Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre 'Blown Away' By David Guetta's Live Show

12 Oct 2011 17:01:06 EDT

'He's passionate about what he's doing,' Dre tells MTV News about latest Beats by Dre artist.
By Rob Markman

Dr. Dre
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Before he was a platinum rapper or superproducer, Dr. Dre got his start in the 1980s as a DJ for the World Class Wrecking Crew, so when it comes to the wheels of steel, the Good Doctor knows a thing or two.

Maybe that's why Beats by Dre snagged David Guetta to help develop the company's new Beats mixr headphones, designed specifically for DJs. In fact, Guetta and the new DJ headphones have inspired Dre so much that the hip-hop luminary is considering returning to the decks. "He's passionate about what he's doing," Dre said of Guetta. "I flew all the way to Ibiza, Spain, to check him out, and I saw the show that he put together, and I was blown away, so who better to represent our DJ headphone?" "Who has helped DJs more in the world than David Guetta?" Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine chimed in. Guetta's Ibiza show clearly left an impression on the Chronic producer and rapper, who saw more than just a DJ, but an artist at work. "From the beginning, just the energy that he brought and all the effects that he had," Dre recalled. "He wasn't just DJing and spinning records; he put on a show, and I took that home with me. I fell in love with the show." It's no secret that Dre has been fine-tuning is long-awaited Detox album, but what fans may not know is that the former N.W.A producer has at least thought about returning to the DJ booth. "I've actually been talking about it a little bit; dusting my hands off and getting back in the DJ scene," he said. "We'll see what's up with that in the future."

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Dr. Dre Talks Up Latest Beats By Dre Options

17 Oct 2011 06:53:15 EDT

His new favorite is the Beatbox, because 'before now, I've always taken my mixes out to the car and listened to them in the parking lot.'
By Rob Markman

Dr. Dre the unveiling of Beats By Dre on October 11, 2011
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

While fans are still eagerly awaiting Detox, Dr. Dre can at least ensure that when the much-anticipated album does arrive, fans will have a vast array of premium listening options. Last week, the Good Doctor was in New York along with Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine to unveil the latest Beats by Dre headphone line. While Dre had much to say about the David Guetta-inspired DJ headphone and a wireless set, he seemed particularly fond of the new Beats boombox and iPod dock.

According to Dre, he has a Beatbox in every room of his house and even uses the speakers to judge his studio mixes. "Before now, I've always taken my mixes out to the car and listened to them in the parking lot," the Doc told MTV News. "I still do that, but more so now I'm listening to it on the Beatbox, and I think people should give it at least a listen and check it out and see what it is." Not that his car isn't an option. In April, Beats by Dre announced a partnership with Chrysler, which would place a Beats-designed sound system into the new Chrysler 300S. Ever the pitchman, Dre compared the 300S to a Bentley. "Yeah, the Chrysler, that sounds incredible," Dre boasted. "They actually pulled the Chrysler up to my driveway and we compared the sound to the stock system that's in the Bentley, and I don't hear the difference."

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Eminem, Dr. Dre Inspire 50 Cent To Take His Time

10 Nov 2011 06:53:20 EST

'I'll be dead, I'll be gone, and the material will still be here to influence new artists,' 50 tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman

Eminem
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Recording with Dr. Dre and Eminem is bound to rub off eventually. While in the middle of recording his upcoming fifth solo album, 50 Cent has learned to take his time in the booth, and that in part explains the delay in releasing his LP. "This is the first time that I've recorded and I haven't put pressure to release at a specific day. I've been on the shot clock the entire time. Dre and Em — I mean Dre's record hasn't been out in 11 years, so when you talk about perfection, it's gotta be crazy, right?" he told MTV News while at a New York book signing for his just-released anti-bullying book, "Playground."

Dre's 2001 was released in 1999 and not long after its release, fans began to hear rumblings about the oft-delayed Detox. Dre, a noted perfectionist, has been said to be putting the finishing touches on the LP for quite some time now, and recently Fif has adopted the super-producer's ear for detail. "I think that provides additional pressure for him that it's taken this long, and in Em's case he has high standards too," 50 said. "You wouldn't believe how many times he records the records that you hear. He's done it over and over and over and over to make it sound like the way that he feels it's supposed to sound." For his 2003 breakout hit "In Da Club," the G-Unit general wasn't nearly as meticulous as he has recently become. "In the beginning, it was like 30 minutes, 'In Da Club' was 30 minutes, to write it, have the vocals laid," 50 revealed. "I punched in a few times, it didn't matter it was good. Everybody bought it, they said it's a classic and now it's a process where I'm recording it, listening to it and saying, 'I can do that better than that.' " The veteran hitmaker has realized the influence that his catalog has, and it is that realization that has him thinking differently. "I understand it now because all the material that I put out is gonna be here longer than I am," he said. "So I'll be dead, I'll be gone, and the material will still be here to influence new artists moving forward."

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Dr. Dre Deserves A Break, Slim The Mobster Says

21 Nov 2011 19:01:24 EST

'He gave us Eminem and 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Game ... let the man have fun,' War Music rapper tells 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Dr. Dre
Photo: MTV News

Dr. Dre made waves last week when he said he was ready to take "a little bit of a break" from music after he finishes working with Kendrick Lamar and Slim the Mobster.

When Slim appeared on "RapFix Live" Wednesday, the Aftermath rapper said, "For the past time that I've been around, I know for a fact that [Dre] hasn't been out the studio long. Let him have a break. "He gave us Eminem and 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Game, he gave us so many different things in his time. There are some rappers who haven't gave us nothing. So, let the man have fun now." At the opening of the Beats by Dre pop-up store in Manhattan, New York, the hip-hop icon told Fader TV, "I've been working on music for 27 years now, and the longest I've ever been out of the studio in 27 years has been two weeks. I'm never gonna stop music — it's like air to me. I'm gonna take a little bit of a break, enjoy some time with the family." But can we at least get Detox before he goes? "I'm hoping," said Slim, who recently released his War Music mixtape. "That's what we're shooting for, right?" Several years in the making, there hasn't been a hip-hop album shrouded in as much mystery as Dre's third solo affair. Even Slim, who is in the Doc's camp, isn't sure which songs will make the final track list, though he has heard several, including a song with Jay-Z and another with Drake. "It's a process, so I don't even know what songs are really on the album and what songs aren't on the album," Slim said, before noting that, ultimately, Dre isn't too concerned with high-profile features. "He's picky; he don't care about that name stuff. It's gotta be appeasing to him and what he likes." Were you surprised by Dr. Dre's announcement? Sound off below!

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Dr. Dre's Slim The Mobster Drops 'Vivid' War Music

29 Nov 2011 10:15:00 EST

Slim tells Mixtape Daily about his new release, featuring Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar.
By Rob Markman

Slim The Mobster
Photo: Aftermath

Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables
Mixtape: War Music
Headliner: Slim the Mobster Key Cameos: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar Essential Info: When it comes to finding raw hip-hop talent, Dr. Dre's ear is golden. The architect behind N.W.A's groundbreaking sound went on to discover the likes of Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Game and, more recently, Kendrick Lamar and Slim the Mobster. On his new mixtape, War Music, Slim, representing L.A., looks to keep the Good Doctor's streak of picking talent going strong.

The Aftermath Psychopath gets off to a good start on "Dreaming," featuring Nikki Grier. On the soulful track, Slim contemplates the consequences of his street past in the face of his newfound rap success. "I'm followed by these demons/ Forgive me for living like that/ Even when I'm dreaming/ The streets keep pulling me back," he raps on the song's hook. "I like this record because it talks about how, us as young artists, we work, and there is always something from our past — like, if you're really in the street, then it's something that will always hold you back," he explained. Kendrick Lamar shows up on "Whose House," "What Goes Up" features Snoop Dogg, Mobb Deep's Prodigy gets busy on "Martyr," and Dr. Dre makes a key appearance on "Back Against the Wall." On the cut, Dre spits a spirited verse as he rhymes, "Now I'ma do this like my life depended on it/ My kids and my wife depended on it," making it clear he's still hungry. A lot of Slim's material is murderous, but there is a message. Songs like the shooter's ode "Gun Play" are balanced out by cautionary tales such as "South Central Blues." On "See It," Slim gets lyrical, intertwining his bars with a vocal sample, noting that the materialistic images rappers often put in their music aren't always their reality. "It's a lot of different things goin' on in music, and some of us don't really paint vivid pictures, and I thought this record was kind of vivid," he said. "What I was talking about, you could really understand what I'm saying and, more so, you can see it." For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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T.I., Dr. Dre 'Creating Chemistry' In Latest Collabo

28 Dec 2011 16:11:49 EST

'Of course we can get together, he got hot beats and I got dope rhymes,' T.I. tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX

T.I. poses with Beats By Dr. Dre headphones
Photo: Ben Rose/ WireImage

No matter your stature in rap, working with Dr. Dre is a pretty big deal. Newcomers like Kendrick Lamar and Slim the Mobster have seen their careers grow considerably after working with the good doctor, while veterans like Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent have marveled at Dre's in-studio work ethic. For T.I., however, simply working with the West Coast production king isn't enough. He wants to develop a tighter musical bond.

On Tuesday (December 28), Tip leaked a trailer for the mixtape F--- da City Up that showed him and Dre working together in the studio. "Dre was here. He sent for me over to the spot. We really just turned up more than anything else. It was about creating chemistry," T.I. told MTV News while he was in Atlanta preparing for the New Year's Day release of the mixtape. This isn't the first time that the King of the South has collaborated with the California legend. A few years ago, "Topless," a song that was said to be recorded for Dre's oft-delayed Detox, leaked onto the Internet. According to T.I., their most recent session was a fruitful one. "Of course we can get together, he got hot beats and I got dope rhymes, so we can always get together and make music," Tip said. "But for people to feel what we're sayin' and for it to sound like a party comin' through your speakers, you gonna have to create some chemistry. So that's what we spent more time doin' than anything else; developing that chemistry."

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Coachella 2012 Lineup Features Radiohead, Dr. Dre And Snoop, Black Keys

09 Jan 2012 21:18:50 EST

Florence and the Machine, Bon Iver and Swedish House Mafia also headed to the desert for two weekends in April.
By Mary J. DiMeglio

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg perform during the Beats By Dre Party at Gotha Club
Photo: Tony Barson/ WireImage

After shocking fans months ago with the news that its desert festival will span two weekends in 2012, Coachella confirmed with its lineup announcement Monday (January 9) that it is going big this year. Posted to the fest's Facebook page, the roster boasts Radiohead, The Black Keys and Dr. Dre with Snoop Dogg. In response to last year's event selling out — a week after the 2011 lineup was announced — the festival is experimenting with featuring the same artists for two consecutive three-day weekends: April 13-15 and April 20-22. The Black Keys, who performed last year, return to Friday night, this time getting top billing. Radiohead, Saturday's headliner, last graced Indio, California's Empire Polo Fields in 2004. This is the first booking for West Coast hip-hop legends Dre and Snoop, who will close out the main stage Sunday night. Also headed to the desert are Florence and the Machine, Bon Iver, Swedish House Mafia, Afrojack, Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky and the just-announced At the Drive-In reunion. Tickets for the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PT. The full lineup includes: Friday, April 13 and 20
The Black Keys, Swedish House Mafia, Pulp, Refused, Arctic Monkeys, Mazzy Star, Afrojack, Explosions in the Sky, M83, Amon Tobin, Cat Power, Madness, Jimmy Cliff & Tim Armstrong, GIRLS, the Rapture, Madeon, M. Ward, the Horrors, Frank Ocean, James Alesso, Sebastien, Yuck, Neon Indian, Dawes, Black Angels, Deathgrips, Wu Lyf, Breakbot, Atari Teenage Riot, Feed Me, Givers, Other Lives, Band of Skulls, R3hab, Wolfgang, Midnight Beast, EMA, Ximena Sarinana, Kendrick Lamar, The Dear Hunter, Honeyhoney, Hello Seahorse!, Sheepdogs, LA Riots. Saturday, April 14 and 21
Radiohead, Bon Iver, the Shins, David Guetta, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Kaskade, Miike Snow, Jeff Mangum, Sebastian Ingrosso, Andrew Bird, Feist, Firehose, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, St. Vincent, Martin Solveig, Subfocus, Sbtrkt, Flying Lotus, Manchester Orchestra, Kasabian, AWOL Nation, Azealia Banks, Squeeze, A$AP Rocky, Buzzcocks, Kaiser Chiefs, Destroyer, the Head and the Heart, Laura Marling, Tuneyards, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Black Lips, the Big Pink, Childish Gambino, the Vaccines, Zed's Dead, Grouplove, Jacques Lu Cont, We Were Promised, Jetpacks, Gary Clark Jr., Borgore, Dragonette, We Are Augustines, Mt. Eden, Destructo, Suedehead, Keep Shelley in Athens, Pure Filth Sound. Sunday, April 15 and 22
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, At the Drive-In, Justice, Florence and the Machine, AVICII, La Roux, Beirut, the Weeknd, Girl Talk, the Hives, DJ Shadow, Calvin Harris, Nero, Wild Flag, Modeselektor, Dada Life, Porter Robinson, Santigold, Flux Pavilion, Dr. P, Gotye, Seun Keti, Egypt 80, Beats Antique, Fitz and the Tantrums, Araabmuzik, Company Flow, Real Estate, Zed, Le Bucherettes, Greg Ginn, the Growlers, Noisia, Morgan Page, Gaslamp Killer, First Aid Kit, Oberhofer, Lissie, Thundercat, Metronomy, Wild Beasts, Housse de Racket, Fanfarlo, Spector, Gardens & Villa, Airplane Boys, Sleeper Agent. Share your thoughts on the 2012 Coachella lineup in the comments below!

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Rick Ross Birthday Bash Boasts Dr. Dre, Diddy

30 Jan 2012 20:10:31 EST

Miami's Club Amnesia filled with hip-hop royalty Sunday night in honor of Maybach Music MC.
By Rahman Dukes

Photo: MTV News

MIAMI — Rick Ross cemented a weekend of jet-set partying for his 36th birthday in ultimate style Sunday night at his home base in Miami, surrounded by some of his closest friends and thousands of fans. Club Amnesia was packed wall to wall with almost no wiggle room, filled with hip-hop heavyweights and club revelers watching closely, competing to get a shot of the action. Ross ascended from a chauffeur-driven black Maybach shortly after 1 a.m. with companion DJ Khaled by his side. Decked out in his signature coconut-colored silk threads, the hefty MC was swiftly ushered by his Maybach Music entourage inside the venue.

Fans cheered, "Happy birthday, boss," as an elated Ross made his way to Amnesia's top-level VIP area, where dozens of music celebrities — including producer/singer Sean Garrett, actor Evan Ross and powerhouse producer Dr. Dre — were waiting in the wings for his arrival. Dre was easily the night's most-talked-about guest, as the sight of him and Ross together confirmed their union after being spotted hanging out together in Miami recently. Soon after Ross, the celebrity arrivals began to flow in sync with the hundreds of bottles of Moet Rose champagne and Ciroc vodka that were delivered to his seating area. Party host Diddy showed up soon after with an entourage consisting of new Bad Boy artist French Montana, Cassie and his son Justin. Minutes later, Wiz Khalifa and girlfriend Amber Rose joined the party. "This is your night!" Diddy shouted at Ross, alongside a grinning Khalifa by his side. Ross, with Dre directly behind him, raised a glass filled with pink bubbly. As the night continued full steam, other hip-hop artists including the LOX, upstart Chicago crew L.E.P. and singer the Dream separately made their way to greet the Bawse. At one point, there were whispers that Young Money superstar Drake was also present in the building, but the Canadian MC was nowhere to be seen. One of the most-touching moments of the night was a snapshot of Ross and former business manager and Poe Boy head E-Class exchanging hugs and pounds. Class had been a longtime associate of Rozay since his earlier days, until the two had a recent falling out that ended their business relationship. Wrapping up the night in traditional fashion, Ross and his MMG family exited the empty-bottle-strewn VIP area and made their way to the stage for an impromptu performance. Ross gave the audience their money's worth, performing hit after hit from his war chest of club anthems. "They say I'm getting money, must be Illuminati/ Talking to the Holy Ghost, in my Bugatti," Ross rapped on the track "Holy Ghost" off his Rich Forever mixtape. "He knockin' on the door, don't let the devil iiiinnn." On this night, the larger-than-life MC had his way, no doubt to be blessed with another banner year.

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Rick Ross Calls Time With Dr. Dre 'Inspirational'

31 Jan 2012 13:27:20 EST

'The advice he gave me, it's already affected the way I've been in the studio,' the Bawse tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Photo: MTV News

There is no rap producer more revered than Dr. Dre. From N.W.A and Snoop Dogg to Eminem and 50 Cent, the legendary hip-hop producer has jump-started the careers of some of the game's greatest artists. In addition to cultivating new talent in the studio, he has also crafted hits with heavyweights like Jay-Z, Nas and Tupac. And next up is the Bawse.

On January 25, Rick Ross tweeted a picture of himself in the studio with DJ Khaled and Dre; while Rozay wouldn't say exactly what the trio was working on, it's clear that Dre had a profound impact. "It was amazing, my brother," Ross told MTV News' Sway in Miami over the weekend. "We had the opportunity to just first and foremost touch base like bosses. We went out, we had dinner, we just discussed ideas and that led to the studio." The ever-calculating Ross didn't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet, but working with Dre has already changed his work habits, he said. "The advice he gave me, it's already affected the way I've been in the studio for the last week," Rozay said. "So let's just say he's full of knowledge and he's a solid guy. Most definitely that's maybe my biggest hip-hop influence in the game." Before Ross became a marquee rap name, he was a fan. He often cites Slick Rick and the Beastie Boys as early influences, and of course Dre is part of that set. "A lot of times when you sit back and you watchin' greatness in motion, when I think back to [N.W.A's] Straight Outta Compton or [Snoop Dogg's] Doggystyle and I think about the smallest things from the skits to the way the records ended to having the opportunity to ask him about certain things about those classic albums," Ross said of his interaction with the Chronic mastermind, "to just hear the time that was put into it, and the format, it was really priceless knowledge. For him to acknowledge Maybach Music and what I'm doin' as an artist and a CEO, that was just real inspirational."

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Rick Ross Confirms Working With Dr. Dre On Detox, God Forgives

12 Feb 2012 21:00:21 EST

'That's mandatory, my brother,' the Bawse tells Sway on Grammys red carpet.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Rick Ross arrives at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards
Photo: Larry Busacca/ Getty Images

Working with Dr. Dre has become a rite of passage for superstar rappers, and now Rick Ross will join the likes of Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Nas. At the end of January the Bawse told MTV News that working with Dre has inspired him, but he never actually revealed what it is they were working on. Sunday (February 12) night on the Grammy red carpet, Rozay finally let the cat out the bag.

When MTV News correspondent Sway asked Ross if he and the Good Doctor were working on the Bawse's upcoming God Forgives, I Don't, the Maybach Music Group CEO responded, "That's mandatory, my brother." Well, what about the long-awaited Detox? "That's mandatory, my brother," Ross repeated, confirming that he too has joined the long list of contributors to Dre's upcoming third album. "We making some things happen, man — we just gonna see where the pieces fall," he said. "But we most definitely putting in major work." Rozay and his buddy DJ Khaled also weighed in on MTV News' upcoming "Hottest MCs in the Game VII" debate. Khaled fully expects Ross to top the list. "There's only one number, that's #1, and that's the guy in this sweater right here," the DJ said, gesturing towards Rozay, who was wearing a multicolored sweater. "Man, we just been putting in a lot of work, and I salute everybody that's even being acknowledged," Ross said. "Getting in this game, that's always a dream, so me being here right now, I just really appreciate the love." If Ross doesn't land at the #1 spot, he does have a list of rappers that he feels are also deserving. "Me being an executive, I fall on stats. I'm gonna look and see who really had the biggest year, who left the biggest footprint in the cement for the game," he said humbly. "We had a lot of artists that did that, you know, Lil Wayne, of course Drizzy Drake. You know they both delivered the biggest albums of the year. Shout-out to Jay, shout out to 'Ye. The Throne — I thought that was big for hip-hop, making that power move." Stick with MTV News for all the news on Whitney Houston's tribute, the Grammy red-carpet fashion, Grammy winners and more until the hangover wears off!

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