Dr. Dre has come a long way since his childhood growing up in Compton. The music mogul started his 40-plus year career as a DJ and producer, was a founding member of one of rap’s most controversial groups, worked with everyone from Jay-Z to Gwen Stefani, and led the Super Bowl halftime show in 2020. Along the way, he’s managed to build an uber successful solo rap career beginning with his controversial triple-platinum solo debut The Chronic (which celebrated its 30th anniversary this month), start his own label, introduce the world to Snoop Dogg and Eminem, and release Kendrick Lamar’s first major-label album. A prolific career perfecting sound is what led the super producer, together with legendary recording exec Jimmy Iovine, to also create Beats Electronics, makers of the exceptionally successful Beats by Dre headphones. The company was acquired by Apple for $3 billion in 2014, making Dr. Dre the wealthiest annual earner of any entertainer ever evaluated by Forbes at the time.
Dr. Dre is also a shrewd real estate investor with a preference for colossal, luxurious estates in and around Los Angeles. Some of his earliest million-dollar purchases date as far back as 1991. Below is a list of some of his better-known real estate investments.
1999
Dr. Dre (real name: Andre Romelle Young) capped off his twentieth-century real estate purchases with a lavish $2.35 million French Manor–style mansion in Los Angeles. Located in Westchester County Estates—an exclusive gated community in the upscale Woodland Hills neighborhood—the 16,200-square-footer, which is five times larger than the average house in the enclave, is no humble abode. The manse boasts 13 bathrooms, which include those belonging to 8 en suite bedrooms, scattered throughout 3 floors serviced by an elevator. The massive multiroom master suite has french doors that open out to a balcony and room enough for a baby grand piano. It seems likely that Dr. Dre threw more than a couple parties at this house, as there are two kitchens, two dining rooms, a bar in the living room, a 250-bottle wine cellar, a movie theater with surfaces outfitted in all red, and a lounge area with a 150-gallon fish tank and a pool table that opens up to the backyard. Outside is a saltwater swimming pool, an outdoor seating area with a fireplace, and a grand lanai with a full bar, living room, and jacuzzi. Above the lanai is a sprawling patio definitely made for large crowds. Twenty years after purchasing the extravagant digs, the rapper and music producer got $4.5 million for the home, despite an asking price of $5.25 million.
2000
Dr. Dre will rake in a handsome profit if he gets the $20 million asking price for his contemporary-style Malibu beach house, which he paid $4.75 million for 22 years ago. Currently on the market, the nearly 9,000-square-foot oceanfront property sits on Carbon Beach (nicknamed Billionaires’ Beach for its concentration of wealthy homeowners) and has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms spread out amongst three floors. Despite a dated-looking kitchen, listing pictures show an undoubtedly luxurious home with an open floor plan and plush white- and sandy-colored interiors. Glass doors glide open to generous balconies and dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean in both the living area and primary bedroom, which has the added glamor of a boutique-style walk-in closet and sauna. The music producer’s ex-wife Nicole Young lived in the house up until December of 2021 while details of their long and acrimonious divorce were being worked out. The courts eventually handed all the couple’s real estate to Dr. Dre, including this home. An unsuccessful attempt was made to sell the property in 2012 for prices ranging from $11 million to $12.5 million.
