Focus...

Bernard Edwards Jr. (born November 6, 1972),[1] professionally known as Focus..., is an American music producer from New York City. 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.[2]

Focus...
Background information
Birth nameBernard Edwards Jr.
Born (1972-11-06) November 6, 1972
OriginManhattan, New York City
GenresHip-hop, R&B
Occupation(s)Record producer, rapper, singer
InstrumentsBass, keyboards, drum machine
Years active1999–present
LabelsAftermath, Interscope, a.Fam Entertainment inc.
Associated actsDr. Dre

Life and career

Focus... is the son of the late Bernard Edwards, co-founder of disco and R&B band Chic.[2] He was born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in the Tri-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 album Compton. Compton was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Focus... is now the CEO of his own entertainment company N|VZXN Entertainment.

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
Various artists – The Wash
  • "Riding High" (Daksfeaturing 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

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
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"
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
Christina Aguilera – Bionic
  • "Morning Dessert" (Intro)
  • "Sex for Breakfast"
Bishop Lamont – The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3
  • "Martin Luther King" (Intro)
  • "Affirmative Action" (featuring Focus...)

2011
Marsha Ambrosius – Late Nights & Early Mornings
  • "Tears"
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
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)

2013
TGT – Three Kings
  • "Interlude" (credited as B. Edwards Jr.)
Slum Village – Evolution
  • "Summer Breeze"
  • "1 Nite" (featuring Vice)
Terrace Martin – 3ChordFold
  • "Watch U Sleep"

2015
Dr. Dre – Compton
  • "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)
Wu-Tang Clan – Once Upon a Time in Shaolin
  • "Hail, Snow & Earthquakes / Rainy Dayz II" (featuring Blue Raspberry)
Ameriie – Drive

2016
DJ Mustard Presents – Cold Summer
  • "Another Summer" (featuring Rick Ross, John Legend & James Fauntleroy)
Damian Lillard – The Letter O
  • "Thank You" (featuring Marsha Ambrosius, Brookfield Duece & Danny from Sobrante)

2018
Marsha Ambrosius – Nyla
  • "Flood"
  • "I Got It Bad" (produced with Marsha Ambrosius and Stereotypes)
  • "Let Out"
  • "Today" (produced with Best Kept Secret)
  • "Grand Finale"

2019
Little Brother – May the Lord Watch
  • "Black Magic (Make It Better)"
  • "Goodmorning Sunshine"
  • "Work Through Me" (produced with Blaaq Gold)

2020
Busta Rhymes – Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God
  • "Don’t Go" (featuring Q-Tip)
Eminem – Music to Be Murdered By – Side B (Deluxe edition)
  • "She Loves Me"

References
  1. "Focus – artist". rateyourmusic.com. Sonemic, Inc. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  2. "a.Fam MySpace"
  3. "Interview With Focus...", HitQuarters, March 1, 2010.
  4. "Focus... Leaves Aftermath, Focuses on his label a.Fam Entertainment". The Hype Machine. May 25, 2009. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
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