Apple has come to Dr Dre’s defence in light of a recent essay by Dee Barnes, a woman who Dre assaulted 25 years ago. The essay published by Gawker was cast as a review of Straight Outta Compton, a biopic about the rise and fall of Dr Dre’s group NWA. In the review Barnes, a former journalist, took the film to task for omitting the fact that Dre had violently assaulted her in a nightclub over some work she had shown on her TV show.
Apple, which acquired Beats by Dr Dre for $US3 billion last year, has unsurprisingly come to Dre’s defence. The company tells The Times:
Dre has apologised for the mistakes he’s made in the past and he’s said that he’s not the same person that he was 25 years ago. We believe his sincerity and after working with him for a year and a half, we have every reason to believe that he has changed.
What’s missing from this flaccid statement is any acknowledgement that Dre did anything wrong, or any kind of condemnation of his actions.
For his part, Dre finally addressed the incidents, albeit, en masse:
“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 added: “I apologise to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.”
Dr Dre has not said he will do anything for ruining Dee Barnes’ career and leaving other women traumatised.