it was weird because dre was going through his "changes" after atliens. he went from players ball to this weirdo eccentric dude, but was still spitting flames. the rumors started circulating about this bohemian chic he was dating which happened to be erykah. she was still blowing up after baduism. then he was in her video 'other side of the game' with the matted dread locs.
then her song "tyrone" came out and people said it was about dre...
aquemini dropped....

...one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
then ms jackson and stankonia dropped. brought their relationship full circle. good to see how they handled things like adults and not like future and ciara.
I haven't gotten into their old stuff much but even in songs like Jazzy Belle, which was probably Dre's idea, he had a softer touch than Big Boi.. I feel like even then it was only a matter of time until he met a Divine Feminine like Badu to complete the transformation...or at least help him on his way.
I just saw another article where he says Badu didn't turn him out. He was already interested that eccentric stuff. She probably just gave him room to cultivate it.
I'ma find it really quick
Eta
Times reports:
“It’s funny, the parallels [to me]. People like to joke about [his former girlfriend] Erykah Badu, the mother of my child: “Oh, you completely changed.” I was on my path before I even met Erykah. But one thing I can say. I’m singing around the house, and Erykah’s like: “That sounds great. Why you not doing it?”
“Seven’s [son with Erykah] been going to school in Atlanta for the last two years. I wake up every morning, take him to school, pick him up from school, going to soccer games, going to wrestling matches. Total dad, which is cool, because so much of that was taken by my early Outkast years. We were at the height, so a lot of the time that should have been [spent] with him, I’m on the road entertaining everybody else.”
Andre wasn’t wearing hemp shoes and blonde wigs before he started smashing Erykah to smithereens so we’ll have to call BS on this one! Do you think Erkyah changed 3K for the better when they were together??
Got this from Bossip but still....the quote is his