André "Doctor Dré" Brown (born on
December 5,
1963, in
Westbury, New York) is an
African American radio personality and former
MTV VJ. He was best known for being the co-host of MTV's
hip hop music specialty program
Yo! MTV Raps with partner
Ed Lover.
On MTV's reunion of
12 Angry VJs, Dré professed that he does not eat pork because he is a
Muslim.
He also starred in the
1993 film
Who's the Man? with Ed Lover.
Dré teamed up with Lover in the early 1990s to co-host a morning radio show when they helped re-launch radio station Hot 97 (
WQHT) in New York City.
Career beyond Yo!
He was a member of the hip-hop group
Original Concept, which released one album on Def Jam titled
Straight from the Basement of Kooley High; the group's best-known track being "Pump that Bass." He is also a former DJ for
The Beastie Boys.
Dré had his own urban clothing line called Bigga Stuff in the early 1990s, but it was never widely distributed.
Dré and Ed Lover also recorded an album titled
Back up off Me! that was released on
Relativity Records.
Dré also participated with Ed Lover in the
Comedy Central roast of
Denis Leary.
Guest appearances on television programs
He guest-starred on
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the episode "Ill Will" as a figment of
Will Smith's nightmare of bad doctors.
He also appeared on an episode of
The People's Court with
Judge Marilyn Milian as a witness for a talent director suing former colleagues of his. They won
US$1,500, half of what was requested.
Discography