This Superstar’s Homeless Daughter Lived in Car & Asked for Help While He Donated $70M to University Where Another Daughter Studies

• While renowned rapper Dr. Dre enjoys fame and fortune, his eldest daughter lives in a starkly different reality.
• Once revealed to be homeless, she grappled with life’s harsh realities, living in a rental car while her children lived with friends.
• Interestingly, Dr. Dre generously donated $70 million to the University of Southern California, where his youngest daughter later enrolled.

American record producer and rapper Dr. Dre, real name Andre Romelle Young, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 19, 2024. The ceremony, in Los Angeles, was a star-studded affair, with his fellow rapper Snoop Dogg and protégés, Eminem and 50 Cent, celebrating alongside him.

This celebration followed a challenging chapter in Dre’s personal life, marked by his high-profile divorce from his ex-wife Nicole Young in October 2021. The split was contentious, filled with allegations and legal battles that had started the previous year.

While Dre was navigating his messy divorce, his eldest daughter, LaTanya Young was talking to the media about her struggles to make ends meet. LaTanya moved from Nevada to California after losing her job. But even with the higher wages in California, she was still struggling.

At 38, she juggled jobs as a delivery driver for DoorDash and Uber Eats, and as an assembler at a warehouse, yet still couldn’t afford a California apartment. She resorted to living in a rented vehicle—a daunting reality for a single mother of four. LaTanya is Dre’s daughter with ex-partner Lisa Johnson.

Her parents parted ways when LaTanya was just five, so she grew up distant from her father’s world. Despite Dre’s substantial spousal support payments to Nicole, LaTanya disclosed she had not received any financial support from her father for over a year and a half.

Moreover, she lamented the emotional distance, having not seen Dre for nearly two decades, and not even having his number. LaTanya’s only means of reaching out to her father was through his team. She was grappling with the fear that she might lose her rental car due to missed payments.

She also shared that her children, who were staying with friends, had never had the chance to meet their grandfather. This reality was hard for them to accept, especially given their grandfather’s apparent indifference towards them.

LaTanya acknowledged that Dre had previously provided financial support, covering her rent and giving her an allowance. However, this support ceased in January 2020. After reaching out to her father for help, Dre’s lawyer relayed that she wouldn’t be getting any help because she had talked to the media.

She knew of the rumors about Dre’s lavish lifestyle and generous financial settlement to his ex-wife, Nicole. This knowledge added to her distress, as she felt her mother should have received a similar settlement. LaTanya showed admiration for Nicole, who had stood up for herself during the divorce proceedings.

In 2013, Dre and Jimmy Iovine made a significant contribution to the University of Southern California (USC). Their $70 million donation aided in the establishment of the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation.

The academy opened its doors in the fall of 2014 with an inaugural class of 25 students. Its mission was to prepare students for the fast-paced music industry by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge.

The academy offered a four-year program designed to nurture entrepreneurship and enhance students’ skills in entertainment, technology, and business. The curriculum was divided into four main areas: arts and entrepreneurship; technology, design, and marketability; concept and business platform; and prototype creation.

The program provided a diverse range of instruction, including engineering, computer science, fine arts, graphic design, business, and leadership training. Interestingly, the same year the academy was founded, Forbes reported Dr. Dre’s net worth to be $350 million. This placed him as the third wealthiest hip-hop star, trailing behind Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z.

And while Dre was making significant contributions to USC, his eldest daughter, LaTanya, was not receiving the same level of support for her education. LaTanya revealed to the media that Dre had failed to support her and her sister through college and health insurance.

To make up for that she had proposed a plan to Dre, asking him to provide a home for them. However, her pleas were never met, leaving her and her family in a precarious situation.

In contrast, Dre proudly announced in 2019 that his youngest daughter with ex-wife Nicole, Truly Young, had been accepted into USC. He emphasized that she got in “all on her own,” a statement that seemed to underscore the different paths his daughters were taking in their educational journeys.

In January 2021, Dre suffered a health scare that sent ripples through the music industry. He was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after experiencing a brain aneurysm. The news of his hospitalization led to an outpouring of concern and well-wishes from his colleagues in the industry.

Dre later released a statement assuring everyone that he was doing well. He expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of concern and well wishes from his family, friends, and fans. However, while Dre was publicly sharing his health update, his estranged daughter LaTanya who was left in the dark had tried and failed to acquire information about his condition.

Dre’s youngest daughter, Truly Young, shares a close bond with her dad. They are often seen together in public, showcasing their strong father-daughter relationship. Before Dre’s split from Truly’s mother Nicole, Truly was seen with her parents at high-profile events, such as the Tom Ford: Autumn/Winter Runway Show in 2020 at Milk Studios.

The divorce between Dr. Dre and Nicole Young was far from amicable. The couple, who had founded a company together, found themselves in a bitter dispute over finances. Record One recording studio, which Dre and Larry Chatman established in 2015, was at the center of the controversy.

Nicole, who was a trustee and signatory on the LLC’s checking account that operated Record One, was accused of draining the company’s bank account. The attorneys representing the LLC claimed that Nicole had drained a substantial sum of $353,571.85 from the company’s account.

They labeled her actions “blatant and unjustifiable criminal embezzlement of corporate funds” and accused her of breaching her fiduciary duties. In response, Dre and his business partner demanded the return of the funds, threatening legal action if she failed to comply.

Nicole, on the other hand, countered with accusations of her own against Dre. She alleged that he had concealed assets and claimed that she had been coerced into signing their prenuptial agreement, which she said Dre had later destroyed. Dre categorically denied these allegations.

Nicole’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, dismissed the accusations leveled against her as a “low-grade PR stunt” by Dre and his team. He defended Nicole’s actions, asserting she was fully within her contractual and legal rights. He further accused Dre’s team of attempting to defraud Nicole of the community property she was rightfully entitled to.

It seems that even after the ugly divorce battle between her mother and Dre, she still maintains a good relationship with him. On March 19, 2024, their daughter Truly was there to support her father at his Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony.

She attended the event with her brother Truice Young and half-brother Tyler Young. The family was photographed together, with Dre’s arm affectionately draped over Truly’s shoulder.

Truly is not just known for being Dre’s daughter. She is a singer and an artist in her own right, often showcasing her talents on social media. Her singing skills have garnered compliments from fans, and she also shares her knitting, drawing, and painting work on Instagram.

Dr. Dre’s ascent in music and his generous donations to institutions like USC stand in stark contrast to his daughter LaTanya’s struggles with homelessness. Her story sheds light on the hidden challenges that can lurk behind fame, emphasizing the need for family connection and support amid the complexities of fame and fortune.