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{{short description|American record producer}}
{{Infobox Musical artist
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
| Name = Bernard "Focus..." Edwards, Jr
{{Infobox musical artist
| Origin = [[Manhattan]], [[New York]]
| Genrename = [[R&B]], [[hip hop music|Hip-Hop]]Focus...
| Occupationimage = [[Record producer]] = Focus....jpg
| caption = Focus… in 2015
| Years_active =
| Label image_upright = a1.Fam1
| Associated_actsbirth_name = Bernard Edwards Jr.
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|11|6}}
| birth_place = [[Manhattan]], New York City, U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|[[Hip 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}}
| current_member_of = Read the PDF
| 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." Edwards|access-date=November 29, Jr2019}}</ref> known professionally as '''Focus...''', is aan Atlanta-basedAmerican record producer whofrom firstNew roseYork toCity. fameHe whengained hemajor wasrecognition signedupon tosigning with [[Dr. Dre]]'s [[Aftermath Entertainment]] in 2002. SinceDuring thenhis hetenure haswith producedthe trackslabel, forEdwards worked with artists including Dre himself, [[ChristinaBeyoncé]], Aguilera[[Eminem]], [[Wu-Tang Clan]], [[Jennifer Lopez]], [[BeyoncéChristina Aguilera]], [[50 KnowlesCent]], [[Busta Rhymes]], [[BishopOutlawz]], Lamont[[The Game (rapper)|the Game]], [[TonyJoe Yayo(singer)|Joe]], amongst[[Petey Pablo]], [[Marsha Ambrosius]] and [[Bishop Lamont]], among others. <ref name="a.Fam MySpace">[http://www.myspace.com/afamentinc "a.Fam MySpace"]</ref> Edwards formed the [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] Read the PDF with fellow Aftermath producers, [[Dem Jointz]] and [[Mr. Porter]] in 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://eminem.news/read-the-pdf-hype.html | title=Read the PDF on How Project Came to Life and Who Inspired Them &#124; Eminem.Pro - the biggest and most trusted source of Eminem | date=July 7, 2023 }}</ref>
 
==BiographyLife 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 recognisedfirst recognized by Dr. Dre when an artist heEdwards 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 Dre"Interview decidedWith toFocus..."], not''[[HitQuarters]]'', onlyMarch sign1, up2010.</ref> DaksHe butlater also his producersigned Focus... so that thenthe 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) |accessdateaccess-date=March 3, 2010-03-03}}</ref> In an interview with [[HitQuarters]] in 2010 Focus... explained the reasons for the departure:
 
In 2013, 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).
<blockquote>"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.“<ref name="hitquarters.com">[http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_Focus_Interview.html "Interview With Focus..."], ''[[HitQuarters]]'', 1 March 2010.</ref></blockquote>
 
==Production==
{{See also|Category:Albums produced by Focus...}}
 
===1999===
 
;[[Solé]] – ''[[Skin Deep (Solé album)|Skin Deep]]''
*"I'm Coming" <small>(Intro)</small>
*"Spell My Name Right" <small>(featuring Mr. Raja) (produced with [[Tricky Stewart]])</small>
*"Antoine's Interlude" <small>(produced with Tricky Stewart)</small>
*"Young Niggas" <small>(produced with Tricky Stewart)</small>
*"Pain" <small>(produced with Tricky Stewart)</small>
 
===2000===
 
;[[Joe (singer)|Joe]] – ''[[My Name Is Joe (album)|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===
 
;[[Christina Milian]] – ''[[Christina Milian (album)|Christina Milian]]''
*"It Hurts When..." <small>(produced with [[Montell Jordan]])</small>
*"Twitch" <small>(produced with [[Montell Jordan]])</small>
 
;[[Destiny's Child]] – ''[[8 Days of Christmas]]''
*"Spread a Little Love on Christmas Day" <small>(produced with [[Beyoncé Knowles]], [[Ric Wake]])</small>
 
;[[Various artists]] – ''[[The Wash (soundtrack)|The Wash]]''
*"Riding High" <small>(Daks featuring R.C.)</small>
 
===2002===
 
;[[Truth Hurts (singer)|Truth Hurts]] – ''[[Truthfully Speaking]]''
*"Next To Me"
*"Do Me"
 
;[[Jennifer Lopez]] – ''[[This Is Me... Then]]''
*"Dear Ben" <small>(produced with [[Cory Rooney]])</small>
 
;[[Petey Pablo]] – ''[[Drumline (film)|Drumline]]''
*"Club Banger"
 
;[[Montell Jordan]] – ''[[Montell Jordan (album)|Montell Jordan]]''
*"MJ V Intro"
*MJ Anthem
*Top Or Bottom
*"Mine, Mine, Mine" (included in ''[[Rush Hour 2 (soundtrack)|Rush Hour 2]]'')
*Why Can’t We
*The Rain
 
===2003===
 
;Sly Boogy – ''Judgement Day''
*"California" <small>(featuring [[Butch Cassidy (singer)|Butch Cassidy]], [[Truth Hurts (singer)|Truth Hurts]])</small>
 
;[[Beyoncé Knowles]] – ''[[Dangerously in Love]]''
*"Yes" <small>(produced with [[Beyoncé Knowles]])</small>
 
===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===
 
;[[Game (rapper)|The Game]] – ''The Documentary''
*"Where I'm From" <small>(featuring [[Nate Dogg]])</small>
 
;[[112 (band)|112]] – ''[[Pleasure & Pain (112 album)|Pleasure & Pain]]''
*"[[U Already Know]]" <small>(produced with [[Sean Garrett]])</small>
 
;[[Outlawz]] – ''[[Outlaw 4 Life: 2005 A.P.]]''
*"Real Talk" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
*"If You Want 2"
*"I Dare U" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
 
;[[Sway & King Tech]] – ''[[Back 2 Basics (Sway & King Tech album)|Back 2 Basics]]''
*"Watch Closer" <small>(featuring [[Chino XL]], Tracy Lane)</small>
*"I Don't Think So" <small>(featuring [[Kam (rapper)|Kam]])</small>
*"We Don't Give A..." <small>(featuring Kallihan, Hellraiza)</small>
*"Hands to the Sky" <small>(featuring Verb & Rock)</small>
 
;[[Tony Yayo]] – ''[[Thoughts of a Predicate Felon]]''
*"Eastside Westside"
*"Project Princess" <small>(featuring [[Jagged Edge (American group)|Jagged Edge]])</small>
*"Live by the Gun"
 
===2006===
 
;[[Tha Mexakinz|Sinful]] – ''Behind 16 Bars''
*"Yo Soy Honesto"
 
;[[Stat Quo]] – ''[[Eminem Presents: The Re-Up]]''
*"By My Side"
 
===2007===
;[[Bishop Lamont]] – ''N***** Noise''
*"Klansmen"
*"American Dreams"
 
;[[Salah Edin]] – ''Nederlands Grootste Nachtmerrie''
*"NGN" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
*"T.H.E.O. (Teleurstelling, Haat, Ergernis & Onbegrip)"
*"Het Land Van..."
*"Geliefd Om Gehaat Te Worden"
*"Opgeblazen" <small>(featuring Opgezwolle)</small>
*"0172"
*"Zwarte Gat Op Het Witte Doek" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
*"Geld" <small>(featuring Caprice)</small>
*"Hosselaar"
*"Vrouwtje Is Een Bitch"
*"Samen Huilen, Samen Lachen"
*"Koning Ter Rijk"
*"Oog Om Oog" <small>(featuring Probz)</small>
*"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 (album)|Girlicious]]''
*"Mirror"
 
;[[Bishop Lamont]] – ''[[The Confessional (album)|The Confessional]]''
*"The Confessional" <small>(Intro)</small>
*"Better Than You"
*"The Name" <small>(featuring Dirty Birdy, Kida, Flii Stylz)</small>
 
===2009===
 
;[[Busta Rhymes]] – ''[[Back on My B.S.]]''
*"[[Respect My Conglomerate]]" <small>(featuring [[Lil Wayne]], [[Jadakiss]])</small>
*"If You Don't Know Now You Know" <small>(featuring [[Big Tigger]])</small>
 
;[[Slaughterhouse (group)|Slaughterhouse]] – ''[[Slaughterhouse (Slaughterhouse album)|Slaughterhouse]]''
*"Lyrical Murderers" <small>(featuring K-Young)</small>
 
===2010===
 
;[[Christina Aguilera]] – ''[[Bionic (Christina Aguilera album)|Bionic]]''
*"Morning Dessert" <small>(Intro)</small>
*"Sex for Breakfast"
 
;[[Bishop Lamont]] – ''[[The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3]]''
*"Martin Luther King" <small>(Intro)</small>
*"Affirmative Action" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
 
===2011===
 
;[[Marsha Ambrosius]] – ''[[Late Nights & Early Mornings]]''
*"Tears"
 
;[[Schoolboy Q]] – ''[[Setbacks (album)|Setbacks]]''
*"Light Years Ahead (Sky High)" <small>(featuring [[Kendrick Lamar]])</small>
 
;[[Jay Rock]] – ''[[Follow Me Home (album)|Follow Me Home]]''
*"Bout That"
 
;[[Rapper Big Pooh]] – ''Dirty Pretty Things''
*"Right With You" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
*"Real Love" <small>(featuring Focus...)</small>
 
;[[Outlawz]] – ''[[Perfect Timing (Outlawz album)|Perfect Timing]]''
*"Keep It Lit" <small>(featuring Yung Phat Pat)</small>
 
===2012===
 
;[[50 Cent]] – ''[[5 (Murder by Numbers)]]''
*"My Crown"
 
;[[Busta Rhymes]] – ''[[Year of the Dragon (Busta Rhymes album)|Year of the Dragon]]''
*"Do That Thing"
 
;[[Xzibit]] – ''[[Napalm (album)|Napalm]]''
*"Killer's Remorse" <small>(featuring [[Bishop Lamont]], [[Young De]], [[B-Real]])</small>
 
;[[Skyzoo]] – ''[[A Dream Deferred (album)|A Dream Deferred]]''
*"Drew & Derwin" <small>(featuring [[Raheem DeVaughn]])</small>
 
;TheKidJ Presents Handsonhiphop (The Street Album)
*"Love & Hip-hop" <small>(featuring Redd Lettaz)</small>
 
===2013===
 
;[[TGT (group)|TGT]] – ''[[Three Kings (TGT album)|Three Kings]]''
*"Interlude" <small>(credited as B. Edwards Jr.)</small>
 
;[[Slum Village]] – ''[[Evolution (Slum Village album)|Evolution]]''
*"Summer Breeze"
*"1 Nite" <small>(featuring Vice)</small>
 
;[[Terrace Martin]] – ''[[3ChordFold]]''
*"Watch U Sleep"
 
===2015===
 
;[[Dr. Dre]] – ''[[Compton (album)|Compton]]''
* "Intro
* "Loose Cannons" {{small|(featuring Xzibit, COLD 187&nbsp;um & Sly Pyper)}}
* "Issues" {{small|(featuring Ice Cube, Anderson .Paak & Dem Jointz)}}
* "Deep Water" {{small|(featuring Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak & Justus)}}
* "One Shot One Kill" {{small|(Jon Connor featuring Snoop Dogg)}}
* "Medicine Man" {{small|(featuring Eminem, Candice Pillay & Anderson .Paak)}}
 
;[[Wu-Tang Clan]] – ''[[Once Upon a Time in Shaolin]]''
* "Hail, Snow & Earthquakes / Rainy Dayz II" {{small|(featuring Blue Raspberry)}}
 
;[[Amerie|Ameriie]] – ''[[Drive (Amerie EP)|Drive]]''
*"Every Time" {{small|(featuring [[Fabolous]])}}
 
===2016===
 
;[[DJ Mustard]] Presents – ''[[Cold Summer (DJ Mustard album)|Cold Summer]]''
* "Another Summer" {{small|(featuring Rick Ross, John Legend & James Fauntleroy)}}
 
;[[Damian Lillard]] – ''[[The Letter O]]''
* "Thank You" {{small|(featuring Marsha Ambrosius, Brookfield Duece & Danny from Sobrante)}}
 
===2018===
;Marsha Ambrosius – ''Nyla''
* "Flood"
* "I Got It Bad" <small>(produced with Marsha Ambrosius and [[Stereotypes (producers)|Stereotypes]])</small>
* "Let Out"
* "Today" <small>(produced with [[Best Kept Secret (production team)|Best Kept Secret]])</small>
* "Grand Finale"
 
===2019===
;[[Little Brother (group)|Little Brother]] – ''[[May the Lord Watch]]''
* "Black Magic (Make It Better)"
* "Goodmorning Sunshine"
* "Work Through Me" <small>(produced with Blaaq Gold)</small>
 
===2020===
;[[Busta Rhymes]] – '' [[Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God]]''
* "Don't Go" {{small|(featuring Q-Tip)}}
 
;[[Eminem]] – '' [[Music 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==
{{reflistReflist}}
 
==External links==
* {{AllMusic|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…}}
* {{Twitter|focus3dots}}
 
{{Aftermath Entertainment}}
 
{{Authority control}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards Jr, BernardFocus...}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:American hip -hop record producers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:YearEast ofCoast birthhip-hop missing (living people)musicians]]
[[Category:African-American record producers]]
[[Category:African-American songwriters]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues musicians]]
[[Category:American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American multi-instrumentalists]]
[[Category:Songwriters from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Guitarists from New York City]]
[[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]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus..."