The Defiant Ones

Years before they brokered one of the biggest deals in music history--the 2014 sale of Beats Electronics to Apple for $3 billion--Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine navigated very different environments towards destinies that would, ultimately and improbably, bring them together. Dre's story began in Compton, CA, where his fascination with dance music, DJ innovations and sound brought him into contact with Eazy-E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella and MC Ren. Together, they would become the core of the 1980s gangsta-rap supergroup N.W.A. A native of Red Hook, Brooklyn, Jimmy gravitated to music following an indifferent academic career, and with a determination to avoid continuing in the family business as a longshoreman, he turned stints answering phones in recording studios to connecting with artists like John Lennon, Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen through a combination of hard work and old-fashioned luck, eventually building a reputation as a fearless, talented, indefatigable producer.

Dr. Dre's formation of hip hop supergroup N.W.A. brings forth the seminal hip-hop record Straight Outta Compton. Though Dre's creative direction is integral to the group's success, his relationship with the original N.W.A. contributors, especially Eazy-E, deteriorated due to artistic and financial conflicts. Jimmy Iovine's work on highly successful albums from Tom Petty, U2 and Stevie Nicks reveals his knack for production and collaboration. But his massive workload and tumultuous personal life lead him to reevaluate his future in the music industry.

After leaving Eazy-E and Ruthless Records, Dr. Dre's independence results in his debut solo album, The Chronic and the start of his noteworthy collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. But Dre's artistic success came with numerous challenges, including growing cultural and political concerns about the explicit content in his music. Jimmy Iovine's transition from music producer to music executive gives him an opportunity to utilize his eye for talent and business savvy, culminating in his creation of Interscope Records and signing Dre. However, Jimmy's partnership with Dre and Interscope's provocative roster of musicians means absorbing their problems with the law.

After cutting ties with Death Row Records and Suge Knight, Dr. Dre starts Aftermath Records, (an imprint under Interscope) and discovers Eminem, producing him to international success. Though Jimmy Iovine and Dre continue to produce a top-tier roster of talent, structural changes in the music industry force them to innovate their business model, leading to the creation of Beats Electronics and their flagship product, Beats By Dr. Dre.