The Defiant Ones

About The Defiant Ones

'The Defiant Ones' is a four-part documentary series that tells the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. Brought to the screen in 2017, this docuseries traces their roots and their highly influential partnership in creating Beats Electronics. It outlines the duo's rise to fame from their humble beginnings, their individual successes, and their ultimate collaboration which led to the creation of Beats Electronics, a world-renowned audio products manufacturer.

Making / Production

The series was directed by Allen Hughes, who co-directed it over a period of three years in collaboration with several other producers and executive producers which include Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine, and Andrew Kosove. HBO aired the series for its entirety.

Actors

• Dr. Dre: Played himself, sharing his life from his early days to the height of his career.
• Jimmy Iovine: Also player himself, providing insights into his journey in the music industry and beyond.
• Other Contributors: A host of music artists, celebrities, and business tycoons also appear as themselves, offering their recognitions and viewpoints on Dre and Iovine's impact on music and culture.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The documentary includes previously unreleased footage from a number of recording and writing sessions with Eazy-E, JJ Fad, Stevie Nicks, N.W.A, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and U2 among others.
• The series was aired on HBO from July 9 to July 12 in 2017.
• It was Allen Hughes's directorial debut in the realm of television.

Awards

The series has won a Grammy for Best Music Film in the 61st Annual Grammy Awards and was also nominated for five Emmy Awards.

Quotes

• "Fear is a powerful thing. It's got a lot of firepower. It was the fuel that allowed me to succeed." - Jimmy Iovine
• "I've always known that the key to success is to be different than the next guy." - Dr. Dre

Music, Soundtrack

• The Dr. Dre song "Gunfiyah" was used as the series' theme song.
• The soundtrack is both vibrant and diverse, featuring some of the significant works of artists like Eminem, N.W.A, Stevie Nicks, Nine Inch Nails, and many more.