Earlier in the week, journalist Dee Barnes wrote candidly about the night she was attacked by Dr. Dre, as well as the assaults of Michel'le and Tairrie B, and how the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton skips over the producer's well-known history of woman-beating. It's a controversy that's quickly outgrown the critical praise the film initially garnered.
Dre has responded in an interview with The New York Times, addressing those allegations with one statement. "Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did. I’ve been married for 19 years and every day I’m working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I’m doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again."
He then added, "I apologize to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives."
And that impact cannot be understated. "His career continued, where mine dwindled," Barnes said, "People side with the money."
In the article, Barnes, former Ruthless Records MC Tairrie B, and Michel'le, the R&B singer who was once romantically linked to Dre, go bravely into detail about their assaults. Michel'le says that he was often physically abusive, leaving "black eyes, a cracked rib and scars." She never pressed charges because, "We don’t get that kind of education in my culture," adding, "Opening up and finding out there were other women like me gave me the power to speak up."
Dr. Dre: “I apologize to the women I’ve hurt” by chris hampton | Chart Attack.
