N.W.A Receive Lifetime Achievement Award From Recording Academy, Dr. Dre Noticeably Absent

N.W.A received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Recording Academy's Special Merit Awards ceremony in Los Angeles last night, but Dr. Dre was noticeably absent from the event.

N.W.A Receive Lifetime Achievement From the Recording Academy, Dr. Dre Absent

The iconic West Coast hip-hop group N.W.A was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Recording Academy's Special Merit Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday (Feb. 3). Surviving members N.W.A members Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, along with the mother and son (Eric Darnell Wright aka Lil Eazy-E) of late rapper Eazy-E were on hand to accept the award.

However, Dr. Dre was noticeably absent from the event. During his acceptance speech, Cube offered an explanation for Dre's no-show.

"My man, Dr. Dre, is not here. He wanted to make sure I let you know he's not hating. He a billionaire. He got s**t to do," Cube said, according to Rolling Stone.

Nevertheless, the rap veteran thanked Dre for his "brilliance, talent and leadership." Cube also saluted Eazy-E, the late founder of the group's label Ruthless Records, for his foresight which enabled N.W.A to coexist and create the music they desired.

"We knew when we started to do music in 1985, '86, '87 that a Grammy was not in the cards for us, with the type of music we was doing," Cube told the crowd. "We actually didn't think we would ever even get on the radio. We was cool with that."

A video of the surviving N.W.A. members giving their acceptance speeches can be viewed below.

Read More: Rappers in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Dr. Dre Receives Inaugural Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at 2023 Grammy Awards

N.W.A's Lifetime Achievement Award follows Dr. Dre accepting the first Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023.

The honor was created in partnership with the Recording Academy's Black Music Collective and acknowledges the remarkable achievements and contributions of individuals who have consistently and positively impacted Black music through their creative talents, professional expertise and influence.

During his acceptance speech, which can be viewed below, Dr. Dre thanked his colleagues in the music business and recognized the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

"I'm extremely moved by this award," he said. "I want to say thank you to the Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective for this honor, and I know everybody in here probably knows this already, but this is the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Make some noise for hip-hop!"

Read More: N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton Album Will Be Preserved by Library of Congress

Watch N.W.A receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and the group's acceptance speeches below.

Watch N.W.A Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award

Watch Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Reunite With N.W.A, Lil Eazy E and His Family Celebrating N.W.A Lifetime Achievement Award

Watch Dr. Dre Receive the Inaugural Dr. Dre Global Impact at the 2023 Grammy Awards