Jimmy Iovine
Co-founder of the USC Iovine and Young Academy, the Iovine and Young Center, Interscope Records, and Beats Electronics
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About Jimmy
From recording engineer to producer, Jimmy Iovine has held many hats in the music industry. He began his career in a recording studio, working with some of the greats. He later co-founded Interscope Records. In 2022, Jimmy was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his contributions to the music industry and recognized with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Over the years, Jimmy discovered other life passions — including entrepreneurship and philanthropy. In 2006, he teamed up with Andre “Dr. Dre” Young to co-found the music technology company Beats by Dre and later education spaces, such as the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation and the Iovine and Young Center. In 2024, Jimmy became an investor in Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop.
Life in Music
Jimmy was born in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Before exploring the world of educational philanthropy and entrepreneurship, Jimmy started out at Record Plant in New York City in his late teens, working with music giants who helped forge his decades-long career. His album sleeve credits include John Lennon’s “Rock and Roll” and “Wall and Bridges,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” Patti Smith’s “Easter,” and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Damn the Torpedoes.” In 1981, Jimmy produced Stevie Nicks’ solo album, “Bella Donna,” featuring the hit song “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”
In 1990, Jimmy co-founded Interscope Records, where he worked with artists like Eminem, No Doubt, Nine Inch Nails, The Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, and Lady Gaga. It was at Interscope Records that he first crossed paths with hip-hop star and producer Dr. Dre.
Entrepreneurship and Education
Jimmy and Dr. Dre would go on to become business and philanthropic partners — taking music and technology to the next level with Beats by Dre, Beats Electronics, and Beats Music. They would also introduce a new type of education framework at the university and high school levels. In 2013, Jimmy and Dr. Dre donated $70 million to launch the groundbreaking USC Iovine and Young Academy. In 2022, the Iovine and Young Center opened its doors in Los Angeles.
In 2024, Jimmy became an investor in Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop, a ready-to-drink cocktail named after the pair’s hit 1990s song.
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The USC Iovine and Young Academy
After launching Beats by Dre, Jimmy noticed a lack of individuals knowledgeable in both technology and the creative arts. So, he set out to find a way to combine liberal arts and technology education. His vision became the USC Iovine and Young Academy.
Jimmy and Dr. Dre teamed up to establish the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation. The Academy doesn’t fit within the traditional one-size-fits-all mold of education. It offers an unparalleled learning experience that prepares students for the tech-driven global marketplace to ideate new business ventures, conceptualize technologies, and leave a positive mark on society. The signature learning framework readies students for the modern work environments of today and tomorrow.
“I hope at this school we can help our students to dream big, execute, and build the courage to stay in the saddle.”
— Jimmy Iovine at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the USC Iovine and Young Academy in Los Angeles
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The Iovine and Young Center
After the success of the USC Academy, Jimmy and Dr. Dre wanted to create an innovative educational model scaled for high schoolers that would help them succeed in higher education and their forthcoming careers. In 2022, the pair founded the Iovine and Young Center (IYC) with the launch of its first school in Southern California: The IYC Integrated Design, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Magnet in Los Angeles.
IYC is high school reimagined. The leading-edge, state-of-the-art program blends project- and team-based, real-world learning opportunities with insight from top educators, executives, and industry experts. IYC prepares students for a future as a creative, changemaker, innovator, entrepreneur, or technologist and works to empower, engage, and inspire young scholars.
“Collaborative innovation is the future at all these companies, and these companies want people to learn how to collaborate and understand each other and work together. … So we’re bringing that type of curriculum and education to high schools.”
– Jimmy Iovine during the Jazzys World TV YouTube Channel Interview
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News and Insights
Read the latest news about Jimmy’s philanthropic efforts and business ventures.
USC Iovine and Young Academy Students’ Aesthetic Storytelling Mural
Each freshman class at the USC Iovine and Young Academy creates a piece of Academy history — a mural that adorns the lobby wall of the Iovine and Young Hall during the school year. The students from the Academy class of 2027 discussed the inspiration behind the project. Learn more.
A Collegiate Space for the Makers, Creators, and Doers of Tomorrow
The USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles is a unique educational experience with like-minded individuals who are makers, creators, and doers. Learn more.
USC Iovine and Young Academy Students’ Aesthetic Storytelling Mural
Each freshman class at the USC Iovine and Young Academy creates a piece of Academy history — a mural that adorns the lobby wall of the Iovine and Young Hall during the school year. The students from the Academy class of 2027 discussed the inspiration behind the project. Learn more.
A Collegiate Space for the Makers, Creators, and Doers of Tomorrow
The USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles is a unique educational experience with like-minded individuals who are makers, creators, and doers. Learn more.
