Nicole Young shocked fans when she filed for divorce from the “Xxplosive” rapper in 2020.
Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Romelle Young, was married to Young for nearly 24 years, and the two share two adult children: son Truice, 27, and daughter Truly, 23. Young initially cited abuse in her filing, stating it caused “post-traumatic stress syndrome.” In court documents, she alleged that Dre “held a gun to my head” on two occasions and “punched me in the head/face” in 1999 and 2000. Dre has vehemently denied the allegations.
Here are five things you should know about Nicole and her past and present with Dre.
Young and Dr. Dre Finalize Their Divorce in 2021
After 18 months of legal back-and-forth, the rapper and producer finalized his divorce from Young with a $100 million settlement. Young worked with celebrity attorney Samantha Spector, known for representing high-profile clients.
Young received $50 million immediately and the remaining $50 million the following year. Sources also indicated that she was not eligible for spousal support. Young left the marriage with all her jewelry and four vehicles: a Rolls Royce, a Range Rover, an Escalade limousine, and a Spyder motorcycle. She was also required to move out of their Malibu beach home and was responsible for paying her own legal fees under the agreement.
Young Was Previously Married to NBA Player Sedale Threatt
Young, whose maiden name is Plotzker, married Sedale Threatt in 1992, and they were together for about three years before deciding to go their separate ways. The brunette beauty was still with Threatt when she met Dre. According to HipHopDX, Dre wrote her a letter in 1995 that read, “Hopefully you’re doing well and you realize you need to quit f***ing with Sedale and come home to your doctor. I will take care of you, baby girl.” They married the following year.
Young Was Stepmother to Dre’s Older Children from Previous Relationships
In addition to Young and Dre’s two children, Dre fathered seven children from various previous relationships. As a result, Young became the stepmother to daughter Tyra; son Curtis, whose mother is Cassandra Greene; daughter LaTanya, whose mother is Lisa Johnson; son Marcel, whose mother is singer Michel’le; and daughter LaToya. Dre also had a son, Andre Young Jr., who tragically died of a drug overdose at the age of 20 in 2008.
Dr. Dre and Young Signed a Prenuptial Agreement in 1996
The prenuptial agreement stipulated that any property acquired in both of their names would be considered community property, to be equally split during a divorce. For all other property, the spouse who purchased or received it would retain ownership.
Throughout the divorce proceedings, Young contested the prenuptial agreement, claiming it was signed under duress. In court documents, she stated, “I was extremely reluctant, resistant, and afraid to sign the agreement and felt backed into a corner. Given the extraordinary pressure and intimidation by Andre, I had no option but to hire a lawyer (with the help of Andre’s team of professionals) and unwillingly signed the agreement very shortly before our marriage.” Young also argued that the prenuptial agreement was null and void because Dr. Dre—who was worth an estimated $800 million in 2020—allegedly tore it up a few years into their marriage. However, the agreement itself specified that it could only be amended or terminated in writing, and there was no evidence of such documentation.
Rolling Stone reported that Dre was “delighted” that Young only got one-fifth of his liquid assets and that she would have gotten more had she settled sooner.
The Former Couple Sought Marriage Counseling
Apparently, the former couple saw marriage counselor Dr. Charles Sophy during their relationship. This news emerged after Dr. Sophy, who worked with Dre and Young during their divorce, filed for a temporary restraining order against Dre in October 2024. Citing allegedly threatening text messages received over a period of 18 months, Sophy is requesting that Dre stay at least 100 yards away from him and his 22-year-old son.
Previously, Dr. Sophy sued Dre for $10 million, accusing him of a “malicious campaign of harassment” that allegedly lasted a year and a half. Dr. Sophy claimed that after being hired for a “joint psychotherapist-patient relationship” with the former couple, Dr. Dre blamed him for causing further friction within the family.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
