Dr. Dre Has Broken Pop Culture Barriers Once Again
Last week, it was revealed that Dr. Dre will be headlining the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show. In doing so, Dre becomes the first Hip-Hop artist to headline, after nearly 25 years of various MCs appearing in the feature role. Dre will share the stage with some of his superstar pupils and collaborators, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige. The announcement says a lot about how Hip-Hop has permeated mainstream culture. Dre will be turning 57 years old the month he takes the stage, further disproving the notion that Hip-Hop is exclusively for the young.
Breaking barriers is nothing new to Andre Young. The Compton, California legend was a pioneer of Gangsta Rap with N.W.A. during the 1980s. By the early 1990s, he helped usher that music to mainstream audiences through his solo debut, The Chronic, as well as producing Snoop Dogg. In the 2000s, Dre’s winning formula dominated the charts with Eminem, 50 Cent, and The Game. In the last decade, Dre danced with billionaire status thanks to his Beats By Dre venture. Now, in the next six months, Dre will push culture barriers once more.
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On episode #63 of the What’s The Headline podcast, the Ambrosia For Heads team discusses Dr. Dre’s accomplishments over the years. At 53:40, there is commentary on why this Super Bowl makes history, along with a detailed look at past Hip-Hop performers. There is also a preview of the October 17 Verzuz battle between Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One.
Below are the time-stamps for episode #63 of the What’s The Headline podcast:
0:00 Intro 4:50 J. Cole brought bars to Brooklyn with The Off Season Tour
15:55 Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One will be the next to battle on Verzuz
17:50 Did the people want Big Daddy Kane Verzuz Rakim
22:10: Who was your first favorite rapper
25:40 Does Big Daddy Kane have a deep enough catalog to battle KRS-One
31:25 What are Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One’s top 5 records
35:50 What each of KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane needs to do to win their Verzuz
46:20 Who will win Big Daddy Kane Verzuz KRS-One 49:00 Other artists who should face off on Verzuz
53:40 Dr. Dre, Eminen, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige will be the halftime performers for the Super Bowls
54:10 Super Bowl LVI will be Dre Day and Hip-Hop is celebrating
59:15 A history and timeline of Hip-Hop Super Bowl performers
1:04:20 Dr. Dre has set new boundaries for Hip-Hop and Pop culture before
1:08:00 Will Dr. Dre release a new album after the Super Bowl
1:10:00 What songs Mary J. Blige will perform at the Super Bowl
1:11:10 JAY-Z’s role in making this historic Super Bowl halftime show happen
1:15:00 Will JAY-Z be a surprise performer at the Super Bowl LVI halftime
1:17:15 Is this Super Bowl halftime just a reflection of where culture is now
1:20:50 Rap City is returning for one night only
1:25:00 New music of the week— Meek Mill, Andy Mineo, D Smoke, Wale & J. Cole, Solemn Brigham, Maticulous, Neek The Exotic & Large Professor, and more
AFH readers can catch regular discussions about the culture on our What’s The Headline podcast. Additionally, What’s The Headline has recent interviews with Blu & Mickey Factz, Kurupt, Evidence, Skyzoo, Pharoahe Monch, Prince Paul & Don Newkirk, Statik Selektah, Lyric Jones, The LOX, MC Eiht, Havoc, Duckwrth, photographer T. Eric Monroe, and Lord Finesse. All episodes of the show are available to view or for listening wherever you stream your pods.
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#BonusBeat: Kendrick Lamar’s Where It All Began interview for Ambrosia For Heads: