Dr. Dre (born Andre Young) is a living hip-hop legend. He was a founding member of the seminal gangsta rap group N.W.A., and his later career as a solo artist and producer earned him six Grammy Awards (out of a stunning 29 nominations).
For a blast from the past, take a listen to his 2000 track “Still D.R.E.,” ghostwritten by Jay-Z and featuring Snoop Dogg:
Dr. Dre may be revered for his musical talent, but he’s definitely been scrutinized for his history of misogyny. That’s why it may come as a surprise to learn that he was married for almost 25 years to the same woman. Get the scoop on Nicole Young, his longest partner to date.
Who Is Nicole Young?
Nicole Young was born Nicole Kendra Plotzker in 1970. Details about her early life are unknown, but she has been married to Dr. Dre since 1996. She was previously married to NBA player Sedale Threatt from 1992 to 1995.
Multiple sources report that Young studied law and worked as an attorney until her marriage to Dre. However, other outlets claim that she does not turn up in a search on the State Bar of California website.
What we do know is that her responsibilities as Dr. Dre’s wife sound as exhausting as any professional career. Young married a man who had four children with four different baby mamas: a daughter and three sons. (Unfortunately, one of his children, Andre Jr., died over a drug overdose in 2008.) She and Dre also had two children of their own. Their son Truice was born in 1997; daughter Truly followed in 2001.
Dr. Dre Had To Chase Nicole Before They Started Dating
Dre didn’t just put a ring on it—he had to sweet talk Young out of an existing relationship to win her heart. According to the hip-hop rumor mill, the two met while she was still married to Threatt. Young received a handwritten letter from her suitor convincing her to rethink her marriage.
“Hopefully you doing well and you realized you need to quit [expletive] with Sedale and come home to your doctor,” wrote Dre. “I will take care of you baby girl.”
“I’m bout to pass out girl, wish I was u in that ass,” he concluded.
It wasn’t exactly the kind of poetic love letter that would make most ladies swoon, but it did the trick. The couple married in 1996 and welcomed their first child into the world the following year.
Dr. Dre And Nicole Young Are Mired In A Nasty Divorce Battle
On June 29, 2020, Young filed for divorce from Dr. Dre. The 51-year-old cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split. But more recently she revealed the specifics of what soured the relationship.
In January 2021, Young filed documents with the Superior Court of California that claimed she suffered years of abuse at the hands of her husband. She alleged that on two separate occasions in 2000 and 2001, Dr. Dre held a gun to her head. She also accused him of punching her in the head and face.
“Andre has verbally and emotionally decimated my personhood to the extent that I currently suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome,” she wrote in the court documents.
The couple reportedly married with a prenup in place, but somewhere along the way, Dre ripped it up. Now, Young is seeking nearly $2 million per month in spousal support. Itemized costs include $900,000 a month for “entertainment” expenses and $135,000 a month for clothes.
To your average person, these demands may seem a bit excessive, but Young believes she’s entitled to this much because she played an integral part in Dr. Dre’s success, like helping him settle on the name “Aftermath” for his record label.
However, there may be a deeper reason why she is seeking so much money.
According to ET, Young claims that she is “having difficulty paying her bills,” and since she doesn’t work, the $2 million monthly spousal support will help her “continue to enjoy the lifestyle she enjoyed during marriage.”
The divorce filings also revealed that Young was being forced to bounce between two of their five L.A. homes. She currently resides in their Malibu property, but Dre has allegedly threatened to sell it. He also reportedly told her not to spend another penny, as he personally reviews all of her bills and approves payment for the ones he sees fit.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dre’s net worth is roughly $800 million, according to a 2019 Forbes report. Much of that wealth came from the 2014 sale of his headphone line, Beats by Dr. Dre, to Apple. The deal was worth $3 billion.
Dr. Dre Suffered A Brain Aneurysm During His Divorce Battle With Nicole Young
According to TMZ, Dr. Dre suffered a brain aneurysm on January 4, 2021, and was transported to Cedars-Sinai ICU the following day. That evening a note of gratitude was posted from Dr. Dre’s Instagram account:
A week later, rapper Ice-T provided an update on social media. “Just talked to the homie Dr. Dre,” he wrote. “He’s doing good and hopefully he’ll be home soon. But let’s keep him in our prayers.”
He was released from the hospital on January 15.
Two days after Dre was checked into Cedars, the Daily News reported that he agreed to pay Young a $2 million advance. The funds are meant to keep her afloat while he recovers from the aneurysm. In exchange, Young “agreed to cover all expenses related to her Malibu and Pacific Palisades homes as well as her private security during the period leading up to a new spousal support hearing set for April 14.” (Based on a previous agreement, Dre is obligated to pay security expenses, but Young said she would take care of the bills for the time being.)
The money will be deducted from whatever settlement they reach in terms of spousal support.
Nicole Young And Dr. Dre Filed Divorce Documents In April 2021
Given Dre’s mega wealth, both parties have a lot at stake, which is why their divorce has been so contentious. However, in April 2021, the two made a big step towards finalizing their split.
Page Six reported that the two filed a motion to have a judge sign off on the dissolution of their marriage. If signed, this will allow each of them to become legally single. They’ll be allowed to re-marry while they continue to battle it out over their financial entanglements. A judge is expected to sign off on this in July.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reported that Dr. Dre has been ordered to pay $500,000 towards Young’s divorce lawyers. It’s a small fraction of what she’s asking for, but it’s a step towards a final resolution.
We are glad to see they were able to reach a milestone in this lengthy process. Stay tuned for updates when the couple has their next hearing in July.
