Dr. Dre was all smiles for a recent article in the Los Angeles Timesbut six months ago, doctors were frantically trying to save his life.
In January, the lauded Hip Hop producer was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by ambulance after suffering a reported brain aneurysm and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for several days as his medical team ran a battery of tests.
Although Dr. Dre provided an Instagram update later that evening and assured his fans he was going to survive, he hasn’t really addressed the scary ordeal publicly until now. Speaking alongside his longtime business partner and record executive Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre used his experience almost like a cautionary tale for other Black men.
“It’s a really weird thing,” he said. “I’ve never had high blood pressure. And I’ve always been a person that has always taken care of my health. But there’s something that happens for some reason with Black men and high blood pressure, and I never saw that coming.
AD LOADING...
“But I’m taking care of myself. And I think every Black man should just check that out and make sure things are OK with the blood pressure. And I’m going to move on and, hopefully, live a long and healthy life. I’m feeling fantastic.”
Ever the workhorse, Dr. Dre quickly got back to the studio following his hospital release. One day after he was back at home, Aftermath Entertainment-affiliated producer Dem Jointz shared an Instagram photo of Dre, The D.O.C. and several others posted up in front of a mixing board while teasing the nearly mythical Detox album.
Not long after that, Royce Da 5’9 text Dr. Dre, “Big Homie. Everything A-1?” to which Dre replied, “Hey Royce!!! I’m home and feeling much better. Thanks for checking bro.”
Now that Dr. Dre’s health is on the upswing and he’s legally single, he’s also been getting back in the gym. Last month, the typically elusive Hip Hop legend posted a gym selfie showing off his newly unearthed six-pack. Doctors have yet to determine what specifically led to Dre’s condition. The 55-year-old Hip Hop legend has been in the middle of acrimonious divorce with estranged wife Nicole Young and the two have been battling it out in court.
AD LOADING...
According to the Mayo Clinic, high blood pressure is the leading cause of a subarachnoid hemorrhage and heavy lifting or strain can cause the aneurysm to rupture, so it’s possible the stress of the split had medical consequences.