In a new interview with Rolling Stone, journalist and rapper Dee Barnes says she doesn’t think the Recording Academy made the right choice by honoring Dr. Dre with the Global Impact Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
In 1991, one of the top earning musicians allegedly assaulted Barnes during a release party. According to her and witnesses, he pulled her by her hair, slammed her head and body into a wall, and kicked her in the ribs.
Dre is a rap legend
Dre is one of the most influential rappers in the history of hip hop. He’s responsible for inventing G-funk, a rap sub genre that became popular in the 1990s. He’s also a co-founder of Death Row Records and the CEO of Aftermath Entertainment.
Born Andre Romell Young on February 18, 1965, in Compton, California, Dre started his career as a DJ in his teens. He later formed N.W.A, a gangsta rap group that revolutionized explicit lyrics in hip-hop.
In addition to his rap abilities, Dre is also a prolific producer. His production style has evolved over time, but he always keeps close to his original musical sound. He’s been credited for reworking George Clinton’s spaced-out party funk into something aggressive yet commercially viable in the early 1990s, and he’s influenced several major trends that are still prevalent today.
As a producer, Dre has worked with many of the biggest hip-hop artists of the 1990s. He’s collaborated with Snoop Dogg and Eminem, both of whom have made a significant impact on the genre. He’s also produced albums for other artists including 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar.
Dre was a major figure in the 1990s gangsta rap movement, forming Death Row Records with Marion “Suge” Knight and influencing artists such as Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. He earned his first Grammy award for Best Rap Solo Performance for his 1992 album The Chronic, which introduced the popular “G-funk” style characterized by plodding tempos, synthesizer washes, and copious sampling of 1970s funk records.
He signed Snoop Dogg to Death Row in 1993 and mentored producers such as Warren G (leading to the multi-platinum debut Regulate, G Funk Era in 1994) and Daz Dillinger (leading to the double-platinum debut Dogg Food by Tha Dogg Pound in 1995).
During his time with N.W.A, Dre crafted ambitiously noisy, multilayered sonic collages to back the group’s inflammatory lyrics. He was also the first artist to use explicit language in rap, detailing the violence that was a part of his everyday life.
With Death Row, Dre helped create the West Coast rap scene. He also co-founded Aftermath Entertainment, which was formed in 1996 and is a label that has released some of the most important records of all time.
He’s a billionaire
Dre is a legend in hip-hop, having carved out a niche for himself as a music producer and rapper. He’s a pioneer in the industry, and it’s clear that he wants to uplift the culture.
However, Dre isn’t without a dark side. He’s been accused of assaulting several women over the years, including a woman named Dee Barnes. She alleged in an op-ed published for Rolling Stone that Dre was physically abusive towards her.
Back in 1991, Barnes was hosting a show called Pump It Up! when Dre came up to her and slammed her head into a wall. She later filed a lawsuit against him for $22 million, but it was settled out of court with him paying her just over $2,000 in fines and community service.
Since then, Barnes has suffered recurring migraines that pulsate in the exact place where she says Dre hit her. She also claims that Dre has blacklisted her from the industry and has been harassing her at work.
While many have been quick to praise Dre’s efforts to uplift the music industry, he’s still been criticized for his actions. In fact, a grammy award given to him in February was met with a lot of criticism.
The Recording Academy gave Dre the Global Impact Award, and while the honor was well-deserved, it was also not welcomed by Barnes. She argued that the prestigious music industry body “named this award after an abuser,” considering Dre has pleaded no contest to an assault and battery against her.
Despite all of that, Dre is still one of the richest people in the world, earning $770 million according to Forbes. Much of that money comes from his ownership of Beats Electronics, which he sold to Apple for $3 billion in 2014.
In addition to his business empire, Dre owns multiple luxury homes around Los Angeles. He and his wife, Threatt, own a 10,600-square-foot mansion in the Hollywood Hills, which they bought for $17 million in 2014. They also have a 7,800-square-foot home on Malibu’s Carbon Beach, and a 5,79-acre piece of land in Hidden Hills.
He’s a philanthropist
Dre has been a huge supporter of building arts programs in his hometown of Compton, California. In 2017, he donated $10 million to help build a performing arts center on the new $200 million Compton High School campus.
The rapper is one of many people who want to break down the boundaries between business and charity. Often referred to as “philanthrocapitalists,” they seek to create partnerships that allow them to benefit the communities they live in.
When Dre gave his $10 million gift to the Compton Unified School District, he was doing it because he believes it is important to support his community and give back to his home town. He was also hoping to give a new generation of people in his area the chance to learn about the arts.
He believes that the best way to do that is by donating money. As a result, he has given millions of dollars to various charities and causes.
In addition to his philanthropic work, Dre is also a committed advocate for education. He has donated his own time to teach music in schools and has worked with the Compton Public School District to bring art classes to local kids.
His generosity has also allowed him to give a voice to those who have been ignored by society. In 2016, he helped organize a fundraiser to raise awareness about the violence that takes place in the streets of his hometown, Compton.
During his career, he has donated his own money to organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian. He also works closely with local businesses and community groups to provide job opportunities for the people who live in his home city of Compton.
The rapper also recently partnered with the Compton Unified School District to break ground on a new $200 million school campus in his hometown. The project will include a new academic building, gym, football stadium and track, and an aquatics center. In the future, he hopes to donate funds for a new performing arts center that will be named in his honor.
He’s a human being
Dre is a true pioneer of hip hop culture. He is one of the most influential rap artists and producers of all time, with his work spanning decades. He is also a very successful businessman, having founded the label that launched Eminem’s career and co-founded audio product company Beats with Jimmy Iovine.
He has a very strong philanthropic side, as well. He has been involved in a number of important causes, including supporting the victims of Hurricane Katrina and donating money to children who have lost their parents. He has also been vocal about police brutality and the war on drugs.
His philanthropic work has made him a beloved figure in the music industry. He is often credited with bringing attention to the plight of African-Americans and ensuring that their voices are heard. He has also been an advocate for women’s rights.
As a result, he has built up a massive net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars. He has also accumulated a vast collection of awards and accolades for his work.
However, Dre is not perfect and there are still instances when he can be misunderstood. He has been criticized for his abusive behavior in the past. He is currently being honored with the Global Impact Award at the Grammy Awards, which has prompted an outcry from his victim Dee Barnes.
In 1991, Dre was accused of physically assaulting Barnes at a record release party. The incident took place at the Po Na Na Souk club in Hollywood, California.
The incident was reported in newspapers across the country and featured on Fox’s Pump It Up!, a hip-hop show that she hosted from 1989 to 1991.
During her interview with Rolling Stone, Barnes discussed the 1991 incident in detail, recounting how Dre “beat me mercilessly.” She said he did this during a heated exchange on her show about Ice Cube’s comments about N.W.A.
She even went as far to claim that she was blacklisted in the entertainment industry. This is not the first time that Barnes has spoken out about her experience, but it is the most serious yet.
