Dr. Dre Says He's Taking A Break From Music After 27 Years (VIDEO)

Dr. Dre has certainly taken his place in popular culture as a hip-hop veteran. From his origins with rap group N.W.A. in the 1980s to his rise as a producer, artist and record executive, his career has spanned almost three decades.

But after 27 years, the legendary producer is stepping out of the studio, he said during an interview with Fader.

"I've been working on music for 27 years now, and the longest I've been out of the studio in 27 years has been two weeks," he told the site, which covers music and culture. "So I feel like I'm gonna take a little bit of a break."

Dre shared the news at the opening of the first ever Beats by Dre pop-up store on Nov. 3 in New York City, where music enthusiasts can find the mogul's popular headphones and other merchandise from the product line until Jan. 15. The producer partnered with Monster Cable Products to release the line of high quality headphones and earphones in 2008.

The West Coast rapper became a best-selling artist and won a Grammy Award with his 1992 debut solo album "The Chronic," released under Death Row Records. He later left the label to start his own Aftermath Entertainment, under which he produced the album "Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath" in 1996.

Beyond his personal success, Dre is known for catapulting the careers of artists like Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent with his production assistance, and is hailed in the industry as a pioneer. In the HuffPost Black Voices video series, "The Tanning Effect," music producer Jimmy Iovine opened up about how he broke down barriers with Dre and Snoop Dogg's 1993 single "Nuthin But A 'G' Thang."

But one thing Dre didn't discuss is his "Detox" album, the rapper's third project that still has yet to be released despite talk of upcoming dates. He is keeping fans on the edge of their seats, though, saying that he is not permanently ending his career.

"I'm never gonna stop music though, it's like air to me," he told Fader. "So I'm gonna take a little bit of a break, enjoy some time with the family, until I get that itch to get back in."

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Comments

[rain33]

06:37 AM on 11/16/2011

who cares anyway! he made his money ! he should be enjoying more time with his kids because he lost one due to a drug overdose! time is precious to loose!

[panchang810]

07:14 PM on 11/15/2011

I appreciate all types of music, any music genres even Hip Hop. I think the haters of Hip Hop should give it a chance and should listen to some of the most fun hiphop songs from some of the current best hiphop artists like LMFAO, PitBull, Chris Brown, Mary J Blige, Niki Minage and yes Eminem to name a few and I'm sure these people will acquire some form of appreciation to it. Why, even Dancing With The Stars have been using a lot of Hip Hop songs and they have even been inviting some of the biggest Hip Hop artists for sometime. Even my fave Maria Carey has been including a lot of fun hip hop songs in her albums.

Sometimes ignorance is not really a bliss.

[tonyprovri]

06:55 PM on 11/15/2011

Who is Dr. Dre? Never even heard of him.

[panchang810]

07:25 PM on 11/15/2011

Of course you don't know Dr. Dre, you're only familiar with Dr. Pepper that's why. ;op

[tonyprovri]

07:37 PM on 11/15/2011

Who is Dr. Pepper?

[rigmoten]

06:45 PM on 11/15/2011

Confirming what we've known for years Detox can only be found at the end of the rainbow, not in any record stores.

[hemorrhage]

06:02 PM on 11/15/2011

Nothing to see here. He's not "retiring" like Jay-Z. The man is taking a deserved break.

[XzibitX]

05:34 PM on 11/15/2011

According to HP, Dre has developed “…a unique, high-performance audio software solution. Available exclusively on the HP Envy, Beats Audio offers users playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers the optimal sound experience – the way the artist intended it.”

Dudes got other irons in the fire.

[p456]

05:30 PM on 11/15/2011

I was unaware that what he does could be called music.

[22Keys]

05:32 PM on 11/15/2011

No need to be flippant. Hip-Hop is music.

[p456]

06:59 PM on 11/15/2011

Only to mor ons...........LMAO.

[XzibitX]

05:35 PM on 11/15/2011

You could've stopped right after you typed "I was not aware".

That sums it up.

[Trishann]

05:10 PM on 11/15/2011

Dr. Dre...we sort of already figured that out.

[almostbradpitt]

04:49 PM on 11/15/2011

Ugh. At least release "Detox" then take your break. Don't get all Axl Rose on us.

[Rosymac X]

04:31 PM on 11/15/2011

He was with the World Class Wrecking Crew before NWA.

[nixcow]

03:51 PM on 11/15/2011

Music is that what you call what he does. Whatever.

[Vee73]

04:10 PM on 11/15/2011

Absolutely. There would be no Eminem, 50 Cent or Snoop-Dogg without Dre'. You don't have to like him--I assure you that millions of people do.

[Jackie McCabe]

04:38 PM on 11/15/2011

Uh, apparently he must have some talent or the world wouldn't know who he is, what he does and what his music sounds like.

Who are you again?