Dr. Dre is reportedly filming a semi-autobiographical TV series for Apple
Apple's first attempt at scripted original video comes from within
We’ve heard whispers of Apple’s plans for original video content and even a TV service for some time, but there’s a big surprise out today: a report claims that Apple is already filming its first scripted TV series.
And it stars one of their own: Dr. Dre (Andre Young), the legendary rapper and producer who came onboard when Apple acquired Beats in 2014. Since then, he’s been a big force behind Apple Music, even hosting a weekly show on Beats 1 and releasing his latest album, Compton, exclusively through the streaming service at first.
But now, The Hollywood Reporter says Dre is starring in and executive producing a semi-autobiographical original TV series called Vital Signs – and Apple is footing the bill. It’s not clear whether the six-episode series will be part of Apple Music, offered directly to Apple TV users, or sold via iTunes, although the report suggests it will be released all at once.
Vital Signs sounds like an interesting and potentially provocative initial foray for the company. Each half-hour episode reportedly deals with a certain emotion of Dre’s character and shows how he responds to it, and it’s “a dark drama with no shortage of violence and sex.” Just like Dre’s current life, right? The report adds that his wife, Nicole Young, was on-hand during filming this week to supervise a simulated orgy scene.
Bit of a far cry from the board room, then. Actors Sam Rockwell and Mo McCrae are said to be involved alongside the 50-year-old Dr. Dre. Music video director Paul Hunter is behind the camera, while Robert Munic of current hip-hop TV sensation Empire was Dre’s pick to write the entire series and also executive produce.
Dr. Dre, meanwhile, recently executive produced Straight Outta Compton, a biopic about his early rap group N.W.A., which won acclaim and earned more than US$200 million worldwide. Apple has high hopes for Vital Signs, says the Reporter, but there’s no word yet on a release timeline for the currently-filming series.
[Source: The Hollywood Reporter]
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Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
