Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre have served up a piece of Compton to the masses, but the pair of California rap dignitaries returned to their alma mater for a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday (May 7).
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Will.i.am also joined Dre and K. Dot for the ceremony at Compton’s Centennial High School. Dr. Dre stepped to the podium and delivered a brief speech about the importance of “investing forward” to help the next generation.
“Today is really nostalgic for me. Sometimes you hear that term ‘full circle.’ This is really a full-circle moment for me because I did actually attend this high school. Well, sometimes I attended,” he quipped. “I was enrolled, I was here, sometimes. I’m making a commitment, and that commitment is to let go of the notion of giving back. Instead, I’m embracing the power of investing forward.”
Dre continued: “Today isn’t just about a new building, it’s about a promise kept to the city that made me — point blank. Period. This groundbreaking is where the vision we’ve shared for years finally hits the pavement. We aren’t just moving dirt today. We’re investing in the next generation that’s coming straight out of Compton.”
Construction on the building, which will accommodate 1,000 new students, is expected to be completed in 2029, according to Complex.
“We’re tearing down walls and opening doors for our next scholars, innovators, creators, pioneers, technicians and engineers that absolutely have the potential to change this world,” the former N.W.A. icon concluded.
Photos emerged of Dre and Kendrick at the ceremony, holding shovels and rocking red reflective construction vests.
Will.i.am spoke about how giving kids access to resources and technology will give them a chance at achieving better careers. “We are going to build jobs, careers and industries with this technology because we know the problems that have never been solved,” he said.
Dr. Dre has remained involved as a consultant, advising designers of the renovation project on technology and the placement of recording studios on campus.
Watch Dr. Dre’s speech below, which begins just shy of the 40-minute mark.
