Recent speculation regarding a multibillion dollar deal between Beats Electronics and Apple continues to make waves. Rap mogul and Beats founder Dr. Dre looks to close a deal with the tech giant that would make him the first rapper to reach a billion dollars, which is a much bigger deal than most people could imagine.
Dr. Dre hit the rap scene back in the 80s and 90s as an emcee and a producer. His hip hop trio N.W.A. topped the charts for years with hits like “Express Yourself” and “Straight Outta Compton,” along with my personal favorite “Fuck the Police.” But through all the debauchery and indulgence his lyrics promoted, there was a business genius just ready to hit his stride. Unbeknownst to most people, rap was merely a hobby for Dre and his ticket to fame. Dr. Dre knew that his music could allow him to control the rap game, but what he really wanted was to control the entire entertainment industry.
Via: hypetrak.com
Beats Electronics gained its popularity through its high quality products, but mostly through the bad boy vibe that came with it. Anyone can rock a pair of Bose headphones and look average, but wearing some studio Beats makes a statement. When Beats started to monopolize the headphone industry, they turned to Androids and PCs to market their product by installing Beats speakers within the devices. How do you piss off Apple? You make Droids and PCs seem like tighter products… And that’s precisely what Dre has accomplished. He’s seized the attention of arguably the most famous company on the planet.
After hearing and rejoicing about the Dre and Apple merger, I started to think about the role rappers play in the entertainment world. Rappers are stereotyped more than any other group of musicians in the music industry. They are criticized so much for their style and offensive lyrics that people forget how brilliant these individuals are.
Dr. Dre is but one rap mogul that made his nut in an area outside of the recording studio. Jay Z went from slinging crack rocks on the streets of New York to being the golden boy for the entire city. Sean “Diddy” Combs has his own clothing line, his own delicious vodka company and heads one of the biggest record labels in the world. It’s understandable to judge someone who constantly preaches about booty slappin’ and drug use, but if you look at record sales and iTunes downloads, it’s obviously what people want to hear. Rappers are simply embracing the stereotype and building an empire from it.
Via: ebengregory.com
Guys like Eminem actually suffered from the drug abuse he so enjoyed rapping about, flipping it into a platinum record in “Recovery.” Kanye West combined his south side Chicago edge with his finesse behind the mic to create a monster that everyone still cannot shut up about. These guys are smart. It may seem easy to rap about real shit like gang violence and police brutality, but how easy is it to make it sound so fresh that little white Jewish boys like me bump to it on the way to class?
Being the rap fanatic that I am, I idolize these dudes. They are criticized day and night about their style but it’s all good. While people sneer at their twerking references and weed smoking tendencies, those guys are cashing checks and creating brands that even catch the attention of a powerhouse like Apple.
So keep talking shit about these geniuses, because like my homie Yeezy said, “We don’t care what people say!”
Featured photo courtesy of: koldcast.tv
