With HBO's The Defiant Ones set to premiere on Sunday, July 9, legendary music executive Jimmy Iovine has been hitting the hip hop media circuit over the past week to do interviews in promotion of the 4-part documentary series. Most recently the Interscope Records co-founder stopped by Beats 1 Radio to sit with Pharrell Williams and Scott Vener on their OTHERtone show, and among other topics related to the production, he spoke of the faith he had in the artists comprising Death Row Records during tumultuous times for the label. According to Iovine, it was that belief in the greatness coming out of Dr. Dre's camp that prompted him to stick with his hip-hop artists, despite calls from investors and even members of the government, for him to drop them from the Universal Music Group imprint.
"I just think the music was too good. I mean, I wouldn't walk away from Jimi Hendrix. I don't care if you chop people's heads off. You know, I just couldn't walk away from somebody that gifted," Iovine said. He was making reference to Dre's genius, and would go on to provide Snoop Dogg's long-lasting success as a testament to what he had on his hands. But a testament to Iovine's certainty was articulated when he brought up his unwavering support of 2Pac during a time when the 64-year-old music man says he didn't view the controversy Pac was generating as anything much different than the noise some of rock's biggest agitators were making.
"Like Manson and Trent. We had as many problems with Manson as we did with Pac. Not personally, but from the uh, society and stuff. From the government or whatever, you know," said Iovine. He'd go on to recall how he declined partial owner Time Warner's offer of $150 million for him to abandon Death Row over the pressure they faced. Time Warner would eventually sell its half of the company to Iovine and his partner Ted Field for $115 million, thereby leaving billions of dollars on the table as Iovine continued to go against the grain with such acts as Eminem and Lady Gaga over the coming decades.
Source: youtube.com
