Dr. Dre founded Aftermath Entertainment in 1996 after leaving Death Row Records.
Born Andre Romell Young, Dr. Dre first gained prominence as a member of World Class Wreckin’ Cru and then as a producer and performer with N.W.A. His production helped define the dense, bass-heavy sound commonly associated with early 1990s West Coast gangsta rap.
After departing Death Row Records, he established Aftermath Entertainment in 1996. The label’s early releases included Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath, while its later successes included Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP and 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’. This made Aftermath a major force beyond Dre’s own recordings.
Dr. Dre is sometimes described only as a rapper, but his influence as a producer, label founder, and studio innovator is equally important. He also helped introduce Snoop Dogg to a wider audience through The Chronic, his 1992 solo debut on Death Row Records.