Dr. Dre Apologizes For Past Violence Against Women
Dr. Dre has been riding high with the critical praise for his new album Compton, the launch of Apple Music and Beats 1 radio and the NWA flick Straight Outta Compton topping the box office. But that last bit of success has brought to light a pesky little part of his history that is often glossed over: the fact that hip-hop’s “first billionaire” is also a woman-beater. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Dr. Dre faced accusations and criminal charges after allegedly physically abusing multiple women. And after a rising chorus of detractors brought attention to the issue in recent weeks in the wake of the film’s egregious omission of it, Dre has issued an apology.
“Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life,” he said in a statement to the New York Times. “However, none of this is an excuse for what I did.”
He goes on: “Every day I’m working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I’m doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again. I apologize to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.”
Apple, which bought Dre’s Beats company and employs him as a consultant and radio host, issued a statement in support of Dr. Dre: “Dre has apologized for the mistakes he’s made in the past and he’s said that he’s not the same person that he was 25 years ago. We believe his sincerity and after working with him for a year and a half, we have every reason to believe that he has changed.”
The most infamous abuse incident involved hip-hop journalist Dee Barnes. After she aired a segment involving former NWA member Ice Cube, Dre confronted her at a club in 1991, punching her in the head and throwing her into the wall. He was charged with assault and battery and pleaded no contest. The incident was no secret: Eminem made a joke about it in his 1998 song “Guilty Conscience.” Barnes recently recounted the attack for Gawker.
Decades-old accusations from former labelmate Tairrie B and singer/Dre’s ex Michel’le also resurfaced, leading to the revelation that the abuse was addressed in the original Straight Outta Compton script. (It’s worth noting that Dr. Dre co-produced the movie.)
While it’s a shame that it’s taken 25 years and some bad pub for Dre to finally apologize for these acts, it’s certainly a necessary statement and less cowardly than staying silent and hoping it’ll blow over once a new controversy sweeps through Twitter.
Read his full statement below.
“Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did. I’ve been married for 19 years and every day I’m working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I’m doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again. I apologize to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.”
[via NYT]
