In a recent segment with ABC’s Here and Now, hip-hop figure Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown discussed his life with type 2 diabetes and how it has altered his health, beginning with his vision.
Since his diagnosis in 2007, the famed DJ launched the Visually Impaired Can Foundation that aims to provide resources for those with vision obstacles. “Basically I’ve been going through a whole different resurgence of my life,” he said. “I stopped at one point, and now I’m doing this and through the blessings of the late great Dick Gregory and some people he’s known I’ve worked through different holistic doctors out there to change what goes in my body and actually work with trying to do the best. We can treat diabetes.”
The Long Island native is also working on an event to test people’s blood sugar levels, specifically men. “Without your health, you’re not wealthy,” he said. Scar tissue behind his eyes due to retina re-attachment surgery lead his vision to fade out and come back at random moments.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “black adults are nearly twice as likely as white adults to develop type 2 diabetes.” The health website claims the statistic has been increasing over the past 30 years.
Watch Doctor Dre’s full interview where he reminisces on Yo! MTV Raps, DJing, and how hip-hop has morphed throughout the years.
