Dr. Dre’s Marvin Gaye Movie May Shed New Light on the Singer’s Story
Dr. Dre is back! Before you get super excited, you should know that the Beats by Dre mogul isn’t putting out new music. However, he is involved in a much buzzed-about upcoming movie. The N.W.A alum will produce a biopic about Motown legend Marvin Gaye’s life, and we couldn’t be more excited.
The later singer, songwriter, and producer dominated the charts with his hits like “What’s Going On” and “Let’s Get It On.” In the 1960’s, he helped shape Barry Gordy’s Mowtown, along with The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross. He returned to the music scene two decades later in the 1980’s with the explosive song “Sexual Healing.”
Unfortunately, Gaye died tragically. At the age of 44, he intervened in a dispute between his parents and was fatally shot by his father, Marvin Gaye Sr. in Los Angeles in 1984. It was a devastating blow not just to the Gaye family, but also for those who revered the musical genius across the globe. Throughout his life, Gaye and his father, who was a church minister, had a tumultuous relationship. The elder Gaye often brutally whipped his son during his child and teenage years for any perceived shortcomings.
In David Ritz biography, Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye, Gaye was quoted as saying that living with his father was like, “living with a king, a very peculiar, changeable, cruel, and all-powerful king.” He also said that his childhood was so depressing that he felt that had his mother not consoled him and encouraged his singing, he would have killed himself.
A film about Gaye’s life has been in the works for quite a long time. Straight Outta Compton director F. Gary Grey, Cameron Crowe, Scott Rudin, and Lenny Kravitz have all tried to get the film in development. However, Gaye’s estate refused to authorize any of the earlier films. This meant that they wouldn’t have been able to use any of Gaye’s iconic music, which wouldn’t make for a very good or compelling biopic.
Since Gaye’s estate authorized Dr. Dre’s upcoming film and the team secured rights to his music, we hope that things will move quickly with the project. Variety is reporting that the music mogul is in the early stages of getting the project off the ground. Unfortunately, this means that we probably won’t see anything from the film for the next several years. As long as the movie has an amazing cast and script, we suppose we’re willing to be patient.
This isn’t the only project on the soul musician’s life that’s currently in the works. In 2016, the singer’s estate approved of a limited series about Gaye starring Jamie Foxx. At the time, Gaye’s son, Marvin Gaye III said, “This project will be a powerful and definitive telling of Marvin Gaye’s life story.” However, there have been no additional updates on the project at this time.
Meanwhile, a documentary on Gaye’s life, reported to feature never-before-seen footage, had a projected 2017 premiere date. However, at present, the project is still in development.
Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, is no stranger to the big screen. He produced the 2015 Oscar-nominated film Straight Outta Compton, which was based on his life. Additionally, he had small parts in movies like Training Day and Car Wash.
The Aftermath Entertainment CEO first hinted at his interest in Gaye in the 2017 HBO docu-series, The Defiant Ones. One episode shows the MC mesmerized as he mixes a version of the Gaye’s classic “I Want You” using the late legend’s original vocals. Honestly, we just want to know when we can expect this biopic to debut because our bodies are ready.
Follow Aramide on Twitter @midnightrami.
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