Dr. Dre's countless contributions to hip hop will be honored at The ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. He's set to receive the first ASCAP Hip Hop Icon Award of all time, further cementing his influence on the world of hip hop. The ceremony is scheduled to take place tomorrow in Los Angeles.
“Dr. Dre’s groundbreaking early work laid a foundation for Hip-Hop as we know it today. As a champion for some of today’s biggest artists and a successful entrepreneur, he changed the culture around Hip-Hop,” explained chairman of the board and president of ASCAP Paul Williams. “Dre continues to be a pivotal figure in the music industry," he says. Adding, "We are thrilled to recognize him with the inaugural ASCAP Hip-Hop Icon Award as we mark 50 years of Hip-Hop.”
Dr. Dre Is Officially An "Icon"
The Hip Hop Icon Award was designed to “[recognize] the contributors, creatives and professionals with a proven track record of uplifting Black music.” It was also conceptualized alongside the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective. This year's ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards ceremony will also honor the 50-year-anniversary of hip hop.
Dr. Dre was honored again earlier this year at the Grammys. He was given the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award in February. “I’m extremely moved by this award,” he said upon receiving it. “I want to say thank you to the Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective for this honor." He continued, "I know everybody in here probably knows this already, but this is the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Make some noise for Hip Hop!" Dr. Dre went on, “Where would I be without it? Where would a lot of people be without Hip Hop, to be honest? Hip Hop became a lifeline for me as a teenager growing up in Compton, and it started with a song called ‘The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel.’”
