Dr. Dre -- 'I'M THE 1ST BILLIONAIRE IN HIP HOP'

[Zonic]

Actually Timbaland is the only other producer with enough star power, track record and relevancy to do so... Just like Dre, Timbaland is just as relevant to Generation Y.

The person behind the brand matters because if it didn't everyone in the NBA would get a NIKE deal with 25 sneakers.

 

[j.troup]

lol......my point. I'm not the one saying Dr.Dre's "brand" is the reason.....GTFOHWTBS. Because Timbaland's brand would not have enough "power" to compete with Dr.Dre.....ask yourself why? He has a brand also....especially dealling with MJ's new album, right? Brand didn't mean shit.....it could've been beats by Quincy Jones......or beats by Timbaland.........or beats by Teddy....and it be the same outcome as today. It was perfect timing and destiny. They may have been in talks from the beginning about this. Come on, ni!

So branding is nothing, and "timing and destiny" is everything?


right. Okay. carry on.

 

[j.troup]

Actually Timbaland is the only other producer with enough star power, track record and relevancy to do so... Just like Dre, Timbaland is just as relevant to Generation Y.

The person behind the brand matters because if it didn't everyone in the NBA would get a NIKE deal with 25 sneakers.

Timbo's brand is different than Dre's brand.



Dre's brand isn't about BEATS so much as it is about CREATING STARS. Dre's brand has contributed to the creation of the biggest stars that hip hop has ever known.



Timbo just made some hot beats for a little while.




Completely different brands. Timbo wouldn't have worked.




Plus, honestly, Timbo is seen as CORNY in the marketplace.

 

[yokuzin]

So branding is nothing, and "timing and destiny" is everything?


right. Okay. carry on.

You are telling me that Dr.Dre gained more fans as the times went by and the outcome of his branding growth surpassed his single releases.... even with one included feature of the almighty Eminem? I'm not buying into it. Beats by Dre is less about Dre being a musician (brand and all) just as Jordan's the shoe is less about Jordan being a great ball player (brand and all). Hell, 80% of FP can't go deeper than Chronic 2001......Slim Shady....GRODT. That was great branding back then....enough so that people knew the lyrics to the whole album of 2001 but didn't really know what he meant or was talking about. When you got the most powerful rappers at those times praising the hell out of you....your "brand" grows. Lesson learned right? Make artist worship you on a track. Because it's going to pay off in the long run. All of that worship...Snoop worshipped him. But what do younger guys see who listen to "Young Thug"? Kendrick Lamar is not enough for the new crowd of hip hop fans. I'm a fan of Dre.....we can't front like he has a whole generation loving him because of his "brand"....it would take the power of "beats by Dre".....to reach them....not the other way around. Because the hype is "BEATS" whether his name is on it or not. Could've been anybody......especial Quincy Jones.

Timing. Oh how do you and others forget so fast of the great iphone technology BOOM!!! Acting like beats is the only thing developed from that boom. People were buying anything they could for their new device. And what have you seen atleast 10 times a day? YES!!!!!! YOU'VE SEEN DR.DRE!!! lmao! No....you've seen those headphones laying around just being what they are...a magnet. You see people all happy with them on as if they have never heard music before until they had them on. You see that lowercase b becoming powerful just like that apple somebody took a bite out of. People spending stupid money......Dr.Dre had nothing to do with it.

And that's not me saying I ain't happy for his success in getting the money. It's me saying I knew people were going to blow this out of proportion. Say it's a big step for hip hop and all of that.....just because "the brand" made a billion dollars.

We are acting as if Dr.Dre is Puffy or somebody.....give me a fuucking break. Puffy dehydrated you........and hydrated you........think I care about some guy who has his name on a product becoming some billionaire because him and some other folks have been working this deal since close to the beginning?

But props to getting that money, though. Just stop with all of that history in the making stop. Hip hop history. Like the headphones breakdance scratch a record for you also.....then they would be worth the $1000 they cost you....mmmkay.....

 

[kidgorgeous]

You are telling me that Dr.Dre gained more fans as the times went by and the outcome of his branding growth surpassed his single releases.... even with one included feature of the almighty Eminem? I'm not buying into it. Beats by Dre is less about Dre being a musician (brand and all) just as Jordan's the shoe is less about Jordan being a great ball player (brand and all). Hell, 80% of FP can't go deeper than Chronic 2001......Slim Shady....GRODT. That was great branding back then....enough so that people knew the lyrics to the whole album of 2001 but didn't really know what he meant or was talking about. When you got the most powerful rappers at those times praising the hell out of you....your "brand" grows. Lesson learned right? Make artist worship you on a track. Because it's going to pay off in the long run. All of that worship...Snoop worshipped him. But what do younger guys see who listen to "Young Thug"? Kendrick Lamar is not enough for the new crowd of hip hop fans. I'm a fan of Dre.....we can't front like he has a whole generation loving him because of his "brand"....it would take the power of "beats by Dre".....to reach them....not the other way around. Because the hype is "BEATS" whether his name is on it or not. Could've been anybody......especial Quincy Jones.

Timing. Oh how do you and others forget so fast of the great iphone technology BOOM!!! Acting like beats is the only thing developed from that boom. People were buying anything they could for their new device. And what have you seen atleast 10 times a day? YES!!!!!! YOU'VE SEEN DR.DRE!!! lmao! No....you've seen those headphones laying around just being what they are...a magnet. You see people all happy with them on as if they have never heard music before until they had them on. You see that lowercase b becoming powerful just like that apple somebody took a bite out of. People spending stupid money......Dr.Dre had nothing to do with it.

And that's not me saying I ain't happy for his success in getting the money. It's me saying I knew people were going to blow this out of proportion. Say it's a big step for hip hop and all of that.....just because "the brand" made a billion dollars.

We are acting as if Dr.Dre is Puffy or somebody.....give me a fuucking break. Puffy dehydrated you........and hydrated you........think I care about some guy who has his name on a product becoming some billionaire because him and some other folks have been working this deal since close to the beginning?

But props to getting that money, though. Just stop with all of that history in the making stop. Hip hop history. Like the headphones breakdance scratch a record for you also.....then they would be worth the $1000 they cost you....mmmkay.....

Heard both sides of the argument and I agree with Troup. I can't think of any other music entity that could have made this possible. Like what was said before, Timbaland is too out there and hasn't had a hip hop hit in a minute. He's mainly done pop lately, has always been seen as a bit of a weirdo, and just doesn't have the street cred of a Dr. Dre. He's well respected on these boards, because well he's Timbo, and as producers we recognize his genius. A better choice would have been Pharrell, but then again he also never had alot of street cred and I'm not even sure he cares as evidenced by his last hit song "Happy". I'm not even going to mention why Quincy Jones is an absolute hilarious choice as a spokesmen for headphones marketed to YOUNG ADULTS.

That leaves the last three logical choices that has the name, clout, and legendary status to pull off selling overpriced headphones to mindless zombie kids, Puffy, Jay-Z, and a combo of Birdman Lil Wayne. These are the only three I feel at this present moment who can pull off hawking products at epic proportions like Dr. Dre. However, in this headphone arena Dr. Dre has them all beat because of the identity associated with him being the best hip hop producer, mixer, engineer, and overall "sound man" to ever do it in the business, with all the hip hop street credibility from being associated with the MOST controversial rap groups of all time.

This was a slam dunk from the moment Jimmy Iovine muttered to Dre, "you know, maybe we should market your own line of headphones....."

 

[Trankwil]

Some people can never just congratulate a brother on a job well done. The only negative thing I can say is I wouldnt want folks to know I got a billion dollars but I guess this is his way of rubbing it in Suge's face.

pretty sure dre wouldn't read it if I congratulated him on fp. I'm an older cat and just see past worldly things to an extent. Once a guy's got multiple millions, you don't really need to celebrate more millions, you should shift focus to more important things. I'm sure he'd give up the apple deal to get his son back. Put it in perspective.

 

[Rekordhead]

Beats had great marketing. Dr. Dre's brand definitely helped them sell but Jimmy Iovine is the real reason they are what they are today. While everyone else in the headphone industry (including monster who designed Beats) was focusing on sound quality, Iovine said f--- that we're gonna put them in all our music videos and make it a fashion statement (I would link the source but i'm lazy, google it if you don't believe me). That's why at double the price of something that sounds better they still crush the competition. I mean you even see people wearing them around without the cord even plugged in. Dre's brand helped, but people just call 'em "Beats" anyway and it's been so long since Dre dropped anything most these kids wearing them never even listened to his music. I agree with the Jordans comparison. They marketed the hell out of Beats to make them the hip thing to have.

Not taking anything away from Dre at all, this is a huge accomplishment. And the marketing of Beats through Hip-Hop is the reason they got this deal, so I'm not gonna hate on him. All the richest Hip-Hop artists/producers made most of their money through other business ventures, which they only had the opportunity for because of their music success.

 

[Kinh]

He's done pretty good selling cheap yet overpriced headphones. I guess there's a market out there in the US that appreciates branding over quality.

 

[Zonic]

I get what yokusin is saying... it's like that chicken/egg dilemma.

Dre's brand jump started the Beats brand but the Beats brand repositioned and rejuvinated Dr Dre. That brand made him hot again to the young market.

Point is, it was great marketing, great timing, perfect endorser.

 

[yokuzin]

And to say Timbaland's "brand" was inferior to Dr.Dre's makes no since. First come, first to dominate. Jordan did it big......so who is going to have a shoe bigger than the Jordan's "brand"?

That's not me saying I have a change of heart on how I feel when Dr.Dre's name became part of a product. It looks more to me like a game of who will be the first to make a big deal about making a billion dollars. We thought Puffy.....Puffy making a billion wouldn't be as dramatic as a person saying "first in hip hop".......it's all a game of making one's self bigger than the big it makes them. How I see it. People see it there way as it's some spiritual uplift......cool......I don't see it that way. I see the same people who were the first "100 million in urban music" reaching for a billion.....the same ones who reached for a million at one time. WHO ARE THE NEW ONES ON THE RISE......besides Jay Z.......Dr.Dre......Puffy.....Baby Williams....Master P? Where the hustlers at outside of the hand full we always hearing about stepping up the ladder?

I love Dr.Dre.......this was a lottery winning moment.....yall telling me this was a great moment for hip hop....I ask how does this improve hip hop? The things that is suppose to be big moments FAIL to be....but somebody who has already known they could reach a billion dollar deal some day "surprises you" to make it some big moment. It's nothing for these "REAL BILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES" to drop a couple billion on a product. You clapping for hip hop.....you need to be in google's face.....they will give you a couple of billion dollars like it's nothing....then you can say 'YOU THE FIRST HIP HOP MUSICIAN TO HIT TWOOOOOOOOOOOOO BILLION MANE". lol!

And the icying on the cake.......this was the same dude who said he wanted to be know more than just a "hip hop producer"........OH REALLY?

 

[benji2]

Some of you guys seem perplexed and feel as though Apple may have overpaid for the company. Robert Johnson got 3 billion for BET from Viacom when it was valued at slightly under one billion. These are the big leagues. Just sit back, observe and take notes instead of trying to act like we really understand what goes on at this level of business. Dre is an icon and we are fp members.Thousandaires trying to scrutinize billionaire moves(lol), save yourself the headache. Get a few mill first at least. Just keeping it funky and grounded in reality. I'm sure Dre was surprised at the generous offer himself but if you work hard and surround yourself with good business minds(like Jimmy Iovine) great things can happen. You also need some good luck.This is an unprecedented deal. I'm analytical too but sometimes you have to know when to shut the down that inquisitive mind and say this is not in my league. It's a complex process that requires detailed number crunching & back and forth negotiating involving many different professionals. Throw Jimmy Iovine in the equation. We don't know his exact role in this either.

 

[stokeI]

The biggest news of the week hit the web yesterday with the Financial Times reporting Apple was in talks to acquire Beats Electronics, the headphone imprint co-founded by Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and will.i.am.

will.i.am is a founding shareholder in Beats Electronics, the creators of Beats by Dre™ headphones. Leveraging his experience in the consumer electronics industry, will.i.am hosted the world premiere introduction of his i.am+ foto.sosho camera accessory for iPhone4/4s and iPhone 5 in London in November, 2012. Fusing the worlds of fashion, photography and mobile lifestyle, the i.am+ foto.sosho camera accessory line debuted in December, 2012 at retail, available exclusively at Selfridges & Co. department store in the UK.

 

[benji2]

pretty sure dre wouldn't read it if I congratulated him on fp. I'm an older cat and just see past worldly things to an extent. Once a guy's got multiple millions, you don't really need to celebrate more millions, you should shift focus to more important things. I'm sure he'd give up the apple deal to get his son back. Put it in perspective.

Do you have kids? They motivate people also to keep working too when others may have not been as inspired. They're really expensive and that damn tuition is a beast. That's what motivates me to pursue other financial opportunities outside of my job. I can never downplay the importance of acquiring wealth as long as I'm living payheck to paycheck. My uncle doesn't put an emphasis on income either. He just made 50 and has given up on living comfortable. he's always talking bad about capitalism because he's bitter. I tried telling him it's a lifelong journey and that Colonel Sanders didnt make it till his 70's. That's the extreme.(lol)I may never be financially secure but I'll never lose that desire like some older guys. As far as shifting to important things, that's the exact reason I'd be excited, it gives Dre power to influence people politically, socially etc. That's why I said I'd pimp politicians. Charity donations is a given. It's useless to dwell on a lost loved one. You can't bring them back why even engage in that. It's only gonna make you depressed. We've all lost close loved ones and know how diifficult it is coping with the grief.

 

[Pumpthrust]

Do you have kids? They motivate people also to keep working too when others may have not been as inspired. They're really expensive and that damn tuition is a beast. That's what motivates me to pursue other financial opportunities outside of my job. As far as shifting to important things, that's the exact reason I'd be excited, it gives Dre power to influence people politically, socially etc. That's why I said I'd pimp politicians. Charity donations is a given. It's useless to dwell on a lost loved one. You can't bring them back why even engage in that. It's only gonna make you depressed. We've all lost close loved ones and know how diifficult it is coping with the grief.

benji2,
I wouldn't even waste my time. Haters are just.....gonna hate. Me? I don't give a ****, I ain't gonna get a cut, but I still gotta show love to any nigga crackin' a billi off these white folks.

 

[j.troup]

Beats had great marketing. Dr. Dre's brand definitely helped them sell but Jimmy Iovine is the real reason they are what they are today. While everyone else in the headphone industry (including monster who designed Beats) was focusing on sound quality, Iovine said f--- that we're gonna put them in all our music videos and make it a fashion statement (I would link the source but i'm lazy, google it if you don't believe me). That's why at double the price of something that sounds better they still crush the competition. I mean you even see people wearing them around without the cord even plugged in. Dre's brand helped, but people just call 'em "Beats" anyway and it's been so long since Dre dropped anything most these kids wearing them never even listened to his music. I agree with the Jordans comparison. They marketed the hell out of Beats to make them the hip thing to have.

Actually, if you remember correctly, they tried the whole "hear the music as it was meant to be heard" approach when they first came out. They basically positioned them as an Audiophile product.

And they didn't sell.


But when they repositioned the brand as a fashion accessory, then they sold like hot cakes.

 

[yokuzin]

Heard both sides of the argument and I agree with Troup. I can't think of any other music entity that could have made this possible. Like what was said before, Timbaland is too out there and hasn't had a hip hop hit in a minute. He's mainly done pop lately, has always been seen as a bit of a weirdo, and just doesn't have the street cred of a Dr. Dre. He's well respected on these boards, because well he's Timbo, and as producers we recognize his genius. A better choice would have been Pharrell, but then again he also never had alot of street cred and I'm not even sure he cares as evidenced by his last hit song "Happy". I'm not even going to mention why Quincy Jones is an absolute hilarious choice as a spokesmen for headphones marketed to YOUNG ADULTS.

That leaves the last three logical choices that has the name, clout, and legendary status to pull off selling overpriced headphones to mindless zombie kids, Puffy, Jay-Z, and a combo of Birdman Lil Wayne. These are the only three I feel at this present moment who can pull off hawking products at epic proportions like Dr. Dre. However, in this headphone arena Dr. Dre has them all beat because of the identity associated with him being the best hip hop producer, mixer, engineer, and overall "sound man" to ever do it in the business, with all the hip hop street credibility from being associated with the MOST controversial rap groups of all time.

This was a slam dunk from the moment Jimmy Iovine muttered to Dre, "you know, maybe we should market your own line of headphones....."

I think yall are over thinking it......that's all. Anything can have marketing power if done right. If "beats" was released last year, but AKG is pushing a Quincy Jones line of their product for the "consumer listener" right at a time when these innovative device were great except for those weak ass ear buds.....it would benefit Quincy Jones not because of who he is......but the fact that "I just bought this expensive device and I need the best quality headphones at any cost". Now all I got to do is let you hear the difference between your weak ass headphones to whart weill be heaven if you bought my product. There is a lot more to the headphones success than "Dr.Dre's name" being on it.....which could have equaled Harley Davidson's name, Eddie Bauer's name......on and on. We never heard of these people.....you would be a liar to say you know.....but when you think of "motorcycles" your first thought is Harley. You get some money and want a bike, you don't know what kind of Harley you want...you just want a Harley...so you can be bad ass or whatever.

So yeah......you could've been rockin some QJ's.

 

[Legal Dollaz]

Let me also add that all this Dr Dre being the first "Hip Hop Billionaire" talk without any of the details being publicly released is premature. How much of this sale is cash vs stock? Preferred stock? Common stock? Vesting structure? Acceleration triggers? Liquidity preference? I can go on all day but the truth is the devil is in the details and right now the amount of details reveled publicly is ZERO. But of course in the world of Hip Hop 99% of its participants are totally ignorant to what goes on in the business world at this level so a Forbes list will suffice. Too bad because maybe one day we will stop being satisfied with "trying to come up" utilizing platforms like Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, etc...and start realizing the "come up" is in creating our OWN platforms utilizing online technology

 

[benji2]

He's done pretty good selling cheap yet overpriced headphones. I guess there's a market out there in the US that appreciates branding over quality.

I have one question;Do they eventually stop working and get a short in one ear like the 150 other pair of cheap headphones that have broken in my lifetime? My 12 yr old nephew keeps bugging me for a pair but I refuse to pay that much for headphones unless it's a lifetime guarantee.

 

[benji2]

Let me also add that all this Dr Dre being the first "Hip Hop Billionaire" talk without any of the details being publicly released is premature. How much of this sale is cash vs stock? Preferred stock? Common stock? Vesting structure? Acceleration triggers? Liquidity preference? I can go on all day but the truth is the devil is in the details and right now the amount of details reveled publicly is ZERO. But of course in the world of Hip Hop 99% of its participants are totally ignorant to what goes on in the business world at this level so a Forbes list will suffice. Too bad because maybe one day we will stop being satisfied with "trying to come up" utilizing platforms like Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, etc...and start realizing the "come up" is in creating our OWN platforms utilizing online technology

Impressive, you talk & think like a MBA graduate.

 

[SFTRAXX]

Forbes tells Dr Dre... Not so fast Playboy...

Forbes tells Dr Dre... Not so fast Playboy...