Dr. Dre

Earlier this year, Bruce Williams, the longtime right hand man of Dr. Dre, wrote a tell-all book chronicling their relationship. One story in the book claimed the reverend Al Sharpton coerced Dr. Dre into donating 500k to Sharpton’s organization. This was in response to 50 Cent's rivalry with The Game and their altercation that led to a man being shot in the leg. If Dr. Dre failed to comply with the "donation" Sharpton would launch a full scale PR attack on Dre's label a... MORE

A recent study by Addiction Research & Theory claims hip hop music portrays marijuana and cocaine as symbols of wealth and status. After sampling lyrics from nearly 400 rap songs between 1979 and 1997, researchers found references to drugs had increased six-fold.
I wonder how much money they wasted doing this research? I have a few studies of my own to report, feel free to add on with your own.
1. Cookies make you fat.2. Pressing buttons on my keyboard causes corresponding ... MORE

According to data provided to Billboard from Yahoo, music fans are twice as more likely to use Wikipedia for information instead of a bands official website or myspace page. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, but it spells out the message that fans want their information delivered in a simple and easy manner.
"The interest that people had to go to MySpace to find out more about their favorite band is waning in favor of going to Wikipedia," Yahoo head of programmi... MORE

Every major hip hop artist is marketing a drink these days and Dre wasn't about to be left out. The Grammy-winning producer will be the face of a premium cognac, a sparkling vodka and possibly a premium tequila in the future. Dr. Dre was approached by Drinks Americas and they decided to form a partnership "to identify, develop, and market premium non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages" according to CNN. CNN also reported a statement from the President & Chief Executive O... MORE

Dr. Dre recently filed a lawsuit to obtain documentation from Death Row Records that relate to his music. The issue deals mostly with the royalties owed to Dre for his album The Chronic which was released at a time when he owned half of Death Row Records. When Dre gave up ownership of his half of the label, he retained his royalty rights, which Dre alleges hasn't been paid. The suit also points out the breach of contract that Death Row created when they sold their catal... MORE

Long time friend and former right hand man to Dr. Dre, Bruce Williams, will release a a tell all book giving an inside look at hip hop's most celebrated producer. “ROLLIN WITH DRE: The Unauthorized Account: An Insider’s Tale of the Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of West Coast Hip Hop” will "shock" readers with behind the scenes revelations. The book will span the time Dre joined NWA, the Death Row Records era, and later launching the careers of Eminem, 50 Cent, and The Game.
Dur... MORE

For the second time, Dr. Dre successfully defended himself against Detroit officials suing for invasion of privacy. Dre secretly videotaped conversations that would later appear on his "Up In Smoke Tour" DVD. Judge John A. Murphy dismissed the case after finding that the city workers had no reason to believe the conversation was private. The suit was also thrown out in 2004, but that didn't deter them from trying again.

"Secretly videotape a private conversation with... MORE

Seems like it's been forever since I've done a Hip-Hop Thursday post. Today, I decided to post an interesting track, Dr. Dre's "Been There Done That." Coming after his departure from Death Row, this song sees a Dre that's kind of sick of gangsta rap. That's quite a departure for someone who helped make it mainstream. On a side note, as I look at the box to the Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath CD, I wonder what happened to the other artists on there. I actually liked... MORE

Fans have been waiting on Dr. Dre's Detox album for nearly eight years now. The project has been "just around the corner", "coming soon", and "completely scrapped" and "never happening", a lot of hip hop fans have completely given up on waiting for it. In a recent interview with the L.A. Times Dre gave some of the most concrete news album the album that we've heard in years.

"I was really hoping to have it out this year, but it's going to have to be pushed back a wh... MORE

After what seems like years of silence, Dr. Dre has finally poked his head out from underground. First by making an unexpected appearance at the VMA's earlier this month, now the super producer has finally spoken on the fight between his two artists. The problem is, nobody really cares about the 50 and Game feud anymore, so thats a mission accomplished for the good doctor. In a recent interview with MTV news, Dre had this to say about his stubborn crew members.

"It w... MORE

When Dr. Dre shocked the world by leaving Death Row Records in 1995, he did so at the price of leaving the copyrights to his music behind. Dre would still receive royalties but ownership went to one Suge Knight. According to Dre, no royalties have been paid since the agreement and he is suing the bankrupt Death Row Records to recover ownership.

The suit was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles' U.S. Bankruptcy Court, it asserts Dre produced, created and was the main pe... MORE

Inspired by Dre's (real or perceived?) betrayal by his former NWA band mate Easy E. Add to that a few choice shots at the talentless Luke of 2 Live Crew. The anger is visceral and palpable. Some "gansta" hip-hop seems like commerically inspired posing, but the threat of violence in this song is authentic and chilling. This song finds it's way into my mind more often than I really want to admit. Then again, if people stopped pi**ing me of, it would not make my playlist as o... MORE