Without Dr. Dre, we might not have ever seen Eminem take over the masses. It made sense that Dre would gravitate towards him for a variety of reasons. For starters, there weren’t many white rappers who could really shake the table in that way. Besides Vanilla Ice and smaller, underground types like MC Serch, Em was one of a kind.
Additionally, his penchant for controversy is something that the N.W.A. rapper and producer could immediately identify with. In his days with Ice Cube and Eazy-E to his profane and raunchy G-Funk Chronic Days, Dr. Dre wasn’t a stranger to offending listeners. Consequently, when someone like Eminem was so technically proficient and so cutting-edge, it was a no-brainer to connect with him. However, according to Dre, he believes they have a lot in common with a different kind of superstar: John Lennon of The Beatles.
In a 2000 interview with Steven Wells of New Musical Express, the 2001 artist opened up about the dizzying controversies surrounding Eminem. The interviewer asked if working with Marshall Mathers reminded him of his N.W.A. or Death Row days. Ultimately, Dr. Dre laughs that he’s getting used to the noise. Still, he doesn’t want to get too thorny to the point where he feels like he’s under surveillance.
Then, Wells responded with a wild but interesting question: “Do you worry about being bumped off by the CIA, like John Lennon?” To that, Dre explained that he believed Eminem, John Lennon, and he himself actually had something in common.
Dr. Dre Puts Himself and Eminem in the Same Air As John Lennon Back in 2000
“John Lennon was a wildcat. Any time you’ve got genius and you’re presenting it to the masses, um, you’re going to be looked at in a certain way, especially because most people are afraid of change, you know what I mean? People that are so different and have the ears of so many people and they’re almost like followers to you, it’s dangerous to a lot of people. And I believe John Lennon was one of those people. I believe I’m one of those people. I believe Eminem is one of those people,” Dr. Dre explained.
In the end, that kind of genius is why Dre argued they all got in such hot water in the past. Instead of hiding from it, he insisted that he could channel it into something meaningful and productive.
“So that’s the reason we’re getting so much flak. That’s the reason NWA was getting so much flak because we had every kid in the ghetto’s ears and they were ready to wear what we wore and say what we said, y’know? And that’s the reason for all the turmoil with Eminem,” Dr. Dre continued. “And what I intend to do with my next record is thrive on that. But do it in a positive way this time. That’s one of the reasons I’m calling my album ‘Detox’.”
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