Naw, everyone is takin respect away from Dre by sayin that he only got big when he died. I really dont know anyone from the Bay that hated on Dre before he died. I started listening to Mac Dre around 2000, and he became my favorite rapper immediately and I honestly think hes the greatest ever, with his personality, style, and flow. Its makin Dre look like he had no following before he died. He had a huge following. He was already the most popular rapper in the Bay. If not already, he was becoming the most popular Bay artist in areas outside of the Bay. Its fucked up that Dre had to die, cause who honestly knows where his career would have gone? Maybe he would have been on MTV/BET, maybe he would have signed to a major label, maybe the Bay would have blown. Who really knows? Fact of the matter is, people are disrespectin Dre by sayin that he wasnt shit before he died. He was the truth. No one will ever, ever have swagger like Dre and rip the mic in that style that he did. He is the greatest ever, in my book and also in many others eyes. Too bad everyones fuckin up his name now and using him to prosper themselves. Its sad. RIP Mac Dre.