Dr. Dre thinks social media has destroyed the mystique of an artist
Dr. Dre has said that he thinks social media has ruined the mystique of an artist.
Speaking in a new interview alongside friend and business partner Jimmy Iovine, the super producer and N.W.A. co-founder discussed fame in the social media age and why he’s not a fan of it.
“I probably would’ve hated social media when I was coming up,” Dre told British GQ. “There’s a certain mystique that gets destroyed. I like the mystique. I like waiting. I don’t need anybody to know where I am every minute or what I’m doing. Or what I’m about to do.”
He added: “There’s a certain mystique that came along with music that was entertaining to wait to see what was about to happen.” Watch the interview below.
Iovine also chimed in on the subject. “I don’t know the impact of Instagram, it’s not mutual,” he said. “If Michael Jackson had Instagram, would he have ended up healthier? Who knows.
“I think what’s happened is, ‘great’ was never behind fame as much as it is now. Fame is what the currency is. Likes or whatever the stuff is. So fame, and if you happen to be great… musicians up until recently, that’s why people put music out every day. That’s marketing.”
He continued: “But not all of its great because that’s impossible. I think ‘great’ has pulled back a little bit.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the pair discussed their plans to start their own high school.
“We’re starting it right outside of USC,” revealed Iovine. “And it’s for that neighbourhood. And it’s going to be free. We’re doing it with Laurene Powell Jobs [Steve Jobs’ widow] and XQ [a fund launched in 2015 to change state schooling in America] and the USC.
“We want to give underrated kids an edge. We want to market our high school, we want to make it appealing for kids to stay in school and learn. Most don’t want to be there.”
Last month, Dr. Dre‘s debut album ‘The Chronic’ was finally released on all streaming platforms.
Originally released in 1992, the classic LP features the tracks ‘Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang’, ‘Let Me Ride’, and ‘Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody’s Celebratin’)’.
