One of the founders of hip hop and a respected producer, N.W.A. member Dr. Dre (born Andre Young), has suffered a personal loss. His 20-year-old son, Andre Jr., died over the weekend. No word on the circumstances of the young man’s death yet, but the family is waiting for the autopsy report.
Rapper DR. DRE is in mourning after his son passed away, according to reports.
The body of 20-year-old Andre Young Jr. was found at his Woodland Hills home on Saturday morning (23Aug08), reports AllHipHop.com. His mother allegedly found him unresponsive when she checked on him at 10am, and immediately called emergency services.Young was said to have been out the previous night and returned home at 5.30am.
The cause of death is currently unknown as officials await the results of a post-mortem examination.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but in many cases when a 20-year-old suddenly dies, there is some kind of substance involved. The fact that he was out until 5:30 in the morning also points in that direction. Dre and his family are going through a very difficult time, so I hope they are able to get some answers. Dre is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, working with such artists as Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game, and Tupac Shakur. Condolences to him and his family.
Dr. Dre is shown backstage at a Pussycat Dolls show in LA on 3/13/08. Credit: Ed Kavishe, fashionwirepress via Wikipedia
oh, how horribly sad & unfair. My heart goes out to him and his family.
Sadness. Prayers to Dre and the family.
My guess? Prescription drugs mixed with alcohol.
That’s awful, losing a child. My condolences to Dr. Dre and the rest of the family, I hope they make it alright through this difficult time.
Damn, that really sucks. I’m willing to bet it was drug interaction related
If the cause does turn out to be drug-related, it will be a terribly cruel irony.
Dr. Dre has worked with drug themes for years – including “The Chronic” to several of Eminem’s songs to the “Up in Smoke” tour. Supposedly his (unfinished) new LP is even called “Detox.”
What if that “drugs are fun” theme coincided with the death of his own son? How sad.
You know, my childhood neighbours lost a son at 16. They did an autopsy, toxicology and found absolutely nothing. The doctors said the only thing they could compare it to was SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)and they were totally baffled, essentially.
Who knows the situation in this case but if he’s rolling home at 5:30 in the morning, I’d say substance is a good bet. Maybe cocaine heart attack or alcohol poisoning. It’s truly sad, especially given (in many instances) what 20-year old isn’t out partying.
Obviously we have no way of knowing for sure right now, but IF this was a drug related death, what amazes me is how Amy Winehouse can keep surviving and even functioning as an addict, while others die so quickly.
It’s why I think it’s a shame that people treat doing drugs as if it were just a recreational sport-or make it seem glamorous and ‘cool’. Because for all the Amy Winehouses or Kate Moss’s who survive for years, there are many others who kill themselves all too quickly.
No father should have to bury his child.
czarina:
August 26th, 2008 at 3:26 pm Obviously we have no way of knowing for sure right now, but IF this was a drug related death, what amazes me is how Amy Winehouse can keep surviving and even functioning as an addict, while others die so quickly.
Czarina – I couldn’t agree more. And the list is endless and chock full od old people too. Keith Richards, Peter Wolf, Nick Nolte, Jan Michael Vincent, Jasmine Bleeth, Scott Weiland, Boy George – it’s just junkies galore out there
very sad. God bless him.
“If the cause does turn out to be drug-related, it will be a terribly cruel irony.”
Totally NOT the definition of ironic.
Regardless of the cause of death, it’s still terribly sad news.
Raise one for the Doc. 🙁
MY CONDOLENCE AND PRAYER TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT CAUSES DEATH THE FACT IS YOU LOSE SOMEONE YOU LOVE. 😥
Having a son I could never fathom outliving him. I do not know how parents are able to keep on going; it’s too frightening to think about. I like Dre too. I don’t know where I read this but there is a name for a woman who loses a husband, a name for a husband who loses a wife – but no name for a parent who loses a child. Perhaps the reason is b/c it is too much to bear.
This is so sad, poor kid. I hope if it was prescription drugs pharmaceutical companies start being held more accountable and making warnings that are easy too understand, etc.
Losing a child is something no parent ever truly gets over, regardless of the circumstances. My condolences to Dre and family during this difficult time.
All you bitches jumping to conclusions and determining Dre’s son’s cause of death and sanctimoniously, smugly making statements about drug use and Dre’s music can STUFF IT FIRMLY up your ASS. 👿 His son has only just died. Show some tenderness, shut your mouth if you have nothing but smug judgement and I-hate-to-say-it-BUT shit to say here. His boy has ONLY just died! 😥 😥
My heart goes out to Dre and his wife, this is crushigly sad news! 😥 😥
Snowblood-speaking only for myself, I admit I have no idea how this poor young man died, but having read the posts, I don’t think anyone here feels that if he DID die of drugs it would make it any less tragic for his family–in fact I think it speaks to a greater tragedy in society at large.
Of course it is entirely possible he died of something unrelated to drugs, but I agree that it doesn’t really matter.
The death of a child is the worst thing in the world for a parent, and how they died is irrelevant when they are gone forever.
sad…stay strong, dre.
What a terrible tragedy. I agree with Blackalicious that the mere thought of losing one my children is too horrifying to even contemplate. My sincere condolences to Dre and his family.
Sad. That poor family.
I have no words… this is too sad. I wouldn’t speculate on drugs though… my kids went to school with one of the nicest young men you would ever know. The guy went away to college and died a year or so later of alcohol poisoning. No drugs… unless you’re counting the overindulgence of alcohol. Both tragic losses and such a waste of youth and promise.
Hi Snowblood,
Aggressive response isn’t the answer since people do have the right to comment, on a matter that’s been made public, in a public forum.
That being said, I do hear you. I was only speculating based on the circumstances. You’ll notice what I led in with in my post and that was along the lines of “don’t jump to conclusions because”…but people will speculate. For us reasonable people, it has nothing to do with a lack of respect for Dre and his loss. For some it does and for them I feel sorry. They obviously have no respect for human life or the loss of it and therefore, in my mind, that’s not even human. Talk about people needing to seriously check themselves…don’t let them rile you.
One love.
Peace, Baholicious! I understand what you’re saying, bella. But me being me, I had to react the way I do. I’m never not myself. 😀 And I never won’t be! (double negatives are so much fun! 😆 )
Then again, Baholicious, you need to seriously check yourself before coming around thinking you’ve got the authority and right to tell me how to act. You are not my parent, nor my boss, nor a person of any authority here. Please step off, I’ll not be spoken down to and chided as to how to speak my own mind. Got that? Thanks.
Snowblood, you got the right to tell people”All you bitches…can STUFF IT FIRMLY up your ASS” but Baholicious is not allowed to say “Aggressive response isn’t the answer” ❓
Condolences to the family.
Lara: Thanks for feeling the point here.
Hi Snowblood: No, no I don’t need to “check” myself. If you feel you have the right to tear into other people (as you’ve just done with me in this about-face, for instance)with hostility and profanity,I have the right to say I don’t think that’s the way to go about it and to point things out in my way. Sorry if you see it as parental because that wasn’t my intention. Your perception of parental was my attempt to de-escalate things, that’s all.
As far as me “coming around”, this is not a private playground for a clique. It’s a public forum and I have the right to post here.
I don’t claim to have any “authority” – that’s CB’s department. If CB feels what I post here is inappropriate, it will be removed. If people just happen to not like what I’m saying, well that’s too bad. If I hurt anyone’s feelings, it is not on purpose because that’s not who I am.
Sometimes I can come across as condescending, for which I apologize. I think that’s because I write a little dispassionately maybe.
Anyway, there you have it I guess. Here’s hoping we can get along and if not, at least not rag on each other every time either of us posts something. That’s not what I’m here for.
Take care
Please everyone — Stop – take a breath and remember what we are all really talking about here – a tragic and unbelievable situation for any Family – the loss of a beloved Child. For what ever the reason, we should pause to consider the reasons and act on how to avoid them so we can live with the peace of knowing this will not happen to ours.
Messed up really. That’s never the way it should be.
Much love dre n very sorry to hear about your little soljah