West Coast Connection Forum

DUBCC - Tha Connection => West Coast Classics => Topic started by: Lunatic on May 05, 2010, 06:19:04 PM

Title: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Lunatic on May 05, 2010, 06:19:04 PM
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2947018/an_exclusive_interview_with_focus.html?cat=33

Though his name is sometimes overshadowed, his list of credits cannot be denied. Besides his years working alongside Dr. Dre, super-producer Focus... has also worked with Christina Aguilera, The Game, Busta Rhymes,

Jennifer Lopez and Marsha Ambrosius and has peacefully moved on from his Aftermath Entertainment days to pursue a musical path of his own.

Now releasing his own album called The Avant Garde Project, Focus... is experimenting with a sound outside of his famous Hip-Hop forte, a sound he hopes to be the ingredients to a future legacy of his own. And with a current song on Christina Aguilera's new album, Bionic, things seem to be working in his favor.

In this interview, Focus... talks exclusively about Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, The Game, Christina Aguilera, Teddy Riley, Micheal Jackson and more, and he even addresses Akon's statement on Lady Gaga versus Christina Aguilera.

The Avant Garde Project is available May 4th, 2010

Read Full Interview:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2947018/an_exclusive_interview_with_focus.html?cat=33
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dubsmith_nz on May 05, 2010, 06:38:40 PM
I really think it's a stretch calling him a Super Producer, seriously I cant even think of one hit he's produced. Dukes got dope beats, but super producer is really just pushing it. Dre, Timbo, JD, Neptunes, Kanye are all super producers. They might not always make dope beats, but for a hit they've had their time of being the go to guys.

Lunch break about to finish so I'll read this interview tonight, shot bro
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Action! on May 05, 2010, 06:51:55 PM
most of his beats sound like they're missing something to take them to the next level

he's better than most but is still missing that X element
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Get It Off Ya Chest on May 05, 2010, 07:02:06 PM
that was actually a really cool interview. thanks for posting it :)
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Triple OG Rapsodie on May 05, 2010, 07:05:39 PM
lol @ superproducer
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Triple OG Rapsodie on May 05, 2010, 07:16:05 PM
wait so Focus produced Get Stupid? That's cool to know. But I don't think it was really credited to Dr. Dre, I always assumed Mac Dre was just fucking around and threw Dre's name out there as a joke.
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Chamillitary Click on May 05, 2010, 08:06:33 PM
Focus produced some dope shit on Bishop Lamont's "Confessional". 8)
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Jaydc on May 05, 2010, 08:12:21 PM
most of his beats sound like they're missing something to take them to the next level

he's better than most but is still missing that X element

i disagree,I love his beats.Whats missing from tony yayo-live by the gun?Or stat quo-in california?or countless others..
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Prof@ssor on May 05, 2010, 08:29:33 PM
Interesting subject.

I'm a great Focus fan myself, but i must admit he's very hit or miss. Thats the difference between producers like Focus  that people on the interwebz call better than Dre: they've never made a huge hit but at the same time made a lot of shit. Feel On It, Shine, Live by The Gun, Times Are Hard, All Falls Down etc...are certified classics beats....but after a while you hear him re-using the same drums and keys on many other songs.  :-X

Same with Dj Khalil, people ride his dick too much, lately a lot of material he's made is shit...but hell , these fans always force themselves to like it  >:(

Hate on Dre as much as you want, he rarely makes shitty tracks. Repetitive? Not creative? Boring? yes. But whack, NEVER.
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Action! on May 05, 2010, 10:01:27 PM
most of his beats sound like they're missing something to take them to the next level

he's better than most but is still missing that X element

i disagree,I love his beats.Whats missing from tony yayo-live by the gun?Or stat quo-in california?or countless others..

I enjoy Focus's production.  He's clearly made plenty of dope beats but some of his tracks lack soul.   I don't know how to explain.  It's like I'm nodding my head along and I'm like this is dope but then it's done.  It needs more breakdowns and build ups.  If Focus went for a more anthemic sound with his beasts, I'd be feeling them more.  

Dj Khalil's production is so damn specific.  Man, I think the best of him you haven't heard yet.  His material with the new royals is fiyah.  

But, like Focus, with some of his production it doesn't lift off to the skies.  It's either somethign to do with the mixing or the arrangement.  


I prefer Dj Khalil over Focus.

edit:

but it's more like I prefer

the new royales > dj khalil solo > focus

http://www.myspace.com/chininjeti - check out the new roylaes track's

Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: TRG on May 05, 2010, 11:43:32 PM
Focus is dope, but i agree that some Focus productions are missing that extra something to make it "big" or whatever. and with the use of the same drums etc.

Khalil is dope as fuck.l
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Dre-Day on May 06, 2010, 12:24:01 AM
Interesting subject.

I'm a great Focus fan myself, but i must admit he's very hit or miss. Thats the difference between producers like Focus  that people on the interwebz call better than Dre: they've never made a huge hit but at the same time made a lot of shit. Feel On It, Shine, Live by The Gun, Times Are Hard, All Falls Down etc...are certified classics beats....but after a while you hear him re-using the same drums and keys on many other songs.  :-X

Same with Dj Khalil, people ride his dick too much, lately a lot of material he's made is shit...but hell , these fans always force themselves to like it  >:(

Hate on Dre as much as you want, he rarely makes shitty tracks. Repetitive? Not creative? Boring? yes. But whack, NEVER.

i think you meant to write simple, not boring
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: basefunk on May 06, 2010, 12:41:41 AM
Great interview, great producer, i can't hate on him, i did not know that he laced the beat for Tony Yayo's 'live by the gun'..............that beat was powerful

but i still think dj khalil is better than him
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dubsmith_nz on May 06, 2010, 01:09:57 AM
Great interview, great producer, i can't hate on him, i did not know that he laced the beat for Tony Yayo's 'live by the gun'..............that beat was powerful

but i still think dj khalil is better than him

Yup that beat is easily his best, dope on so many levels!

Him and Khalil got completely different styles, but yeah Khalil seems more innovative and his shit hits harded generally than Focus's. In saying that though, Focus' beat on the Slaughterhouse album >>>> Khalil's contributions
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Episcop Cruel Cvrle on May 06, 2010, 02:26:53 AM
Focus is tha shit....makin my neighbors call the police when FEEL ON IT is in the system
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Dre-Day on May 06, 2010, 03:00:17 AM
Focus is tha shit....makin my neighbors call the police when FEEL ON IT is in the system
hahaha "this should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential area"
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Jaydc on May 06, 2010, 03:06:48 AM
where im from by game is probably my favourite focus beat
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Episcop Cruel Cvrle on May 06, 2010, 07:26:34 AM
Focus is tha shit....makin my neighbors call the police when FEEL ON IT is in the system
hahaha "this should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential area"


Amen to that bro.  ;D
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Dre-Day on May 06, 2010, 09:28:49 AM
Focus is tha shit....makin my neighbors call the police when FEEL ON IT is in the system
hahaha "this should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential area"


Amen to that bro.  ;D
lol, i wouldn't play it myself though ;)
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: BOX5 the best poster on this site yell on May 06, 2010, 12:57:30 PM
that super producer title gets thrown around to easy these days,just like "king of" title with rappers, what happen to truly showing and proving and conquering yell
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dubsmith_nz on May 06, 2010, 08:37:02 PM
Focus is tha shit....makin my neighbors call the police when FEEL ON IT is in the system
hahaha "this should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential area"


Amen to that bro.  ;D
lol, i wouldn't play it myself though ;)

I never liked that track either, shit was mad underwhleming
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Jaydc on May 06, 2010, 08:40:04 PM
My favourite focus beat,and probbaly my favourite game track.

http://www.youtube.com/v/RfwmLC5ySnM&hl=en_US&fs=1&
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dubsmith_nz on May 06, 2010, 08:47:54 PM
^^^ Word that shit is ill!

Just read the interview. I hope that wasn't you interviewing him Luna, all he did was ask him about other artists, and his opinions on what people said. Like why the fuck is someone asking Focus about his opinion Jigga and Beyonces marriage, this aint a gossip mag lol. It started off cool with questions about his own album, but it went down hill fast! Not tryna come off like a hater, just being honest!
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Triple OG Rapsodie on May 06, 2010, 08:59:50 PM
^^^ Word that shit is ill!

Just read the interview. I hope that wasn't you interviewing him Luna, all he did was ask him about other artists, and his opinions on what people said. Like why the fuck is someone asking Focus about his opinion Jigga and Beyonces marriage, this aint a gossip mag lol. It started off cool with questions about his own album, but it went down hill fast! Not tryna come off like a hater, just being honest!

lol that's what I thought too. I don't think many fans of Focus give a fuck about Lady Gaga or Christina Aguilera
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Prof@ssor on May 06, 2010, 09:11:19 PM
Focus is tha shit....makin my neighbors call the police when FEEL ON IT is in the system
hahaha "this should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential area"


Amen to that bro.  ;D
lol, i wouldn't play it myself though ;)

I never liked that track either, shit was mad underwhleming

The instrumental is one of the sickest beats ive ever heard in my life
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Action! on May 06, 2010, 10:28:48 PM
prof@ssor, that sig is amazing
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: thealumni1 on May 09, 2010, 03:01:18 AM
Khalil is dope...BUT he has Danny Keys, Chin & Rocki helping him produce. Focus is a one man army... I like both of them. Just some FYI Focus father Founded & Produced Chic's "Good Times" Without that record we would have NEVER got Rapper's Delight.
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Dre-Day on May 09, 2010, 04:43:53 AM
Focus produced some dope shit on Bishop Lamont's "Confessional". 8)
i would actually say that Focus gave his best stuff to Bishop
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Prof@ssor on May 09, 2010, 12:44:33 PM
prof@ssor, that sig is amazing

haha thanks bruh  8)

p.s. for everyone who ever missed this,  compilation of banging Focus beats:

Focus - Enuff 2 Envy.mp3 - 7.4 Mb (http://usershare.net/PersianProfassor/93mmh33pwja7)


Does anybody know if that first beat has ever been released?
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dubsmith_nz on May 09, 2010, 02:18:16 PM
Focus produced some dope shit on Bishop Lamont's "Confessional". 8)
i would actually say that Focus gave his best stuff to Bishop

Yeah he did have some dope beats on Bishops street tapes. That one where he used the same sample as "Worst comes to worst" was cringe worthy though, drums were so weak.
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: Dre-Day on May 09, 2010, 11:54:29 PM
true
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dnjp4life on May 10, 2010, 10:52:45 AM
The best Focus beat to me is 'Where I'm From'.  That shit is vintage west-coast with the organs, the sporadic piano keys and the heavy-bass.  I wish they kept the OG on Game's album because Dre's verse was one of his best ever  8)
Title: Re: Focus (Former Aftermath producer) speaks on Dr. Dre
Post by: dubsmith_nz on May 10, 2010, 05:17:49 PM
The best Focus beat to me is 'Where I'm From'.  That shit is vintage west-coast with the organs, the sporadic piano keys and the heavy-bass.  I wish they kept the OG on Game's album because Dre's verse was one of his best ever  8)

Yeah I never understood why that verse got cut, shit was fire and really rounded out the track, def on of Focus' best for real