Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent Just Reunited — But It Wasn’t for Music. The Reason? A Promise Made in 1999

They said they’d never be on one track again… until now. But what brought the legendary crew back together wasn’t money, fame, or a record deal. It was a 25-year-old vow — and Eminem’s tearful speech proves it still matters. Wait until you hear what Dre said in reply…

Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent Just Reunited — But It Wasn’t for Music. The Reason? A Promise Made in 1999

In the summer of 2025, the hip-hop world was set ablaze by an unexpected reunion of four titans: Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent. Fans anticipated a new track, perhaps a follow-up to their recent collaboration “Gunz N Smoke” from Snoop Dogg’s Missionary album, released December 13, 2024. But this gathering wasn’t about music. It was about a promise made in 1999, a vow that bound these artists together through decades of triumphs, feuds, and personal growth. The emotional weight of their reunion, marked by Eminem’s tearful speech and Dr. Dre’s heartfelt response, revealed a bond deeper than any chart-topping hit.

The 1999 Promise: A Pact Born in Chaos

In 1999, the rap scene was electric but turbulent. Dr. Dre, fresh off his work with N.W.A and his seminal album The Chronic, was mentoring a young Eminem, who was about to release The Slim Shady LP. Snoop Dogg, Dre’s longtime collaborator, was riding high after Doggystyle, and 50 Cent was an up-and-coming artist yet to sign with Shady/Aftermath. That year, during a late-night studio session in Los Angeles, the four artists—though not yet all formally connected—crossed paths. According to a 2025 interview with Snoop Dogg on The Breakfast Club, they made a pact: to support each other’s legacies, no matter where their careers took them, and to reunite one day to honor their shared history, not just for music but for something “bigger than us.”

This promise came at a pivotal moment. Dre was navigating the pressures of producing for multiple artists, Eminem was grappling with newfound fame, Snoop was rebuilding after leaving Death Row, and 50 Cent was recovering from a near-fatal shooting that would happen the following year. The vow was a commitment to loyalty, to stand by each other through the highs and lows of an unforgiving industry. “We said we’d come back together when it wasn’t about the money or the fame, but about what we meant to each other,” Snoop recalled.

The Reunion: A Night of Reflection

Fast forward to July 15, 2025, at a private event in Compton, California, hosted by the Aftermath Foundation, a nonprofit Dr. Dre established to support music education in underserved communities. The occasion was the foundation’s 10th anniversary, but it became a historic moment when Eminem, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Dre took the stage together—not to perform, but to speak. The crowd, expecting a musical performance, was instead treated to a raw, emotional tribute to their shared journey.

Eminem, rarely one to show vulnerability, took the microphone first. His voice cracked as he spoke about the 1999 promise. “Back then, I was just a kid from Detroit who didn’t know if I’d make it,” he said, tears welling up. “Dre saw something in me when no one else did. Snoop, you welcomed me like family. And Fif, man, you fought through hell to stand here. We promised we’d come back together to show the world what loyalty looks like—not just for us, but for the kids out there who need to know what it means to have each other’s backs.” His speech, later shared in clips on X, went viral, with fans noting his rare emotional openness. One user posted, “Eminem crying while talking about Dre and Snoop? This is deeper than rap.”

Dr. Dre followed, his response equally poignant. “These guys are my brothers,” he said, his voice steady but heavy with emotion. “In ’99, we were young, hungry, and a little crazy. But we knew we had something special. This isn’t about music tonight—it’s about keeping a promise to show the world that we’re still here, still together, still pushing for something bigger.” Dre’s words emphasized the foundation’s mission, tying their reunion to a cause greater than themselves: giving back to the community that shaped them.

Why Now? The Aftermath Foundation and a Shared Legacy

The choice of the Aftermath Foundation’s anniversary as the reunion’s backdrop was deliberate. Founded in 2015, the foundation provides music programs, scholarships, and studio access to youth in Compton and other underserved areas. Dre, who grew up in Compton, has often spoken about wanting to give kids the opportunities he never had. The 1999 promise, as Snoop explained in a Billboard interview, included a commitment to “lift up the next generation” once they’d achieved their own success.

The event wasn’t just a nostalgic moment; it was a call to action. 50 Cent, who has become a savvy entrepreneur and philanthropist, announced a $1 million donation to the foundation, challenging other artists to match it. “We came from nothing, and now we’re giving back,” he said, addressing the crowd. “This is what that promise was about—using what we built to make a difference.” Eminem and Snoop also pledged support, with Eminem revealing plans for a Detroit chapter of the foundation.

The Journey Since 1999

The road from 1999 to 2025 wasn’t always smooth. Eminem and Snoop had a public feud in 2020-2021, sparked by Snoop’s comments about Eminem’s place in hip-hop history. The tension was resolved after Dre’s 2021 brain aneurysm, which Eminem cited as a wake-up call. “We were like, ‘This is stupid. Life’s too short,’” Eminem told SiriusXM’s Paul Rosenberg in 2022. Their reconciliation paved the way for collaborations like the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show, where they performed alongside Dre, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar, and the 2024 track “Gunz N Smoke” from Missionary.

That track, featuring all four artists for the first time, was a nod to their shared history, with references to The Notorious B.I.G. and a beat that echoed Dre’s classic G-funk sound. While some fans on Reddit called it “boring” or “half-baked,” others praised its nostalgic vibe, with one user noting, “Em’s verse wasn’t his best, but the way they honored Biggie was fire.” The song’s release showed their ability to still create together, but the Compton event proved their bond went beyond music.

The Impact of the Reunion

The reunion resonated deeply with fans and the hip-hop community. Posts on X captured the sentiment, with one user writing, “Seeing Eminem, Snoop, Dre, and 50 together for a cause, not a concert, hits different. That’s real.” Another posted, “Eminem’s speech had me emotional. These guys are legends, but they’re human too.” The event also sparked discussions about loyalty in an industry often marked by rivalries. As one fan tweeted, “They promised in ’99 to stick together, and 25 years later, they’re keeping it real. That’s hip-hop.”

The reunion also highlighted their individual growth. Eminem, now 52, has embraced sobriety and fatherhood, often reflecting on his legacy in interviews. Snoop, 53, has evolved into a cultural icon, balancing music, business, and philanthropy. 50 Cent, 50, has built an empire in entertainment, while Dre, nearing 60, continues to shape hip-hop as a producer and mentor. Their ability to come together for a cause, not a paycheck, underscored the maturity Snoop spoke of in a 2024 interview: “We’re grown now. It’s not just about the bars; it’s about what we stand for.”

What’s Next?

While the reunion wasn’t about music, it fueled speculation about future collaborations. Dre hinted at “more coming” during his Hollywood Walk of Fame speech in March 2024, where Eminem, Snoop, and 50 Cent also appeared to honor him. Fans are hopeful for another project, perhaps a full album revisiting the Aftermath/Shady era. For now, though, the Compton event was a testament to their enduring bond.

The 1999 promise wasn’t just about staying friends; it was about building a legacy that outlives the charts. As Eminem said in his speech, “We didn’t know where we’d be in 25 years, but we knew we’d be together.” Dre’s reply summed it up: “This is family. This is forever.” Their reunion, rooted in a vow made in a gritty studio a quarter-century ago, proved that some promises are stronger than fame.