Focus...

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Bernard "Focus..." Edwards, Jr
Origin Manhattan, New York
Genres R&B, Hip-Hop
Occupations Record producer
Labels Aftermath, Interscope, a.Fam Entertainment inc.

Bernard "Focus..." Edwards, Jr is an Atlanta-based Grammy Award–winning producer who first rose to fame when signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Since then he has produced tracks for Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Bishop Lamont, Tony Yayo, Stat Quo, Outlawz, The Game, Jay Rock amongst others.[1]

Biography

Focus... is the son of the late Bernard Edwards, co-founder of disco and R&B band Chic.[1] He was born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in the Tri-State Region.[1] 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.[1]

Focus...'s production talents were first recognized by Dr. Dre when an artist Edwards, Jr had produced, Daks, greatly impressed the Aftermath label head.[2] Dre decided to not only sign up Daks but also his producer Focus... so that the two could then continue working together.[2]

The beginning of 2009 saw Focus... leave Aftermath after seven years with the label.[3] In an interview with HitQuarters in 2010 Focus... explained the reasons for the departure:

"I left 'cos I was really working hard and forgetting everything else. I wasn't spending time with my family ... I forgot about life outside of the studio. And we weren't putting out enough music to do that, and so it just made sense for me to just say, “Dre thanks for everything, you taught me a lot and let me show you what I can do“.[2]

Influences

Focus said his grammy winning production was inspired by many different major players in hiphop, "I grew up on mark the 45 King, Preemo, Eric b., Bomb Squad (they are the reason i got into hip hop), Jam Master Jay, Rick Ruben, etc. This was back when i loved and understood hip hop. I don’t really listen to any of it as it stands now.."

Despite having one grammy statuette Focus recently clarified how he actually had a grammy credit before that, "I’m honoured to have received a Grammy. I have one statuette but Beyonce’s first lp received album of the year so that would’ve been my first, if i had known what to do to receive the statuette. It is hard to view the Grammies the same way as i used to. The level of talent they choose to give these accolades and awards to nowadays could never hold a match to the people i looked up to as i came up in the business. I wish the Grammies held its artistic and creative value from years past. I feel this would have made these “artists” work harder at their crafts and maybe in the same right, they would be giving the world better music than they do now.

[4]

Finding Faith

Focus recently decided to re-embrace his religion and spoke about how that has effected who he works with and the content of his music. "Great question! It means i won’t work with nonsense or people who don’t understand how to put a song together without degrading themselves or the women listening. I won’t work with artists who are blasphemous and/or sachreligious. I know there is big money in molly poppin and booty shake music but i wouldn’t do that and expect god to bless my endeavors. If i work with an mc, it has to be clean, with substance and worth me putting my name on. Not being haughty, but i won’t sacrifice my salvation just because the artist(s) think this would be “hot” to the masses…" [4]

External links

Production

1999

Solé - Skin Deep

  • "I'm Coming" (Intro)
  • "Spell My Name Right" (featuring Mr. Raja) (produced with Tricky Stewart)
  • "Antoine's Interlude" (produced with Tricky Stewart)
  • "Young Niggas" (produced with Tricky Stewart)
  • "Pain" (produced with Tricky Stewart)

2000

Joe - My Name Is Joe

  • "Get Crunk Tonight"

Kandi Burruss - Hey Kandi...

  • "Introduction"
  • "Hey Kandi"
  • "Pants on Fire"
  • "Talking' Bout Me"
  • "Sucka for You"
  • "Outro"

2001

Montell Jordan - Rush Hour 2

  • "Mine, Mine, Mine"

Christina Milian - Christina Milian

Destiny's Child - 8 Days of Christmas

  • "Spread a Little Love on Christmas Day" (produced with Beyoncé Knowles, Ric Wake)

Daks - The Wash

  • "Riding High" (featuring R.C.)

2002

Truth Hurts - Truthfully Speaking

  • "Next To Me"
  • "Do Me"

Jennifer Lopez - This Is Me... Then

Petey Pablo - Drumline

  • "Club Banger"

2003

Sly Boogy - Judgement Day

Beyoncé Knowles - Dangerously in Love

  • "Yes" (produced with Beyoncé Knowles)

2004

Petey Pablo - Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry

  • "Roll Off"

Mac Dre - Ronald Dregan: Dreganomics

  • "Get Stupid"

Wylde Bunch - Wylde Tymes At Washington High

  • "Our Lyfe"

2005

The Game - The Documentary

112 - Pleasure & Pain

Outlawz - Outlaw 4 Life: 2005 A.P.

  • "Real Talk" (featuring Focus...)
  • "If You Want 2"
  • "I Dare U" (featuring Focus...)

Sway & King Tech - Back 2 Basics

  • "Watch Closer" (featuring Chino XL, Tracy Lane)
  • "I Don't Think So" (featuring Kam)
  • "We Don't Give A..." (featuring Kallihan, Hellraiza)
  • "Hands to the Sky" (featuring Verb & Rock)

Tony Yayo - Thoughts of a Predicate Felon

  • "Eastside Westside"
  • "Project Princess" (featuring Jagged Edge)
  • "Live by the Gun"

2006

Stat Quo - Eminem Presents: The Re-Up

  • "By My Side"

2007

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"

Keke Palmer - So Uncool

  • "The Game Song"
  • "Music Box"

2008

Girlicious - Girlicious

  • "Mirror"

Bishop Lamont - The Confessional

  • "The Confessional" (Intro)
  • "Better Than You"
  • "The Name" (featuring Dirty Birdy, Kida, Flii Stylz)

2009

Busta Rhymes - Back on My B.S.

Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse

  • "Lyrical Murderers" (featuring K-Young)

2010

Marsha Ambrosius - Late Nights & Early Mornings

  • "Tears"

Christina Aguilera - Bionic

Bishop Lamont - The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3

  • "Martin Luther King" (Intro)
  • "Affirmative Action" (featuring Focus...)

2011

Schoolboy Q - Setbacks

Jay Rock - Follow Me Home

  • "Bout That"

Rapper Big Pooh - Dirty Pretty Things

  • "Right With You" (featuring Focus...)
  • "Real Love" (featuring Focus...)

Outlawz - Perfect Timing

  • "Keep It Lit" (featuring Yung Phat Pat)

2012

Amerie - The Prelude...

  • "Every Time"

50 Cent - 5 (Murder by Numbers)

  • "My Crown"

Busta Rhymes - Year of the Dragon

  • "Do That Thing"

Xzibit - Napalm

Skyzoo - A Dream Deferred

TheKidJ Presents Handsonhiphop (The Street Album)

  • "Love & Hip-hop" (featuring Redd Lettaz)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "a.Fam MySpace"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Interview With Focus...", HitQuarters, 1 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "Focus... Leaves Aftermath, Focuses on his label a.Fam Entertainment". The Hype Machine. May 25, 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-03. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Interview With Focus...", 2013.
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