Dr. Dre, an American rapper and record producer, is one of the world’s wealthiest musicians, with an estimated net worth of more than $600 million. Dre made his money through music and electronics, despite his academic struggles.
According to Headspace, he struggled at Centennial High School in Compton owing to poor academics and was subsequently transferred to Fremont High School in Los Angeles, where he wanted to join in an apprenticeship program at Northrop Aviation Company but failed to obtain the needed exam grades.
He eventually shifted his concentration to entertainment, becoming a DJ for the Eve After Dark nightclub. As a DJ, he formed an alliance with the World Class Wreckin’ Cru in 1984 and the NWA in 1986.
Dre developed his music career by becoming a top record producer and audio engineer, working with some of America’s finest musicians such as Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, and Mary J Blige. He helped launch Eminem’s soaring career by producing his groundbreaking albums.
Music eventually drove him to entrepreneurship, and he acquired and established several businesses. He co-founded Beats, a headphones business, while also performing music. Dre’s first million bucks came from the selling of the brand.
He and his initial partner later sold the consumer electronics company to Apple for $3 billion, netting $750 million.
Despite not producing an album since 2015, Forbes stated in 2020 that he led the list of the top ten highest-earning musicians with $800 million, ahead of Taylor Swift and Beyonce. Forbes noted at the time that his fortune was largely attributable to his 20% interest in Beats Electronics, an Apple Inc. subsidiary.
He was supposed to become the first billionaire rapper before Jay-Z, but his joy over Apple’s 2014 acquisition of his Beats business reportedly cost him $200 million, causing him to fall short.
Dre has purchased a lot of houses and mansions in Los Angeles, including Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s estate, which he purchased for $40 million. Furthermore, the record producer is a generous philanthropist who has made numerous charity contributions.