Focus...
Focus... | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Bernard Edwards Jr. |
Born | Manhattan,New York City, U.S. | November 6, 1972
Genres | |
Occupation | Record producer |
Years active | 1999–present |
Labels |
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Bernard Edwards Jr.(born November 6, 1972),[1]known professionally asFocus...,is an American record producer from New York City. He gained major recognition upon signing withDr. Dre'sAftermath Entertainmentin 2002. During his tenure with the label, Edwards worked with artists including Dre himself,Eminem,Kendrick Lamar,Snoop Dogg,Rick Ross,John Legend,the Game,Ice Cube,Busta Rhymes,Fabolous,50 Cent,Schoolboy Q,Joe,Christina Aguilera,Jennifer Lopez,Beyoncé,Lil Wayne,Mac Dre,andMarsha Ambrosius,among others.[2]
Life and career
[edit]Focus... is the son of the lateBernard Edwards,co-founder ofdiscoandR&BbandChic.[2]He was born inManhattan,New York City, and raised in theTri-State Region.[2]Edwards Jr. credits his father with his love for the production side of music, which he developed from an early age, attending numerous studio sessions with his father.[2]
Focus...'s production talents were first recognized by Dr. Dre when an artist Edwards Jr. had produced, Daks, greatly impressed the Aftermath label head.[3]He later signed Focus... so that the two could then continue working together.[3]
The beginning of 2009 saw Focus leave Aftermath after seven years with the label.[4]
In 2014, Focus returned to Aftermath Entertainment as an official staff producer where he worked side by side with Dr. Dre and collaborators to help craft the Grammy nominated, highly anticipated albumCompton.Comptonwascertified goldby theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA).
Focus is now the CEO of his own entertainment company N|VZXN Entertainment.
Production
[edit]1999
[edit]- "I'm Coming"(Intro)
- "Spell My Name Right"(featuring Mr. Raja) (produced withTricky Stewart)
- "Antoine's Interlude"(produced with Tricky Stewart)
- "Young Niggas"(produced with Tricky Stewart)
- "Pain"(produced with Tricky Stewart)
2000
[edit]- "Get Crunk Tonight"
- "Introduction"
- "Hey Kandi"
- "Pants on Fire"
- "Talking' Bout Me"
- "Sucka for You"
- "Outro"
2001
[edit]- "It Hurts When..."(produced withMontell Jordan)
- "Twitch"(produced withMontell Jordan)
- "Spread a Little Love on Christmas Day"(produced withBeyoncé Knowles,Ric Wake)
- "Riding High"(Daks featuring R.C.)
2002
[edit]- "Next To Me"
- "Do Me"
- "Dear Ben"(produced withCory Rooney)
- "Club Banger"
- "MJ V Intro"
- MJ Anthem
- Top Or Bottom
- "Mine, Mine, Mine" (included inRush Hour 2)
- Why Can’t We
- The Rain
2003
[edit]- Sly Boogy –Judgement Day
- "California"(featuringButch Cassidy,Truth Hurts)
- "Yes"(produced withBeyoncé Knowles)
2004
[edit]- "Roll Off"
- "Get Stupid"
- Wylde Bunch –Wylde Tymes at Washington High
- "Our Lyfe"
2005
[edit]- The Game–The Documentary
- "Where I'm From"(featuringNate Dogg)
- "U Already Know"(produced withSean Garrett)
- "Real Talk"(featuring Focus...)
- "If You Want 2"
- "I Dare U"(featuring Focus...)
- "Watch Closer"(featuringChino XL,Tracy Lane)
- "I Don't Think So"(featuringKam)
- "We Don't Give A..."(featuring Kallihan, Hellraiza)
- "Hands to the Sky"(featuring Verb & Rock)
- "Eastside Westside"
- "Project Princess"(featuringJagged Edge)
- "Live by the Gun"
2006
[edit]- "By My Side"
2007
[edit]- Bishop Lamont–N***** Noise
- "Klansmen"
- "American Dreams"
- Salah Edin–Nederlands Grootste Nachtmerrie
- "NGN"(featuring Focus...)
- "T.H.E.O. (Teleurstelling, Haat, Ergernis & Onbegrip)"
- "Het Land Van..."
- "Geliefd Om Gehaat Te Worden"
- "Opgeblazen"(featuring Opgezwolle)
- "0172"
- "Zwarte Gat Op Het Witte Doek"(featuring Focus...)
- "Geld"(featuring Caprice)
- "Hosselaar"
- "Vrouwtje Is Een Bitch"
- "Samen Huilen, Samen Lachen"
- "Koning Ter Rijk"
- "Oog Om Oog"(featuring Probz)
- "Paradijs Is Nu"
- La Fouine–Aller-Retour
- "Intro"
- "La Danse Du Ghetto"
- "C'est Pas La Peine"
- "Contrôle Abusif"
- "Laissez-Moi Dénoncer"
- "Partout Pareil"
- "The Game Song"
- "Music Box"
2008
[edit]- "Mirror"
- "The Confessional"(Intro)
- "Better Than You"
- "The Name"(featuring Dirty Birdy, Kida, Flii Stylz)
2009
[edit]- "Respect My Conglomerate"(featuringLil Wayne,Jadakiss)
- "If You Don't Know Now You Know"(featuringBig Tigger)
- "Lyrical Murderers"(featuring K-Young)
2010
[edit]- "Morning Dessert"(Intro)
- "Sex for Breakfast"
- "Martin Luther King"(Intro)
- "Affirmative Action"(featuring Focus...)
2011
[edit]- "Tears"
- "Light Years Ahead (Sky High)"(featuringKendrick Lamar)
- "Bout That"
- Rapper Big Pooh–Dirty Pretty Things
- "Right With You"(featuring Focus...)
- "Real Love"(featuring Focus...)
- "Keep It Lit"(featuring Yung Phat Pat)
2012
[edit]- "My Crown"
- "Do That Thing"
- "Killer's Remorse"(featuringBishop Lamont,Young De,B-Real)
- "Drew & Derwin"(featuringRaheem DeVaughn)
- TheKidJ Presents Handsonhiphop (The Street Album)
- "Love & Hip-hop"(featuring Redd Lettaz)
2013
[edit]- "Interlude"(credited as B. Edwards Jr.)
- "Summer Breeze"
- "1 Nite"(featuring Vice)
- "Watch U Sleep"
2015
[edit]- "Intro
- "Loose Cannons"(featuring Xzibit, COLD 187 um & Sly Pyper)
- "Issues"(featuring Ice Cube, Anderson.Paak & Dem Jointz)
- "Deep Water"(featuring Kendrick Lamar, Anderson.Paak & Justus)
- "One Shot One Kill"(Jon Connor featuring Snoop Dogg)
- "Medicine Man"(featuring Eminem, Candice Pillay & Anderson.Paak)
- "Hail, Snow & Earthquakes / Rainy Dayz II"(featuring Blue Raspberry)
- "Every Time"(featuringFabolous)
2016
[edit]- DJ MustardPresents –Cold Summer
- "Another Summer"(featuring Rick Ross, John Legend & James Fauntleroy)
- "Thank You"(featuring Marsha Ambrosius, Brookfield Duece & Danny from Sobrante)
2018
[edit]- Marsha Ambrosius –Nyla
- "Flood"
- "I Got It Bad"(produced with Marsha Ambrosius andStereotypes)
- "Let Out"
- "Today"(produced withBest Kept Secret)
- "Grand Finale"
2019
[edit]- "Black Magic (Make It Better)"
- "Goodmorning Sunshine"
- "Work Through Me"(produced with Blaaq Gold)
2020
[edit]- "Don't Go"(featuring Q-Tip)
- "She Loves Me"
2022
[edit]- Diamond D-The Rear View
- "Live My Life"(featuring Ashtin Martin)
References
[edit]- ^"Focus – artist".rateyourmusic.com.Sonemic, Inc.RetrievedNovember 29,2019.
- ^abcd"a.Fam MySpace"
- ^ab"Interview With Focus...",HitQuarters,March 1, 2010.
- ^"Focus... Leaves Aftermath, Focuses on his label a.Fam Entertainment".The Hype Machine. May 25, 2009.RetrievedMarch 3,2010.
External links
[edit]- 1972 births
- American hip hop record producers
- Living people
- East Coast hip hop musicians
- African-American record producers
- African-American songwriters
- American rhythm and blues musicians
- American bass guitarists
- American multi-instrumentalists
- Songwriters from New York (state)
- Guitarists from New York City
- American male bass guitarists
- Record producers from New York (state)
- African-American guitarists
- 21st-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American people
- American male songwriters