Focus…

Focus...
Birth name	Bernard Edwards, Jr.
Origin	Manhattan, New York, US
Genres	R&B, Hip-hop
Occupation(s)	Record producer, rapper, singer
Instruments	bass, keyboards, drum machine
Years active	1999-present
Labels	Aftermath, Interscope, a.Fam Entertainment inc.
Associated acts	Chic, G-Unit, Slum Village, Christina Aguilera, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar

Bernard Edwards, Jr., better known as Focus..., is an Atlanta-based record producer who first rose to fame when signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Since then he has produced tracks for Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Bishop Lamont, Tony Yayo, Stat Quo, Outlawz, The Game, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Mac Dre, Ice Cube, Anderson Paak, Jon Connor, Joe, Marsha Ambrosius , Slum Village amongst many 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] 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'. At present time 'Compton' is a RIAA certified Gold album.

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

• "It Hurts When..." (produced with Montell Jordan)
• "Twitch" (produced with Montell Jordan)

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

• "Dear Ben" (produced with Cory Rooney)

Petey Pablo - Drumline

• "Club Banger"

2003

Sly Boogy - Judgement Day

• "California" (featuring Butch Cassidy, Truth Hurts)

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

• "Where I'm From" (featuring Nate Dogg)

112 - Pleasure & Pain

• "U Already Know" (produced with Sean Garrett)

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.

• "Respect My Conglomerate" (featuring Lil Wayne, Jadakiss)
• "If You Don't Know Now You Know" (featuring Big Tigger)

Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse

• "Lyrical Murderers" (featuring K-Young)

2010

Marsha Ambrosius - Late Nights & Early Mornings

• "Tears"

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

Schoolboy Q - Setbacks

• "Light Years Ahead (Sky High)" (featuring Kendrick Lamar)

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

• "Killer's Remorse" (featuring Bishop Lamont, Young De, B-Real)

Skyzoo - A Dream Deferred

• "Drew & Derwin" (featuring Raheem DeVaughn)

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 (feat. Xzibit, COLD 187 um & Sly Pyper)
• Issues (feat. Ice Cube, Anderson Paak & Dem Jointz)
• Deep Water (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Anderson Paak & Justus)
• One Shot One Kill (Jon Connor feat. Snoop Dogg)
• Medicine Man (feat. Eminem, Candice Pillay & Anderson Paak)

References

1. "a.Fam MySpace"
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.