He has earned six Grammy Awards and is widely regarded as “The Godfather of American Hip Hop”.

Dre was born in Compton, California to a musical family. His mother sang and his dad Theodore Young played drums for the Romells band.

At the age of four, Dre began performing as a DJ in local clubs. Eventually, he made enough money to pursue full time deejaying and took on the moniker Dr. Dre in honor of basketball great Julius Erving (nickname “Dr. J”)

In 1986, he co-founded the gangsta rap group N.W.A with Ice Cube and Eazy-E, with whom he made the album Straight Outta Compton that confronted issues of street violence and racial profiling in an intense fashion. This marked a pivotal moment in gangsta rap history as it brought explicit descriptions of street life to the mainstream audience for the first time ever.

The song “F-ck tha Police” became an instant sensation and garnered widespread recognition for its depiction of police brutality, despite opposition from law enforcement organizations. The album would go on to sell more than 2 million copies, setting a new standard in this genre.

After releasing his debut solo album, 2001 (1999), Dre turned his focus towards producing for other artists and signed artists like Eminem and 50 Cent to his Aftermath label. Dre’s career as a producer would continue for many years.

He was also a successful businessman, founding companies such as Beats Electronics and Beats Music with Jimmy Iovine that were eventually acquired by Apple for $3 billion in 2014.

His production work was often inconsistent, but one of his best-known creations remains Popped Off. This song incorporates a sample from Sly and the Family Stone’s uptempo Sing A Simple Song with an aggressive bassline and off-key horns for an energetic finale.

In 1996, he left Death Row Records to launch Aftermath Entertainment and produced several compilation albums, including Grammy-winning Dre Presents the Aftermath. Additionally, he released 2001 (1999), which sold millions of copies and earned him two more Grammy awards. Furthermore, he was known for his philanthropic efforts by donating money to charities and schools alike.