Dr. Dre has recently disclosed the reason behind his decision to decline the opportunity of collaborating with the late pop legends Prince and Michael Jackson.
During an interview on Kevin Hart’s show ‘Hart to Heart,’ Dr. Dre revealed that he was presented with the opportunity to collaborate with Prince, Michael Jackson and other musical icons like Stevie Wonder. However, he ultimately chose to decline these offers.
“They just asked me to work with them and I just was like, ‘What the f*** am I going to do with them?’” he explained. “Those are my f****** heroes.”
Dr. Dre disclosed that he recently turned down the opportunity to collaborate with Stevie Wonder. He explained that he made this decision because he didn’t want to interfere with Wonder’s creative process or potentially have a negative impact on his music.
“The way I feel about Stevie, Prince, Michael, Bruce Springsteen, and all of these amazing artists,” which “could change by working with them.”
Dr. Dre expressed his desire to preserve the nostalgic essence of the music he grew up listening to. He emphasized his intention to maintain that specific vibe and aesthetic, stating that he didn’t want to disrupt or compromise that cherished notion.
Dr. Dre further drew a comparison between collaborating with renowned musicians like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Stevie Wonder, who were already established in their careers, and working with emerging artists such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar during their early stages.
“My entire life and career has been dealing with and working with new artists. That’s what I like. Nobody comes in with an agenda,” Dre said. “It’s a ball of clay when they walk in the room. You can just form it and do what you want. That’s what I want. Everybody else, especially my heroes, they’re coming in and there’s a set plan as to how the s**t should sound. I can’t explore.”
In another part of his discussion with Kevin Hart, Dr. Dre shared that he isn’t fond of the majority of contemporary hip-hop. However, he made it clear that he would never harbour hatred or negativity towards present-day artists.
In the recent ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, Dr. Dre was honoured with the first ever Hip-Hop Icon Award.
-Kaushiki Sarcar