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Andre Romelle Young, better known as Dr. Dre, adopted his stage name in the 1980s when he performed as a DJ and member of a band. He was one of the first rappers who revolutionized the gangsta rap movement that has gained traction ever since. Dr. Dre began producing music in the 90s and won many accolades during his collaborations. The rapper simultaneously worked on building his music career with flourishing collaborations. Similar to his music, Dre found great success in business with the electronic company that he established in 2006. Through his hard work and dedication, Dr. Dre has earned a whopping $820 million net worth over the years, and it continues to grow.
Dr. Dre has covered every aspect of becoming a successful musician in Hollywood. Let’s look at how he gained an $820 million net worth as of 2022.
A Music Artist
Dr. Dre collaborated with several artists, produced their music, and released his albums. Over the years, Dre has only released three studio albums. Despite only releasing three albums, Dr. Dre made a whopping 15 million in sales to date. His debut album Chronic was released in 1992 and sold 5.9 million copies, his sophomore album 2001 produced 7.9 million in sales, and his 2015 album Straight Outta Compton sold 535,000 copies.
In 2020, Dr. Dre released his debut album The Chronic on streaming services, and the long-awaited album saw a 331% rise in unit sales in the United States, as reported by Forbes. When released in 1992, it was a commercial success and reached the third spot on the Billboard charts. It earned a triple-platinum certification and had ten singles on the Billboard charts.
A Record Producer And Collaborator
A master of spotting great talent and shaping the future of rap music, Dr. Dre has made a significant impact in the music industry. In 1991, Dr. Dre formed his record label Death Row Records in collaboration with his bodyguard, Surge Knight. Along with his music, he produced music for then young artists like Snoop Dogg, who released his debut album Doggystyle with the record company. The album sold 4 million copies and became RIAA-certified quadruple platinum. The company also signed a promising artist Tupac Shakur.
After finding himself in conflict with Knight, Dr. Dre cut ties with the record label and started Aftermath Entertainment with his business partner and friend Jimmy Iovine. While the mogul initially faced financial difficulties producing music and critics began to question his relevancy, he signed on a young boy from Detroit who went by his rapper name Eminem and the rest is history. Along with Eminem and Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre produced music for 50 Cent and discovered the talented Kendrick Lamar. As mentioned by Rolling Stone, Dr. Dre sold 30% of his stake in Aftermath Entertainment to Interscope Records for $35 million and an additional $17 million for his work.
A Successful Business Man
In 2006, Dr. Dre was approached by a shoe brand for collaboration, and he sought friend Jimmy Iovine’s advice on the same. When he realized he could establish something on his own, he decided to work on speakers instead of sneakers. According to High Snobiety, as a producer, collaborator, and singer, Dr. Dre was well-versed with the knowledge about how the music produced should be heard from the speakers. A few years before 2006, people listened to music on Napster on mp3 players until Apple released their iPods for $400 with a free pair of plastic earbuds.
Dr. Dre noticed an opening to target his audience with the music company. Initially, Beats tested prototypes for two years and released its first line in 2008 with the mission that will let people hear what the artists hear. After many famous hip-hop artists were spotted using the headphones, Beats redesigned their model to stand out from the competitors. To stay on top, Beats began collaborations with fashion houses like Fendi and sold headphones worth $1200. While exploring the luxury market, tech giant Apple offered to buy Beats Electronics. As noted by Variety, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine sold the company to Apple Music for $3 billion, taking $2.6 billion in cash. The rapper and his business partner received $400 million in stock, a steady saturated income for the pair.
From giving opportunities to young artists that have changed the music industry and created his music to making profitable sales as an intelligent businessman, Dr. Dre is one of the strongest and most impactful pillars in the music industry. Dr. Dre is currently focusing on creating new music and is set to release his fourth studio album CasaBlanco in collaboration with singer Marsha Ambrosius in 2022.
Sources: Forbes, Rolling Stone, High Snobiety, Variety
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