Dr. Dre’s assault victim has spoken out in the wake of the legendary producer being honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 5).
Dee Barnes, who was one of several women that have accused the producer of abuse in the past, sat down with Rolling Stone to reflect on her own experience with Dre, in which she claims the mogul beat her after an album release party at age 19 during her days hosting Pump It Up!, a Hip Hop show that ran from 1989 to 1991.
Barnes had previously claimed in a 2015 op-ed for Gawker that Dre was furious about a clip she included in her show and smashed her head into a wall because of it.
A warrant was issued for Dre’s arrest on January 28, 1991, and he was charged with assault and battery. He pleaded no contest and settled for a $2,500 fine and a two-year probation sentence with community service.
In a newly published op-ed for Rolling Stone, Barnes said in the years since speaking out, she has been blacklisted in the industry and suffers harassment at her jobs now because of the incident.
“I shouldn’t have to suffer by not being able to exist in a space and in a culture that not only did I grow up in but that I contributed to in a major way,” she wrote. “Is this about his feelings? Is this about his legacy? Or is it about ego and toxic masculinity? What is it about? My whole history has been erased — as an artist, as a music journalist, and as a television host. All some people see is the [1991] incident.”
She continued: “Whereas with him, it’s like, ‘Look at all the shiny stuff over here! Look, we’ve got awards, we’ve got schools, we’ve got headphones, we’ve got the Super Bowl, we’ve got productions, movies. Don’t look at that.'”
Elsewhere, Barnes wrote: “Most people without a knowledge of [Dr. Dre’s] history are going to say, ‘Oh, he must deserve that. He must be such a great person for them to put an award in his name.’ But they named this award after an abuser. It wasn’t just a one or two-time thing; these are choices. The first time, it’s maybe a mistake. The second time, okay. The third time, it’s a choice.
“I’m not saying he is the same person now, though. I don’t know. I’m not around him anymore. I haven’t talked to him. But to name an award after someone with that type of history in the music industry, you might as well call it the ‘Ike Turner Award.'”
The Dr. Dre Global Impact Award was created in partnership with the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and “recognizes the contributors, creatives and professionals with a proven track record of uplifting Black music.”
“I’m extremely moved by this award,” Dre said during his acceptance speech on Sunday (February 5). “I want to say thank you to the Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective for this honor, and I know everybody in here probably knows this already, but this is the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Make some noise for Hip Hop!”
He added: “Where would I be without it? Where would a lot of people be without Hip Hop, to be honest?”
Get over it or join Willie D. He made a huge mistake and apologised years ago.
it was the nineties it was different back then. Throughout the nineties no one gave a fuck you know what i’m saying. Talk to a lawyer eh.
She’s forever upset. Until he cuts her a check, she’ll be on his azz about anything he does
She’s forever upset. Until he cuts her a check, she’ll be on his azz about anything he does
Lol, the “black collective” for music that “uplifts black people” is Dr Dre? I love Dres music, but uplifting isn’t quite the word I used to describe his style of party gangster rap. Uplifting gangster rap would be more like Masta Ace. Dre wasn’t ever uplifting. Just gangster and fun. Also, his greatest run in the music industry was beside Eminen… who I think is white.
That white guy is the most successful rapper in history… and Dre had an incredible run on Death Row and with Snoop, are you saying that was a legendary run too ?
Not nearly as legendary with Snoop, no. He did doggystyle with snoop, and had Snoop on chronic. Dre was much more active with eminem, working heavily with him for 2001, and ems first 4 or 5 albums. Doggystyle didn’t make history in any way, though is a great classic. Dre made lots of history with Em. And Dres death row run was simultaneous with Snoop. Perhaps I’d mention NWA instead. But yeah, they never made uplifting music really lol.
Doggystyle did make history, it was the fastest selling album ever around that time it was released, it was everywhere and solidified the G-funk rap era even more. It only got surpassed sales wise cause time went on and other albums took the fast selling record spot. But Doggystyle made history for a lot of cats, they way that album transcends through time is crazy.
Shit was 30 years ago ugot paid twice for it.noone gaf no more
She didn’t get black listed she just did not hustle hard enough She deserves the “I live in the past and I’m still bitter ” Award
Ir Dre was white he would have been cancelled because of this a long ass time ago. Then again, if Dee Barnes was white, nobody would give a fuck. It would be all “kosher” (see what i did there 😉)
This crab is just upset that her crybaby campaign didn’t manage to destroy his life.
She got assaulted once by him after some form of altercation he got arrested she got paid for his mistake so now he gets a award 30 years on she want his life to stop because of that
She been clout chasing got years
Dr Dre paid her twice?? She still talking shit over 20 years ago !??? Get a job clown
She been clout chasing got years
Dr Dre paid her twice?? She still talking shit over 20 years ago !??? Get a job
She been clout chasing got years
Dr Dre paid her twice?? She still talking shit over 20 years ago? Get a job
She been clout chasing got years
Dr Dre paid her twice?? She still talking shit over 20 years ago? Get a job
She been clout chasing got years
She been clout chasing got years
She been clout chasing got years
She been clout chasing got years
Great job not using the multiple interviews this site has done with Dee. Bravo. Amazing journalism as usual.
Or……your career was never going anywyere further to begin with and you washed out. Nothing to do with 1 incident that happened 30 years ago. How many famous folks of 30 years ago you never hear anything about anymore??? MOST of them. And you’re not even an artist but a stupid interviewer. Stop riding that assault victim dik. Most of us encounter senseless violence in our lives. Stop milking it to make up for your lack of talent and perseverance. holy Fuk, 30 years ago and you’re still yapping about it? What you want. a billion bucks because you got your ass whooped once? Damn, three quarters of the planet would be a billionaire by now. Stfu already. Nobody wants to hear that old BS.
All this broad gonna do is cry forever because she failed at being anything. Fuck outa here Dee
Wow! If it ain’t a so called BLACK WOMAN always trying to bring out the passed and destroy a BLACK MAN as if she was not paid and got an apology for all that. Somebody close to her, tell her to shut the f*ck up!
This is her truth,her pain,abuse hurts along with the words.coming from a former abuser.
He shouldn’t of gotten a reward
He shouldn’t of gotten a reward
He was wrong and you shouldn’t get rewarded for wrong thing