$10 million latest gift from hip-hop pioneer “Dr. Dre (Andre Young) creates world-class performing arts center -raises his giving to $80 million

In a stirring return to his hometown, hip-hop pioneer and cultural icon Dr. Dre—born Andre Young—unveiled the Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center at the newly reconstructed Compton High School, the culmination of a $10 million personal donation and a lifelong commitment to the power of creative expression.

The new facility, elegant and fully equipped, stands as both a tribute to his roots and a promise to the future—a place where artistry, imagination, and opportunity converge.

The center is part of a sweeping $200 million reimagining of the Compton High School campus, a transformation designed to serve over 1,800 students, the vast majority of whom come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Featuring a professional-grade recording studio, a sleek, modern theater, and vibrant creative workspaces, the center was built with young dreamers in mind—students who, like a young Dre once did, carry within them untapped reservoirs of talent waiting to be nurtured.

“I was an artistic kid in school with no outlet for it,” Dre said at the unveiling ceremony.

“I knew I had something special to offer to the world, but with nothing to support my gift, schools left me feeling unseen. This is the type of building I would’ve loved to go to when I was growing up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t here—but it’s here now.”

Beyond the performing arts center, the expansive 31-acre campus includes a 140,000-square-foot academic building, a 36,000-square-foot gymnasium, and a half-size Olympic swimming pool.

But the emotional centerpiece of the project remains the arts facility—a gleaming manifestation of belief in Compton’s youth and their right to express, explore, and excel.

Dr. Darin Brawley, Superintendent of Compton Unified School District, described the center as “more than a building. It’s a launchpad for our students’ dreams and creativity. Dr. Dre’s generosity ensures that Compton’s youth have access to world-class resources and opportunities.”

The sentiment was echoed by community leaders and families, who see the center not only as a space for performance but also as a vessel for transformation.

This is far from Dr. Dre’s first act of transformative philanthropy.

Earlier, he and his longtime collaborator, Jimmy Iovine, donated $70 million to the University of Southern California to establish the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy.

This groundbreaking interdisciplinary program combines arts, technology, business, and innovation.

In 2021, the pair also launched a public magnet high school in South Los Angeles, the Iovine and Young Center (IYC), aimed at reimagining education for underserved communities through a curriculum steeped in design thinking, entrepreneurship, and real-world problem solving.

Yet this latest endeavor in Compton feels especially intimate, a direct investment in the community that raised him —an architectural love letter to the next generation.

Set to open to students in the fall of 2025, the Andre “Dr. Dre” Young Performing Arts Center is poised to become a cornerstone of creative life in South Los Angeles.

It is a place where dreams will be recorded, stories will be staged, and voices will be discovered.

In offering Compton’s young people a platform that he never had, Dr. Dre has provided a donation that initiates a new phase of creativity, potential, and recognition.