Focus...: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|American record producer}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Focus...

| image = Focus....jpg

| caption = Focus… in 2015

| image_upright = 1.1

| birth_name = Bernard Edwards Jr.

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|11|6}}

| birth_place = [[Manhattan]], New York City, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|[[hipHip hop music|Hip- hop]], |[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]}}

| occupation = Record producer

| years_active = 1999–present

| label = {{hlist|[[Aftermath Entertainment|Aftermath]], |[[Interscope Records|Interscope]], |a.Fam Entertainment inc.}}

| current_member_of = Read the PDF

| associated_acts = [[Dr. Dre]]

| associated_acts = {{hlist|[[Dr. Dre]]|[[Bishop Lamont]]|[[Marsha Ambrosius]]|[[Busta Rhymes]]|[[Beyoncé]]}}

}}

'''Bernard Edwards Jr.''' (born November 6, 1972),<ref>{{cite web |title=Focus – artist |url=https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/focus_f1 |website=rateyourmusic.com |publisher=Sonemic, Inc. |access-date=November 29, 2019}}</ref> known professionally known as '''Focus...''', is an American musicrecord producer from New York City. He gained major recognition in the music industry when heupon signedsigning with [[Dr. Dre]]'s [[Aftermath Entertainment]], in 2002. SinceDuring thenhis hetenure haswith producedthe trackslabel, forEdwards severalworked prominentwith artists, including [[Dr. Dre]], [[Eminem]]himself, [[Kendrick LamarBeyoncé]], [[Snoop DoggEminem]], [[RickWu-Tang RossClan]], [[JohnJennifer LegendLopez]], [[TheChristina Game (rapper)|The GameAguilera]], [[Ice50 CubeCent]], [[Busta Rhymes]], [[FabolousOutlawz]], [[50The Cent]],Game [[Schoolboy(rapper)|the QGame]], [[Joe (singer)|Joe]], [[ChristinaPetey AguileraPablo]], [[JenniferMarsha LopezAmbrosius]], and [[BeyoncéBishop Knowles|BeyoncéLamont]], among others.<ref name="a.Fam MySpace">[[Lilhttp://www.myspace.com/afamentinc Wayne]"a.Fam MySpace"],</ref> Edwards formed the [[AmerieSupergroup (music)|Ameriiesupergroup]], [[ChristinaRead Milian|Christinathe Millian]]PDF with fellow Aftermath producers, [[MacDem DreJointz]], and [[MarshaMr. AmbrosiusPorter]] amongin others2022.<ref>{{cite name="a.Famweb MySpace">[http| url=https://wwweminem.myspace.comnews/afamentincread-the-pdf-hype.html "a| title=Read the PDF on How Project Came to Life and Who Inspired Them &#124; Eminem.FamPro MySpace"]- the biggest and most trusted source of Eminem | date=July 7, 2023 }}</ref>

==Life and career==

Focus... is the son of the late [[Bernard Edwards]], co-founder of [[disco]] and [[R&B]] band [[Chic (band)|Chic]].<ref name="a.Fam MySpace"/> He was born in [[Manhattan]], New York City, and raised in the [[Tri-State Region]].<ref name="a.Fam MySpace"/> 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.<ref name="a.Fam MySpace"/>

Focus...'s production talents were first recognized by Dr. Dre when an artist Edwards Jr. had produced, Daks, greatly impressed the Aftermath label head.<ref name="hitquarters.com">[http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_Focus_Interview.html "Interview With Focus..."], ''[[HitQuarters]]'', March 1, 2010.</ref> He later signed Focus... so that the two could then continue working together.<ref name="hitquarters.com"/>

The beginning of 2009 saw Focus... leaveleft Aftermath in 2008, after seven years with the label.<ref>{{Cite news|title= Focus... Leaves Aftermath, Focuses on his label a.Fam Entertainment |url=http://thehypemagazine.blogspot.com/2009/05/focus-leaves-aftermath-focuses-on-his.html|publisher= The Hype Machine |date=May 25, 2009 |access-date=March 3, 2010}}</ref>

In 20142013, 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 (album)|Compton]]''. ''Compton'' was [[RIAA certification|certified gold]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA).

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

==Production==

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===2001===

;[[Montell Jordan]] – ''[[Rush Hour 2 (soundtrack)|Rush Hour 2]]''

*"Mine, Mine, Mine"

;[[Christina Milian]] – ''[[Christina Milian (album)|Christina Milian]]''

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;[[Various artists]] – ''[[The Wash (soundtrack)|The Wash]]''

*"Riding High" <small>(DaksfeaturingDaks featuring R.C.)</small>

===2002===

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;[[Petey Pablo]] – ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]''

*"Club Banger"

;[[Montell Jordan]] – ''[[Montell Jordan (album)|Montell Jordan]]''

*"MJ V Intro"

*MJ Anthem

*Top Or Bottom

;[[Montell*"Mine, Jordan]]Mine, Mine" (included –in ''[[Rush Hour 2 (soundtrack)|Rush Hour 2]]'')

*Why Can’t We

*The Rain

===2003===

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===2006===

;[[Tha Mexakinz|Sinful]] – ''Behind 16 Bars''

*"Yo Soy Honesto"

;[[Stat Quo]] – ''[[Eminem Presents: The Re-Up]]''

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*"Tears"

;[[Schoolboy Q]] – ''[[Setbacks (album)|Setbacks]]''

*"Light Years Ahead (Sky High)" <small>(featuring [[Kendrick Lamar]])</small>

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===2020===

;[[Busta Rhymes]] – '' [[Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God]]''

* "Don't Go" {{small|(featuring Q-Tip)}}

;[[Eminem]] – '' [[Music_to_Be_Murdered_ByMusic to Be Murdered By#Music to Be Murdered By – Side B (Deluxe Edition)|Music to Be Murdered By – Side B (Deluxe edition)]]''

* "She Loves Me"

===2022===

;[[Diamond D]] - ''The Rear View''

* "Live My Life" {{small|(featuring Ashtin Martin)}}

==References==

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==External links==

* {{AllmusicAllMusic|class=artist|id=focus-mn0000855825|label=Focus…}}

* {{Discogs artist | artist=181294-Focus-4 | name=Focus…}}

* {{MusicBrainz artist | id=f16acce9-c46a-45af-8509-b9d3b397c26f | name=Focus…}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Focus...}}

[[Category:1972 births]]

[[Category:American hip -hop record producers]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:East Coast hip -hop musicians]]

[[Category:African-American record producers]]

[[Category:African-American songwriters]]

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[[Category:American male bass guitarists]]

[[Category:Record producers from New York (state)]]

[[Category:African-American guitarists]]

[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]

[[Category:20th-century African-American people]]

[[Category:American male songwriters]]