André Young, also known as Dr. Dre, is widely regarded as the greatest producer in hip-hop history. Born on February 18, 1965, he pioneered the gangsta hip-hop genre and his unique sound, dubbed G-Funk.
Dr. Dre's early albums were known for their violent and cautionary tales of the criminal mind, but his records with NWA celebrated the hedonistic and amoralistic side of gang life. He got his start performing at house parties and clubs with the World Class Wreckin' Cru in South-Central Los Angeles, where he adopted the nickname Dr. Dre due to his stage name.
In 1986, Dr. Dre met Ice Cube, and the two became fast friends, writing songs for Ruthless Records, a label founded by Eazy-E. Initially, their songs were rejected by the public, but Eazy formed NWA, which included Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, releasing their debut album in 1987.
NWA's second album, "Straight Outta Compton," released in 1989, became an underground hit despite being shunned by radio, the press, and MTV. The group's violent lyrics sparked controversy, including a warning letter from the FBI, and Dr. Dre had several run-ins with the police throughout his life.
Ice Cube left NWA in late 1989 due to financial disagreements with Dr. Dre, and the group disbanded soon after. Dr. Dre went on to form Death Row Records with Suge Knight, but he eventually grew frustrated with Knight's tactics and left the label in 1996 to form Aftermath.
Dr. Dre spent several years focusing on other projects before discovering an underground MC named Eminem and beginning work on his 2001 album, which marked his comeback to the music scene.
