Apple has issued a statement in support of Dr. Dre, whose alleged violent past against women has been circling on social media over the past few weeks with the release of Straight Outta Compton.
The movie tells the story of hip-hop group N.W.A., of which Dr. Dre was a member. It has focused on the group s social consciousness and the attention it brought to police brutality.
The movie s release apparently spurred several women to write about the physical abuse they say they suffered from Dr. Dre, who is now a consultant at Apple. (Last year, Apple bought Beats Electronics, which Dr. Dre co-founded, for $3 billion).
One headline on Gawker reads: Here s what s missing from Straight Outta Compton: Me and the Other Women Dr. Dre Beat Up.
Apple said in a statement published in the New York Times:
Dre has apologized for the mistakes he s made in the past and he s said that he s not the same person that he was 25 years ago. We believe his sincerity and after working with him for a year and a half, we have every reason to believe that he has changed.
In a statement to the Times, Dr. Dre apologized for the women he has hurt, adding:
Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did. I ve been married for 19 years and every day I m working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I m doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again.
As the allegations gained traction on social media, Apple was in a tricky position. Its music service, Apple Music, has used Dr. Dre s accompanying record, writes 9-to-5 Mac, to promote Beats 1 and the music service. The company has commissioned headphones with the film s branding on it, the site says.
Above: In this image provided by Apple, from left to right, music entrepreneur and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Beats co-founder Dr. Dre, and Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue pose together at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., Wednesday, May 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Apple, Paul Sakuma)
