Nationwide — Hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre recently joined officials in Compton, California, to celebrate the opening of the city’s new $200 million Compton High School campus. The 31-acre facility will serve 1,800 students and includes a state-of-the-art performing arts center funded by the music icon.The new campus opens in August and features a 140,639-square-foot academic building, a 36,534-square-foot gym, a half-size Olympic pool, and landscaped grounds with native California plants. The project was funded through a bond measure passed in 2015.
Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, donated $10 million toward building the 40,868-square-foot Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center, according to Fox LA. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, he joked about the large photo of himself displayed on the building and shared how meaningful the project was to him.
“This was a commitment of time, resource and heart. It took a long time. It actually took me a long time to get this going,” Dre said. He promised royalties from his 2015 album Compton to support the center.
Dr. Dre grew up near Compton, although he did not attend Compton High. He rose to fame as part of N.W.A. and has since supported education through other major projects, including a magnet school in South L.A. and a $70 million donation to USC with longtime business partner Jimmy Iovine.
The event brought together local leaders, students, families, and residents to celebrate what many see as a major investment in the future of Compton and its youth.