Dr. Dre reveals why he turned down collaborations with Michael Jackson, Prince and Stevie Wonder

Dr. Dre has explained why he previously turned down working with some all-time greats including Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.

The rapper appeared on Kevin Hart’s Hart To Heart talk show last week where he discussed why he “bowed out” from working with his heroes.

“Prince, Michael Jackson,” Dre told Hart in response to a question about the musicians that he's declined to work alongside over the years.

“You bowed out of working with them? Both of them?! Was it like a demo tape of something?” Hart asked.

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Dre explained that they each asked to work with him, but he passed on both opportunities. “What the fuck am I gonna do with them?” he said. “Those are my fucking heroes.”

The rapper, producer and entrepreneur went on to explain that he didn’t want to change how he felt about some of his favourite artists, which could be the case if he worked with them.

He added that he most recently turned down Stevie Wonder, who called him to ask about working on a track together, but politely declined.

“I like the idea of what I grew up listening to and I want to keep it like that. And I don’t want to fuck up that idea and that look,” he said.

Dre added he likes the way he feels about “Stevie, Prince, Michael, Bruce Springsteen and all of these amazing artists,” which could be changed by working with them.

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He also feared that he could be pigeonholed if he worked with his heroes, who would suggest “how the shit should sound” without room to explore.

“My entire life and career has been dealing with and working with new artists. That’s what I like. Nobody comes in with an agenda,” he explained.

“It’s a ball of clay when they walk in the room. You can just form it and do what you want. That’s what I want. Everybody else, especially my heroes, they’re coming in and there’s a set plan as to how the shit should sound, ya know. I can’t, I can’t explore.”

[Via: NME]

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter