Let's face it -- Dr. Dre's long-awaited Detox album might never come out. The release has been plagued with years and years of false release dates and promotional campaigns that suggest it will come out, but it never does. Fortunately, as our recent Timeline indicates, there is still much to celebrate in Dr. Dre's decades-long career. If you want to become an expert on the rapper/producer, read the full piece here. Below you'll find just a taste of what the feature has in store.
Five Facts You Might Not Know About Dr. Dre:
1. Dr. Dre was already a DJ at the age of four:
Andre Romelle Young (aka Dr. Dre) is born on February 18 to two aspiring teenage singers, 16-year-old Theodore Young and 15-year-old Verna. A younger brother Jerome dies of pneumonia a year later. Soon, his mother splits with Young and has another son, Tyree. At age four, Andre plays vinyl singles at his mother's house parties, studiously picking his favourites.
2. Dr. Dre spent time in jail for parking tickets before collaborating with Eazy-E:
After running up a number of unpaid parking tickets, Dre is arrested and lands in jail. Calls to Lonzo Williams, who had bailed him out before, prove unsuccessful. Dre turns to local drug dealer Eric Wright, who bails him out on the condition Dre make music for a label Wright wants to start. Dre agrees and a New York duo is recruited to rap Ice Cube-penned lyrics. The duo balk at the West coast-oriented lyrics and leave. Dre, anxious to get something out of the studio session, urges the reluctant Wright to rap the lyrics to the song; Ice Cube gives him the MC name Eazy-E.
3. Detroit's mayor took legal action against N.W.A. for performing "Fuck Tha Police" in '89:
Meanwhile, opposition to N.W.A. is growing. The FBI sends a letter to Priority Records expressing concern over the lyrical content of "Fuck Tha Police." Before performing in Detroit, the mayor requests a face-to-face meeting with the group to request that they not perform the song. When the group defies this request, local police rush the stage as the song starts and search for the group backstage. The group are later located at their hotel room and are handed citations.
4. Dr. Dre didn't realize Eminem was white when he first heard him:
The new material that Dre is presenting to executives is being received coolly, but Iovine does pass on the tape of a young MC from Detroit. Dre likes it and wants to work with the MC; he is shocked to he find out that Eminem is white. They begin work together almost immediately and in their first session they record four songs, many of which will appear on Em's major label debut.
5. Dr. Dre worked with Burt Bacharach in 2004:
Dre recruits Busta Rhymes to Aftermath. Dre also works with legendary composer Burt Bacharach on several tracks and the results appear later on Bacharach's solo album At This Time.
Five Facts You Might Not Know About Dr. Dre:
1. Dr. Dre was already a DJ at the age of four:
Andre Romelle Young (aka Dr. Dre) is born on February 18 to two aspiring teenage singers, 16-year-old Theodore Young and 15-year-old Verna. A younger brother Jerome dies of pneumonia a year later. Soon, his mother splits with Young and has another son, Tyree. At age four, Andre plays vinyl singles at his mother's house parties, studiously picking his favourites.
2. Dr. Dre spent time in jail for parking tickets before collaborating with Eazy-E:
After running up a number of unpaid parking tickets, Dre is arrested and lands in jail. Calls to Lonzo Williams, who had bailed him out before, prove unsuccessful. Dre turns to local drug dealer Eric Wright, who bails him out on the condition Dre make music for a label Wright wants to start. Dre agrees and a New York duo is recruited to rap Ice Cube-penned lyrics. The duo balk at the West coast-oriented lyrics and leave. Dre, anxious to get something out of the studio session, urges the reluctant Wright to rap the lyrics to the song; Ice Cube gives him the MC name Eazy-E.
3. Detroit's mayor took legal action against N.W.A. for performing "Fuck Tha Police" in '89:
Meanwhile, opposition to N.W.A. is growing. The FBI sends a letter to Priority Records expressing concern over the lyrical content of "Fuck Tha Police." Before performing in Detroit, the mayor requests a face-to-face meeting with the group to request that they not perform the song. When the group defies this request, local police rush the stage as the song starts and search for the group backstage. The group are later located at their hotel room and are handed citations.
4. Dr. Dre didn't realize Eminem was white when he first heard him:
The new material that Dre is presenting to executives is being received coolly, but Iovine does pass on the tape of a young MC from Detroit. Dre likes it and wants to work with the MC; he is shocked to he find out that Eminem is white. They begin work together almost immediately and in their first session they record four songs, many of which will appear on Em's major label debut.
5. Dr. Dre worked with Burt Bacharach in 2004:
Dre recruits Busta Rhymes to Aftermath. Dre also works with legendary composer Burt Bacharach on several tracks and the results appear later on Bacharach's solo album At This Time.
