Dr. Dre Flexes Big With His Picasso Painting

Pablo Picasso, one of the most prolific and influential artists of the 20th century, pioneered the Cubist movement and produced over 20,000 works of art in his 91 years on earth. Picasso’s artwork has consistently sold for tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars since his death in 1973. Picasso inspires not just artists but also rappers, and two of the most prominent rappers in the hip-hop industry respect his work.

Outside of their huge hip-hop success, Dr. Dre and JAY-Z have another thing in common. They both admire Pablo Picasso. On September 21st, the renowned producer’s son, Truice Young, shared a picture of his father posing in front of a painting by the well-known Spanish artist on his Instagram Stories.

The rare Picasso painting was displayed on the wall behind Dre as he sits at the head of a marble table in the picture. In his distinct surrealist style, the artist portrays a person with yellow hair in the work. Young used “Picasso Baby” by JAY-Z from 2013, notably the line “I just want a Picasso / In my casa — no, my castle.”

Picasso’s art is nothing new to Dr. Dre. The late painter was mentioned by the Aftermath founder on the song “Deep Water” off his 2015 album Compton, which fans may remember.

I heard you talking about respect, I gave you n-ggas the utmost / All you n-ggas the utmost / Would you look over Picasso’s shoulder / And tell him ’bout his brush strokes?

“Picasso Baby,” meanwhile, appeared on JAY-Z’s 2013 album Magna Carta… Holy Grail, which was riddled with references to fine art. Picasso was also mentioned in Kanye West’s 2016 album, The Life of Pablo. Its cover image, which poses the question “Which one? “, was also seen as a homage to both the Apostle Paul and drug lord Pablo Escobar.

While it’s unclear how much Dr. Dre spent on his Picasso painting, his estimated $800 million net worth certainly affords him a seat at the table when it comes to bidding on the artist’s work. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments!