Snoop Dogg and Eminem praise Dr. Dre’s ‘footprint in music’
The addition of stars to the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been revealed, with Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent also joining producer and entrepreneur Dr. Dre.
More than 20 years ago, music mogul Dr. Dre rapped “I’ll never live hard again” in his 2001 song “Still DRE,” and now he’s risen to billionaire status.
The Compton, Calif.-born hip-hop musician and producer who popularized the funky genre of gangsta rap has been added to Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires, the outlet said.
Dr. Dre, 61, whose real name is Andre Young, was profiled on the April and May cover stories of Forbes magazine (which can also be read on Forbes.com), and he can be found sandwiched between technologist Vladimir Ivanov and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on Forbes’ list of the richest people. He is also included in Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s richest celebrities, along with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Jay-Z.
Dre told Forbes he continues to work on music, including 400 early unreleased tracks created during the pandemic. “You never know if something will happen that will make you think of the best things in life,” he told Forbes. “The exciting part is that it’s a possibility. It’s both exciting and depressing because you know it’s there. And what if you don’t find it?”
Dre’s non-musical production helped propel him to billionaire status. He and record label chairman Jimmy Iovine founded Beats Electronics in 2008, turning $300 high-end headphones into a status symbol. Six years later, they sold Beats to Apple for $3 billion.
“Financially, I’m in a situation I never dreamed of,” Dre told USA TODAY at the time. “Now, we’re ready to get to work.”
Since then, Dre has teamed up with Snoop Dogg (Iovine is also an investor) to develop Gin & Juice by Dre & Snoop ready-to-drink cocktails and Still Gin by Dre & Snoop ultra-premium gin, both due for release in 2024.
“I’m not chasing the money. I’m trying to let the money chase me,” Dre told Forbes. Forbes also ranked Dre 20th on their list of greatest self-made Americans.. “I’ve always been able to bet on myself and know that no matter what I do or where I go, my talent is always there.”
Dr. Dre had a hit song before he became a billionaire
Dre is best known for his solo debut, “The Chronic,” released in 1992. The song helped introduce Snoop Dogg to listeners, selling over 3 million copies in 1993 and winning him the first of seven Grammy Awards. Prior to that, he was a member of NWA, which was founded alongside Eazy-E and whose members included, among others, Ice Cube.
After leaving Death Row Records, which he co-founded, Dre founded Aftermath Entertainment, where he continued to work with Snoop Dogg, producing his debut song “Doggystyle,” furthering the career of the late Tupac Shakur, collaborating on “California Love,” and producing albums by Eminem and 50 Cent.
Dre first appeared on Forbes’ list of highest-paid celebrities in 2001 after selling a 30% stake in Aftermath to Interscope for $35 million, the paper said. Aftermath released Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” and 50 Cent’s “In Da Club,” and Dre’s second solo album, “2001,” also sold over 6 million copies.
Four years ago, Dre headlined the first-ever hip-hop-centric Super Bowl halftime show, featuring performances by Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar and more.
“I feel like I still have a lot of gas left in the tank,” Dre told Forbes in an interview at his Los Angeles mansion, which includes a pool, theater, gym and studio. “I just want to wake up and be motivated to do something.”
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
