He produced several of Eminem's hit albums, including The Slim Shady LP (1999) and The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). At first, Dre took flak for signing white rapper Eminem, but he soon proved the critics wrong. He signed numerous acts to Aftermath, but his two greatest successes came with Eminem and 50 Cent. The conflict would eventually lead to the deaths of rappers Shakur and Biggie Smalls.ĭre established his own label, Aftermath Entertainment, in connection with Interscope Records. That same year Dre left Death Row Records, escaping from the increasingly troublesome West Coast/East Coast rap feud. There he worked on the 1993 debut album of Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle, and Tupac Shakur's 1996 work All Eyez on Me. With Marion 'Suge' Knight, Dre co-founded the rap music empire known as Death Row Records in 1991. With N.W.A., Dre helped produce much of the group's material. Dre also worked with singer Michel'le on her debut album. He acted as a track producer for many of the artists on Ruthless Records, a venture he started up with Eazy-E. Dre has been instrumental in launching the careers of numerous hip-hop and rap artists. Producer and Record Executiveīehind the scenes, Dr. Although tracks from Detox were leaked, the project was continually delayed and the album was never released. Over the next several years, Dre teased fans with news of a pending third album, titled Detox. Selling millions of copies, the recording proved to be a hit on both the hip-hop and pop charts. Dre had always admired the work of such acts as Parliament and Funkadelic.ĭre released his second solo album, 2001, in 1999. With this latest release, Dre helped introduce G-funk, which incorporated musical samples and melodies from funk with gangsta rap. The biggest single from the album was 'Nuthin but a 'G' Thang,' which featured Snoop Dogg, then a little-known rapper. The FBI even sent a warning letter to Ruthless Records and its parent company about the song.īreaking out on his own and on a new record label, Dre hit the top of the hip-hop charts with The Chronic on Death Row Records in 1992. The song, which explored tensions between Black youth and the police, was thought to incite violence. One track, 'F*** tha Police,' ignited a firestorm of controversy. The group's second album, Straight Outta Compton (1988), sold more than 2 million copies and marked the arrival of a new genre-gangsta rap. N.W.A.'s lyrics were equally harsh and explicit, reflecting life on the streets. With his new group, he was able to produce a more hard-hitting sound. A Leading Rap Pioneerĭre teamed up with fellow rappers Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Yella, MC Ren, the Arabian Prince and the D.O.C. His new moniker was inspired in part by basketball star Julius 'Dr. He joined the World Class Wreckin' Cru, which performed in nightclubs, and developed the rap persona of Dr. nightclub Eve After Dark, where he eventually got his chance to work the turntables. For hours on end, he would work his magic, taking pieces of different songs and sounds to make his own sound.ĭre started hanging out at L.A. Dre received a music mixer for Christmas in 1984 and soon turned his family's home into his studio. But his interests didn't lie in schoolwork-he wanted to make music. He transferred to Fremont High School and then went to the Chester Adult School. At Centennial High School, Dre showed a talent for drafting, but he paid little attention to his other course work. They moved around frequently, and at one point lived at the Wilmington Arms housing project in the Compton area. His middle name comes from one of the bands his father Theodore belonged to, the Romells.Īfter his parents split up, Dre lived with his mother, who remarried several times. His mother, Verna, quit her group the Four Aces shortly before Dre was born. He eventually co-founded the company Beats Electronics with Jimmy Iovine, going on to make millions from its 2014 sale to Apple. Dre started up Aftermath Entertainment in 1996 and signed Eminem and 50 Cent to his label.

In 1992, his first solo album, The Chronic, became a huge hit.

and he later co-founded Death Row Records in 1991. His first major success came with the rap group N.W.A. Dre started working as a DJ in his teens.

Dr dre aftermath compilation tracklist