Born in Los Angeles, California, on February 18, 1965, André Romel Young began performing at house parties in the 1980s. Wearing a doctor’s mask, he performed for the World Class Wreckin’ Cru under the self-inflicted nickname Dr. Dre, with Dre being short for André. In 1986, Dr. Dre met Ice Cube and together they began writing songs. Under the label of Eazy-E, they formed N.W.A. together with M.C. Ren and DJ Yella, releasing their first album in 1987.
Though initially not supported by the record-buying populous, N.W.A. released the album Straight Outta Compton in 1989, under the distribution assistance of Bryan Turner and Priority Records label. The album with all its misogynistic and violent undertones and overtones became an underground hit even though it lacked the support of radio and television. Though N.W.A. had suddenly gained popularity, Ice Cube left in 1989 over financial disputes with Dr. Dre.
Two years later, Dr. Dre left N.W.A. during its peak of popularity and formed Death Row Records with Suge Knight. Dr. Dre released his first solo single "Deep Cover" in 1992. It was at this point in his career that Dr. Dre became associated with Snoop Dogg, whose voice is heard on Dr. Dre’s best-selling hip-hop album The Chronic. In 1993, Dr. Dre produced Snoop Dog’s debut album, Doggystyle, which became the first debut album to debut at #1 on the Billboard Charts.
Though Dr. Dre had some success with Death Row records as an artist and producer for Snoop Dogg, and later Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre left Death Row to form his own label, Aftermath Entertainment, in 1996. It wasn’t an instant success, but by 1998, Dr. Dre signed the notorious Eminem. Dre’s Aftermath produced Eminem’s controversial albums The Slim Shady Lady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP, for which he later won a Grammy for Producer of the Year.
To date, his label also has signed hip-hop artists 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Eve, and of course, he continues to put out his own music. Dre’s most recent and reportedly final solo album, Detox, has been in production since early 2004 and is slated for release in September 2007.
YUDDY
