Rapper Dr. Dre Loses Trademark Dispute With Gynecologist With Similar Name

Andre Young, better known as Dr. Dre, has developed a respected reputation as a top hip-hop producer, an accomplished rapper and a savvy businessman. But according to the Patent and Trademark Office, one thing nobody would confuse him for is an actual doctor.

The patent office last week dismissed Dr. Dre's trademark dispute with Dr. Draion Burch, a Pittsburgh-based gynecologist who goes by the name Dr. Drai. Dr. Dre posited that the OBGYN’s branding, which he uses to sell speaking engagements and books, would be unnecessarily confusing to consumers, according to the Washington Post.

Dr. Dre sent a cease and desist letter to Burch, because the name would “trade on the goodwill” of Dr. Dre's more famous name. Burch responded by claiming he instead chose the moniker because he is actually a doctor and Drai is a shortening of his actual name.

“When I became a physician and I graduated from medical school, I became Dr. Drai, obviously because I’m actually a physician,” Burch said, according to the Post.

Burch also pointed to the content of some of Dr. Dre’s musical work, claiming that being associated with misogynistic or homophobic lyrics would reflect poorly on him. Works such as Dr. Dre’s seminal album, “The Chronic,” have been criticized for violent language.

The patent office held that people who want the services of either Dr. Dre or Dr. Drai would be unlikely to confuse the two.

Burch publishes books like “20 Things You May Not Know About the Vagina” and hosts sex education seminars. The office’s ruling stated that anyone looking to book Burch’s services would pay thousands of dollars to do so, meaning they would likely be too discerning to confuse him for a world-famous rap icon, according to the BBC.

While Burch assists women with sexual health-related problems, Dre is one of the most iconic figures in hip hop history. His departure from the rap group N.W.A. turned into a fruitful solo career, in which he helped launch the careers of Snoop Dogg and Eminem, among many others. Once he slowed down musically, he became an entrepreneur, with a skyrocketing net worth due to his Beats headphones brand which was purchased by Apple Inc. for $3 billion.