The role of rapper Dr. Dre in the latest GTA Online update was seemingly kept under wraps from some of the other actors, ensuring the big surprise remained as secret as possible. Dr. Dre is one of the few real-life celebrities to exist in the GTA universe, but his appearance is more than just a cameo. The story of GTA Online's latest update, The Contract, revolves around him and includes brand-new music. With such a significant role, it's not too surprising that Rockstar tried to keep it quiet.
The Contract is one of the most substantial updates in GTA Online's extensive history. Not only does it include Dr. Dre, but it also comes full circle back to the main story of GTA 5. Franklin Clinton returns alongside Chop the dog to give missions to the player, allowing fans to get an idea of what the beloved character has been up to for the last eight years. The update, which launched on December 15, has so far been a big hit with fans, welcoming in GTA 5 players who may not have given the game's online counterpart a try. As well as returning characters, GTA Online's The Contract resolves some fan mysteries, including the fate of GTA 5's Michael De Santa.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Franklin's actor Shawn Fonteno notes he didn't know he'd be working with Dr. Dre until he showed up to shoot his scenes for the update. Dr. Dre's role in GTA Online is substantial, so it is rather surprising that Fonteno wasn't given this information ahead of time, but it does further the belief that Rockstar is pretty sensitive about leaks. Both Fonteno and Dr. Dre share screen time together, which thoroughly excited the actor. Fonteno explained:
"When I first found out I was working alongside Dr. Dre was when we got on set to shoot. It was overwhelming to know that I was going to be working alongside of this guy, man. It’s Dre, man! I come from the west coast, I'm an LA dude and [Dr. Dre] is a West Coast legend. He's everything, man."
Despite the attempts at secrecy, Snoop Dogg leaked Dr. Dre was working on a GTA game ahead of The Contract's release, noting that Dr. Dre was in the studio working on a new GTA project. Many believed the rapper was working on GTA 6, a game that's still yet to be confirmed by Rockstar. Therefore, it was still a bit of a surprise when the project turned out to be the new GTA Online update. Given how leak-prone both the music and gaming industries are, it's no surprise that this was a closely guarded secret, and even though there was some indication that Dr. Dre was working with Rockstar, no one knew to what extent.
Dr. Dre is known to be quite a perfectionist, and very specific about how his music is released, so it's possible keeping everything a secret was his idea. Rockstar isn't too dissimilar from the acclaimed rapper in that respect, so the secrecy may have just come naturally to the developer. Dr. Dre's inclusion in GTA Online, even with a pre-warning from Snoop Dogg, still made for a welcome surprise for fans.