Focus...
| Focus... | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bernard Edwards, Jr. |
| Origin | Manhattan, New York, US |
| Genres | Hip-hop, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, rapper, singer |
| Instruments | bass, keyboards, drum machine |
| Years active | 1999-present |
| Labels | Aftermath, Interscope, a.Fam Entertainment inc. |
| Associated acts | Dr. Dre |
Bernard Edwards, Jr., professionally known as Focus..., is an American music producer from New York City, New York. He gained major recognition in the music industry when he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, in 2002. Since then he has produced tracks for several prominent artists, including Dr. Dre, 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, Ameriie, Christina Millian, Mac Dre, Marsha Ambrosius among others.[1]
Life and career
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] signed 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 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 album Compton. Compton was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Production
1999
- "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
- "Get Crunk Tonight"
- "Introduction"
- "Hey Kandi"
- "Pants on Fire"
- "Talking' Bout Me"
- "Sucka for You"
- "Outro"
2001
- "Mine, Mine, Mine"
- "It Hurts When..." (produced with Montell Jordan)
- "Twitch" (produced with Montell Jordan)
- "Spread a Little Love on Christmas Day" (produced with Beyoncé Knowles, Ric Wake)
- "Riding High" (Daksfeaturing R.C.)
2002
- "Next To Me"
- "Do Me"
- "Dear Ben" (produced with Cory Rooney)
- "Club Banger"
2003
- Sly Boogy - Judgement Day
- "California" (featuring Butch Cassidy, Truth Hurts)
- "Yes" (produced with Beyoncé Knowles)
2004
- "Roll Off"
- "Get Stupid"
- Wylde Bunch - Wylde Tymes at Washington High
- "Our Lyfe"
2005
- "Where I'm From" (featuring Nate Dogg)
- "U Already Know" (produced with Sean Garrett)
- "Real Talk" (featuring Focus...)
- "If You Want 2"
- "I Dare U" (featuring Focus...)
- "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)
- "Eastside Westside"
- "Project Princess" (featuring Jagged Edge)
- "Live by the Gun"
2006
- "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"
- "The Game Song"
- "Music Box"
2008
- "Mirror"
- "The Confessional" (Intro)
- "Better Than You"
- "The Name" (featuring Dirty Birdy, Kida, Flii Stylz)
2009
- "Respect My Conglomerate" (featuring Lil Wayne, Jadakiss)
- "If You Don't Know Now You Know" (featuring Big Tigger)
- "Lyrical Murderers" (featuring K-Young)
2010
- "Tears"
- "Morning Dessert" (Intro)
- "Sex for Breakfast"
- "Martin Luther King" (Intro)
- "Affirmative Action" (featuring Focus...)
2011
- "Light Years Ahead (Sky High)" (featuring Kendrick 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
- "My Crown"
- "Do That Thing"
- "Killer's Remorse" (featuring Bishop Lamont, Young De, B-Real)
- "Drew & Derwin" (featuring Raheem DeVaughn)
- TheKidJ Presents Handsonhiphop (The Street Album)
- "Love & Hip-hop" (featuring Redd Lettaz)
2013
- "Interlude" (credited as B. Edwards, Jr.)
- "Summer Breeze"
- "1 Nite" (featuring Vice)
- "Watch U Sleep"
2015
- "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" (featuring Fabolous)
2016
- DJ Mustard Presents - Cold Summer
- "Another Summer" (featuring Rick Ross, John Legend & James Fauntleroy)
- "Thank You" (featuring Marsha Ambrosius, Brookfield Duece & Danny from Sobrante)
References
- 1 2 3 4 "a.Fam MySpace"
- 1 2 "Interview With Focus...", HitQuarters, 1 March 2010.
- ↑ "Focus... Leaves Aftermath, Focuses on his label a.Fam Entertainment". The Hype Machine. May 25, 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
External links
- Focus… at AllMusic
- Focus… discography at Discogs
- Focus… discography at MusicBrainz
- Focus... on Twitter