# Why two guys named Dr. Dre? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214 "2005-01-11T15:00:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barqalounger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@Barqalounger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barqalounger)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/1 "2005-01-11T15:00:26Z")
How did there come to be two different people in the rap biz called Dr. Dre? There’s the one who hangs with Snoop and Eminem, and the one who hangs with Ed Lover. Who was first? It’s hard to believe it could just be coincidence. Was there ever a fight about it? ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/2 "2005-01-11T16:20:19Z")
Until just now, I didn’t know there were two. I only know the Dr. Dre who hangs around with Snoop Dogg and Eminem. So to me, he is the only Dr. Dre. I know he’s been around since the '80s, if that helps. Who’s Ed Lover? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/3 "2005-01-11T16:31:23Z")
[http://www.beastiemania.com/whois/dr\_dre/](http://www.beastiemania.com/whois/dr_dre/) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/4 "2005-01-11T16:32:46Z")
Well, AFAIK “Dre” is a shortened form of “Andre”, which is not that uncommon of a male name. Don’t know why they both decided to add “Dr.” in front. Maybe it’s just goes well with rhymes. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/5 "2005-01-11T16:34:11Z")
> [@yellowval](#): > > Until just now, I didn’t know there were two. I only know the Dr. Dre who hangs around with Snoop Dogg and Eminem. So to me, he is the only Dr. Dre. I know he’s been around since the '80s, if that helps. > > Who’s Ed Lover? Ed Lover and the other Dr. Dre, a big fat guy, were the hosts of Yo! MTV Raps, the first show to really expose mainstream MTV viewers to rap and hip-hop music videos. The show is often cited by rappers as being very important and influential. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/6 "2005-01-11T16:36:11Z")
One is probably a chiropractor. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/7 "2005-01-11T17:02:29Z")
Or an osteopath. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/8 "2005-01-11T17:05:19Z")
Or just a PhD. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/9 "2005-01-11T17:12:23Z")
Always thought they were the same guy. :o ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/10 "2005-01-11T17:51:09Z")
For a while a couple years ago, HBO had a boxing show that was hosted by Ed Lover. It was always on later at night and featured lesser fighters. Might have been called “KO Nation” and had a hip-hop flava. I loved it, but it went away. I never really faced much confusion with the two Dres. In the 80’s “Dr. Dre” was just the fat host of that show. His popularity waned. Then, when “The Chronic” hit (in 91?) there was no mistaking Dr. Dre for the fat guy. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/11 "2005-01-11T18:12:13Z")
AFAIK, the Dr. Dre that hung out with Ed Lover never rapped. He just hosted _Yo! MTV Raps_ and was in a few movies. ---
**Author:** ![SilentButDeftly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@SilentButDeftly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SilentButDeftly)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/12 "2005-01-11T18:14:31Z")
IIRC, Dr. Dre (from NWA, not the Yo! MTV Raps guy) chose his moniker as a take on Julius “Dr. J” Erving. \ Quick 100th-post party for SilentButDeftly! Woo-hoo! \ ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/13 "2005-01-11T21:21:19Z")
Shows how with it I am. Had not a clue that there were two. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/14 "2005-01-12T01:26:23Z")
Has there ever been a _Dr. Dre vs. Dr. Dre, who would win_ thread? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-two-guys-named-dr-dre/284214/15 "2005-01-12T02:06:35Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Has there ever been a _Dr. Dre vs. Dr. Dre, who would win_ thread? No and there never will be. the Ed Lover Dr. Dre is a fat, bad comedian/show host. The Dr. Dre that hangs out with Eminem was signed with Death Row records and also hung out with Sug Knight. Is there really any question??? OF course the Ed lover Dr. Dre would win!