The Defiant Ones

Part 4

Leaving Death Row Records to form a subsidiary of Interscope called Aftermath Entertainment, Dre endured a string of disappointing solo releases, but Jimmy stood by him as others argued he should be dropped. Dre's fortunes turned when Jimmy turned him on to the music of an unknown white rapper named Eminem; with Dre producing, Eminem and Aftermath recorded The Slim Shady LP and took the rap music world by storm. On a roll with Dre and an enviable list of hot new acts, Jimmy was nevertheless worried that the music bubble would burst due to the emergence of Napster, and looked to forge corporate-marketing partnerships to boost the visibility and incomes of his artists. An opportune sit-down between Jimmy and Dre led to the idea of Beats Electronics, the speaker-headphone phenomenon that vaulted the partners to new heights, and paved the way for an historic 2014 deal with Apple. The world's most valuable company wasn't just interested in headphones: it was investing in the genius of Jimmy and Dre, who continue to innovate at Apple Music while picking up accolades--Dre was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with N.W.A. last year--and giving back to the communities that fostered their unique talents.