Dr. Dre Is Taking His First Break From Music in Over 40 Years

Dr. Dre is reporterdly preparing to step away from music for the first time in his career, with the legendary producer planning to spend up to two years away from the recording industry.

The 61-year-old made the revelation during an appearance on the debut episode of Listen & Laugh, the new podcast hosted by longtime friends Ice Cube and comedian Mike Epps. Released over the weekend, the conversation touched on Dre's four-decade career, his creative process and what he hopes to discover beyond music.

Dre said he intends to finish two projects currently in development before taking an extended break, including one with Houston rapper Marqus Clae. Once those commitments are fulfilled, the producer and businesss mogul plans to disconnect from the industry for a year or two.

"For the first time in my adult career, I'm going to take a break from that," Dre explained. "I'm going to go away, and I'm going to get off the grid for a year or two and come back."

The decision comes after more than four decades of virtually uninterrupted creative work. Dre explained that music has become so ingrained in his daily life that even ordinary activities can turn into opportunities for inspiration. Looking at storefronts or bumper stickers, for instance, can trigger ideas for future productions.

He now wants to find out whether something outside music can give him the same sense of excitement he experienced when he first discovered it. "I'm so fucking excited about discovering the man I'm going to be next," he said during the conversation.

The producer also offered a glimpse into the enormous amount of unreleased material accumulated throughout his career. He estimates that audiences have heard only around 20% of the music he has recorded since 1985. His last solo studio album, Compton, was released in 2015.