Legendary music producer, Dr.Dre, who helped shaped the careers of artists like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube, has revealed that he rejected working with Prince, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder because of their status as already made artistes.
During a conversation with Kevin Hart on his Hart To Heart podcast, Dre (born Andre Romell Young), 58, revealed his preference is to work with new artists.
He disclosed that he ‘bowed out a couple of times during my career’ from working with two of the biggest musical artists of them all: Prince and Michael Jackson.
Nodding in agreement, the Compton, California native told him: ‘Yea. yeah. They just asked me to work with them and I was just like, “What the f**k am I going to do with them?’
The rapper went on to explain how he has a set idea of his musical heroes, and that he doesn’t want to mess with that idea.
He also explained how with new artists there’s room to mold that artist into something that can be unexpected and exciting. But, according to Dre, that’s not the case with a superstar artist who is already famous and made.
‘What the f**k am I going to do with them? Those are my heroes,’ he reiterated.
‘Stop, stop,’ Dre shot back, before adding another A-list name to the list of artists he turned down.
‘Most recently, Stevie Wonder,’ Dre said, which again left Hart in a state of shock that he would have a gravitas to turn down such an icon.
‘My entire life and career has been dealing with and working with new artists. That’s what I like,’ he said, ‘Nobody comes in with an agenda . These mother f**kers show up on time.’
Dre first gained prominence in the musical industry by collaborating with a group of like-minded youngsters from Compton, that would end up forming NWA.
Credited with being among the original architects of hip hop’s gangsta rap sub-genre, the group made waves across the world with their debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton (1988).
Along with Dr. Dre, NWA made stars of Ice Cube, Eazy E, MC Ren, DJ Yella and Ruthless rapper The D.O.C.
