It's been 24 years since Dr. Dre beat up journalist Dee Barnes. Earlier this week, Barnes wrote a lengthy post on Gawker recounting the time in 1991 when Dr. Dre beat her up. Now, on the heels of the success of Straight Outta Compton, Dr. Dre has finally issued an apology, via the New York Times, for his past brutal behavior toward women:
Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did. I've been married for 19 years and every day I'm working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I'm doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again. I apologize to the women I've hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.
Barnes wasn't the only woman to suffer at the hands of the Beats by Dre pioneer. Dr. Dre's ex-girlfriend, and the mother of his 24-year-old son, Michel'le, also spoke out about how her ex would beat her. And in a post for Medium, writer Byron Crawford provided stories from Barnes and Michel'le as well as from 1990s rapper Tairrie B.
The Times also received a statement from Apple in which the company expressed solidarity with Dr. Dre:
Dre has apologized for the mistakes he's made in the past and he's said that he's not the same person that he was 25 years ago. We believe his sincerity and after working with him for a year and a half, we have every reason to believe that he has changed.
Many wondered why Dr. Dre's abuse of women didn't make the movie, but according to director F. Gary Gray, it actually ended up on the cutting-room floor. The Los Angeles Times reported that a scene that was cut from the film included Dr. Dre attacking Barnes. Gray said it was just one of several scenes that didn't make the film.