In a sign of solidarity, Dr. Dre and Kaepernick took a ceremonious knee for Instagram. He shared the photo with his five million Instagram followers on July 26. Writing in the caption, “Defiant,” a nod to his HBO docu-series The Defiant Ones.
Dr. Dre is reaffirming solidarity with Kaepernick, who was essentially banished from the National Football League three years ago for taking a knee while the National Anthem played to protest racial inequality and police brutality toward minorities. Dre and Kaepernick have a long history, going back at least to 2013, when the athlete signed a deal with Beats by Dre before it was purchased by Apple. And obviously the word “Defiant” is a strong one for Dre, as the 2017 HBO documentary about his and Beats cofounder Jimmy Iovine’s lives and careers is titled “The Defiant Ones.”
Former San Fransisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started an entire movement at a 2016 game after he famously kneeled during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. Four years later and the current climate in the United States is seemingly more divisive than ever. Meanwhile, Kaepernick is dead set on getting back into the National Football League. He’s reportedly been training for months.