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Last month, “Straight Outta Compton” became the highest selling music biopic of all time, raking in $134.1 million in the roughly three weeks since its premiere. But amid the film’s success there was also criticism over its exclusion of female characters, and scrutiny around executive producer and former N.W.A member Dr. Dre’s past history of abuse.
For the first time in over twenty years, Dre was forced to address his violence against women, including beating music journalist Dee Barnes in 1992, and allegedly physically abusing fiancée Michel’le during their six-year relationship. The mogul made a statement in Rolling Stone, then later a formal public apology that was supported in another statement by Apple (which bought his company Beats Electronics last year for $3 billion). Now, a few weeks later, the hullabaloo has mostly died out.
There’s a question that must be asked in the wake of the controversy, now mostly forgotten in light of the success of “Straight Outta Compton.” Why did it take 20 years for Dre to have to reckon with his violent history? Twenty years during which he went from a successful rapper to an entrepreneur, and the second wealthiest rapper in the industry. This isn’t to say that Dre doesn’t deserve his success because of his past, but his success does speak to an ongoing trend in the celebrity landscape — famous men who consistently get away with violence and abuse.
