Dr. Dre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dr. Dre
Dre in 2013
Born	Andre Romell Young (1965-02-18) February 18, 1965 (age 60) Compton, California, U.S.
Other names	Dre Brickhard The Mechanic
Occupation	Rapper songwriter record producer entrepreneur music executive actor
Years active	1984–present
Works	Discography filmography production
Spouse(s)	Nicole Plotzker ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 2021)​
Children	8
Relatives	Sir Jinx (cousin) Warren G (step-brother) Olaijah Griffin (step-nephew)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	West Coast hip-hop gangsta rap G-funk
Instruments	Vocals synthesizer keyboards drum machine sampler
Labels	Interscope Aftermath Death Row Priority Ruthless Kru-Cut Epic
Signature

Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, music producer, and actor. He started the music companies Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. He also helped create Death Row Records and was its president.

Early Life and School Days

Andre Romell Young was born in Compton, California, on February 18, 1965. His middle name, Romell, comes from his father's music group. His parents separated when he was young.

In 1976, Dre went to Vanguard Junior High School. He later moved to Roosevelt Junior High School because of safety concerns. His family moved often, living in different cities like Compton, Carson, and Long Beach. He spent a lot of time with his grandmother in Compton. His mother later married, and Dre gained three step-sisters and a step-brother, Warren G, who also became a rapper. Dre is also the cousin of producer Sir Jinx.

Dre went to Centennial High School and then Fremont High School. He tried to join a program at Northrop Aviation Company but couldn't because of his grades. After high school, he briefly attended Chester Adult School and a radio broadcasting school.

Dr. Dre's Musical Journey

Andre Young started his music career in 1985 with a group called World Class Wreckin' Cru. He later became famous with the rap group N.W.A. In the early 1990s, Dr. Dre was very important in creating and making West Coast G-funk popular. This style of hip hop uses a lot of synthesizer sounds and has a slow, strong beat.

His first solo album, The Chronic (1992), was a huge success. It made him one of the best-selling artists in 1993. He won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for his song "Let Me Ride". He also got awards for "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". That same year, he produced the first album for Snoop Doggy Dogg, called Doggystyle. He also helped other producers like his stepbrother Warren G.

In 1996, Dr. Dre left Death Row Records to start his own company, Aftermath Entertainment. He released a collection of songs called Dr. Dre Presents: The Aftermath in 1996. His second solo album, 2001, came out in 1999.

In the 2000s, Dr. Dre mostly focused on producing music for other artists. He signed famous rappers like Eminem in 1998 and 50 Cent in 2002. He also signed artists such as the Game, Kendrick Lamar, and Anderson .Paak. He has won seven Grammy Awards, including "Producer of the Year". Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".

On February 13, 2022, Dr. Dre performed at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show. He was joined by Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige. The show was highly praised and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). In 2022, he also produced songs for the movie Elvis and DJ Khaled's album God Did.

In September 2022, it was announced that Dr. Dre would create the music for an animated series called Death for Hire: The Origin of Tehk City. This show is made by Ice-T and Arabian Prince. In 2024, Snoop Dogg announced a new album, Missionary, which Dr. Dre produced entirely.

Other Projects and Businesses

Acting in Movies

Dr. Dre has also appeared in movies. His first role was in the 1996 movie Set It Off. In 2001, he was in The Wash and Training Day. He also had songs featured on The Wash soundtrack.

Crucial Films

In 2007, Dr. Dre announced he would produce movies for Crucial Films, a company owned by New Line Cinema. He said he wanted to direct films because he had directed many music videos. He also produced Straight Outta Compton (2015), a movie about his old group N.W.A.

Beats Electronics

Beats by Dr. Dre logo

In 2006, Dr. Dre and his partner Jimmy Iovine started Beats Electronics. Their first headphones came out in 2008. These headphones became very popular. In 2009, Hewlett-Packard started selling Beats headphones with some of their laptops.

In 2014, Beats Music was launched as a music streaming service. Later that year, Apple bought the Beats brand for $3.4 billion. This deal made Dr. Dre one of the richest people in hip hop. He became an employee at Apple and worked with them for several years.

Giving Back to the Community

In May 2013, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine gave $70 million to the University of Southern California. This money helped create the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy. This academy helps students learn about art, technology, and business. The first students started there in 2014.

In June 2017, Dr. Dre promised $10 million to build a performing arts center for the new Compton High School. This center will have creative spaces and a large theater. It is a partnership between Dr. Dre and the Compton Unified School District.

Dr. Dre's Family Life

Dr. Dre has several children. His first son, Curtis, was born in 1981 and later became a rapper known as Hood Surgeon. He also has three daughters with Lisa Johnson.

In 1988, he had a son named Andre Young Jr., who sadly passed away in 2008 at age 20. From 1987 to 1996, Dre dated singer Michel'le, and they had a son named Marcel in 1991.

In 1996, Dr. Dre married Nicole Threatt. They have two children together: a son named Truice (born 1997) and a daughter named Truly (born 2001). They divorced in 2021.

In 2014, Dr. Dre bought a large home in Los Angeles. He is a big fan of the Los Angeles Rams football team and the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.

Dr. Dre's Music Albums

Studio albums

• The Chronic (1992)
• 2001 (1999)
• Compton (2015)

EPs

• GTA Online: The Contract (2022)

Albums with Groups

• World Class (with World Class Wreckin' Cru) (1985)
• Rapped in Romance (with World Class Wreckin' Cru) (1986)
• Straight Outta Compton (with N.W.A) (1988)
• ...4Life (with N.W.A) (1991)
• Missionary (with Snoop Dogg) (2024)

Awards and Recognitions

In March 2024, Dr. Dre received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

American Music Awards

Grammy Awards

Dr. Dre has won eight Grammy Awards for his music and production work.

MTV Video Music Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Dr. Dre in 2008

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  Dr. Dre performs at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

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  Dre in 2011

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  Dr. Dre performing with Snoop Dogg, 2012

See also

In Spanish: Dr. Dre para niños