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Hip Hop journalist Dee Barnes’ name came back into our consciousness in 2015 when the movie Straight Outta Compton was coming to theaters. That was the time when Barnes came out with a part of the story that would never be shared, the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of Dre. What we didn’t know is that there was even more to the story. Barnes gave more insight during her interview with Wendy Williams. See what she had to say below.
Dre was there. I get to the party and he’s there. We make eye contact and he turns his back. I was shocked that he turned his back. Everybody was upset about that segment but I was surprised he turned his back to me. I was shocked because we’d known each other. So i’m heading downstairs to go play pool and somebody stops me to speak to me about whatever. And we’re leaning up against the wall, near the steps. Then Dre approached me out of nowhere. Grabs me. Grabs me by hair. It was my hair, attached to me. And he picked me up, lifted me off the ground, by my hair. And slammed me up against the brick wall, several times. Boom, boom, boom.
Supposedly, I didn’t see but he had a bodyguard with him and he kept the crowd from helping by gunpoint, threatening the crowd with a gun. The person that was talking to me, the only person who tried to intervene, he got pistol-wiped. Lost two teeth. And I remember being on the ground, disoriented. I hear feet. I hear the music stop and I’m in shock. I want to go down the stairs but I’m dizzy. So I was scared I was going to fall down the stairs. So I grab the rail, pull myself back up and then I run into the women’s restroom. He follows me into the women’s restroom.
Wendy Williams: And then what happens? Go ahead Dee. Tell your story.
Dee Barnes: He continued to assault me in the women’s restroom.
Wendy: Beating you up? Were you sexually assaulted?
Dee: I’m not comfortable talking about everything right now.
Wendy: Your silence is speaking volumes.
Later, Wendy explained how her altercation with Dr. Dre prevented her from furthering her career. She shared that Barnes was kept from starring in Set It Off because its director, F. Gary Gray, who was Barnes’ cameraman on her show “Pump It Up,” was more loyal to Dre than to Barnes.
Barnes shared that of all the women Dr. Dre assaulted, she was the only one who pressed charges. She explained that he didn’t do any jail time. But he paid a fine to the courts and did community service.
In regards to her homeless, Barnes shared that she was able to raise $30,000 on her GoFundMe. Still, Barnes shared that she and her daughters are still not in an apartment. They’re staying with friends and in various Air BnBs.
Wendy shared that she’s partnered with HotelPlanner.com to gift Barnes and her daughters with $15,000 toward a home.
Wendy also asked Barnes if she had a book label. Barnes said no and Wendy said.
“My name is Wendy Williams-Hunter and I do have Hunter Publishing. And it is in conjunction with Kensington Books. I would like to publish your book. I would like to publish your book, then have you back on the show once it’s published. And then I would also like to produce the movie of your book. I wish you a lot of luck and I’ll see you in the boardroom.”
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
