Women Respond To Dr Dre's Public Apology On Past Assaults

R&B artist Michel'le and journalist Dee Barnes have both publicly responded to the apology issued by rapper Dr Dre who last week declared his sorrow and regret of the assaults of both women over 20 years ago.

Michel'le who was with the veteran producer for six years and claims she was physically abused during that time, dismissed Dre's apology as "insincere".

As BBC reports, the 44-year-old singer who shares a son with Dre said, "I didn't ask for a public apology and I think if he is going to apologise he should do it individually."

"To just group us like we are nothing and nobody - I just don't think it's sincere," she said adding, "treat us like we have names."

Michel'le says she believes he only issued the apology to promote the newly-released NWA biopic, Straight Outta Compton.

"He's selling a movie. I just think its good PR at the moment."

Meanwhile Dee Barnes, who was physically assaulted by Dre at a 1991 record release party, released a lengthy response via Gawker and considered it incredibly important that he did apologise for his actions.

"Is this is a PR move by Universal, which released Straight Outta Compton?" Barnes wrote.

"After all, the film just crossed the $100 million mark its second weekend in theaters. Is it damage control by Apple, which can no longer ignore that if you take the 'Beats by Dre' logo and remove the 'S,' you get a double entendre describing several woman he just apologized to?

"Is Dre himself really remorseful or just saving face? To me, the answers to these questions matter less than the fact that Dre stepped up and performed his social responsibility by finally taking accountability for his actions. Who cares why he apologized? The point is that he did."

While Barnes hopes that Dre meant every word in his apology and is a "changed man", she slammed those who criticized the journalist for speaking out on the incident again after so many years have passed.

"The hypocrisy of it all is appalling. This is bigger than me, and bigger than hip hop...This is about respect and awareness. Survivors have a right and an obligation to speak up...We are too loud, too correct, too numerous to be ignored."

Interestingly, the particular incident involving Dre and Barnes was originally written into the new film, though it was later omitted due to time restraints.

Meanwhile Straight Outta Compton has been a massive box office success and will be released in Australian cinemas next Thursday.