Dr. Dre

One of the founding fathers of gangsta rap, the G-funk style, Death Row Records, and Aftermath, Dr. Dre has been bringing innovation and slick production to the world of rap since the early days of N.W.A. in the late '80s. As with many restless souls in the music industry, it was only a matter of time before Dre decided to expand his role in the entertainment industry to feature films. Born Andre Young in February of 1965, Dre's early work with N.W.A. garnered the tough rapper a reputation for fearless abandon. With their gritty tales of violent life on the streets the group encountered more than a little controversy, though their then-unique approach to rap inspired countless imitators along with their vehement detractors. Later helping to launch the careers of Snoop Doggy Dogg and stepbrother Warren G. as a producer, Dre proved that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon and remained one of the most innovative fixtures in the hip-hop universe. Some of Dre's early work in the film industry involved orchestrating the soundtracks for such films as Above the Rim and Murder Was the Case in 1994. Taking the director's chair for 1993's Hour of Chaos and Murder Was the Case the following year, Dre also turned up in front of the camera for Set It Off (1996), Whiteboyz (1999), and Training Day (2001). Despite his reputation for being so "hard," Dre's first major film role would come surprisingly in the comedy The Wash (2001) alongside longtime friend and fellow G-Funk cohort Snoop Doggy Dogg. With former collaborator Ice Cube having already taken his act to the screen for laughs in 1995's Friday, it appeared as if the ever-serious former N.W.A. killaz had finally lightened up a bit and taken on a more easygoing celluloid existence as opposed to their more dangerous vinyl incarnation. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide