Dr. Dre paid a visit to his alma mater, Centennial High School, Thursday for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the construction of a new, reimagined school campus.
“Sometimes you hear that term full-circle. This is a full-circle moment for me because I did actually attend this high school,” Dr. Dre said while addressing the crowd, before joking, “Well, sometimes I attended.”
“On this day, 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,” he continued. “Now you may not know this about me, but I only invest in things that will have a powerful impact.”
“And today isn’t just about a new building, it’s about a promise kept to the city that made me, point blank period. And this groundbreaking is where the vision we shared for years finally hits the pavement,” he concluded.
Will.i.am was also at the ceremony, as was Kendrick Lamar, though the GNX rapper didn’t speak. K. Dot graduated from CHS in 2005.
According to the Compton Unified School District website, the new campus will replace the original school that opened in 1954. It’s scheduled to officially open in August 2029, with a capacity of more than 1,800 students. The campus will feature a performing arts center, athletics facilities, a new CIF competition pool, career technical education spaces and more.
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