He’s a major figure in hip hop history.
Before Yo! MTV Raps was aired on MTV, there was no other series dedicated to hip hop music. The show was first presented on MTV Europe, but once it hit the U.S., it gained popularity like never before. While Fab 5 Freddy was an original host, friends Ed Lover and Doctor Dré took over and became the faces Yo! MTV Raps. They interviewed top artists and featured hit videos, but unfortunately, by 1995, the show was on its way out. Ed Lover and Doctor Dré are forever etched in hip hop history and helped pioneer the genre’s influence on pop culture through television.
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Doctor Dré recently sat down with ABC 7‘s “Here and Now” to talk about the rise and influence Yo! MTV Raps and what he’s been up to for the last few decades. During the conversation, Dré revealed that he was struggling with health issues that have affected his eyesight. “I’m a Type 2 Diabetic who’s lost his vision,” he said. “I have a foundation called the Doctor Dré V.I.C (Visually Impaired Can) Foundation. Basically, I’ve been going through a whole resurgence my life. I stopped at one point and now I’m doing this. Through the blessings the late-great Dick Gregory and some people he’d known, I’ve worked with some holistic doctors out there to change what goes in my body and actually work with trying to do the best to treat diabetes.”
The legendary hip hop figure shared that he didn’t go blind from just diabetes, but because he had his retinas reattached, as well. It caused scar tissue behind his eyes and he says when it fluctuates, sometimes his vision comes back for a short time. However, Doctor Dré’s faith has kept him going, and he stated that even when he felt as if he was a “death’s door,” he was told it wasn’t his time. Check out his segment below along with a few reactions to the news.