Dr. Dre Says He Is Taking a Break From Music for the First Time in His Career

Dr. Dre says he is stepping away from making music, and for the first time since he became an adult professional, he will not be working on it. He said so on the November 6 episode of the Listen and Laugh podcast, where he appeared with Ice Cube and Mike Epps, Billboard reported.

The producer, rapper and entrepreneur said he plans to go "off the grid" for a year or two before returning. He described being mentally tied to music even when he was away from the studio. This time, he said, he will not be.

Dr. Dre first worked in music in 1984, when he started out with the World Class Wrecking Crew, a production crew. He went on to become one of the most closely watched producers in hip-hop, but the podcast comments focus on what comes next rather than what came before.

Before the break, he has two projects to finish. Complex reported that one of them is with Houston artist Marcus Clae.

Dr. Dre also said he is extremely excited about artificial intelligence, which he said he loves for its potential in both music and film. He did not give details of how he plans to use it, or whether it will play any part in the two projects he is finishing.

For anyone who follows his work, the news means the studio sessions and new releases are likely to slow for a stretch. For the wider industry, a figure this well known pulling back from the studio is the kind of change that reaches producers, engineers and collaborators who work on his projects. Those people often learn about a shift like this from the same interviews fans read.

Nothing has been announced about a return date, a new album, or a tour. Dr. Dre has said only that he expects to be away for a year or two and then come back.