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RODNEY JERKINS PT. 2: Super producer’s hit history and history in the making
As one of the most sought after music producers around, he recently finished up a track with Mary J. Blige and Drake that is not only a hit, but the AT&T commercial soundtrack; he’s currently putting the finishing touches on a new track for Janet Jackson’s greatest hits compilation. He’s also working with a new artist, singer Verse Simmonds, who is all the buzz with his debut hit “Buy You a Round.”
“I’m really excited about him. I’ve always had success with female artists. I only had one #1 record with a male artist and that was Michael Jackson. And then this guy comes across my desk and I’m just excited about him,” Jerkins said.
“He’s through my imprint Interscope/Darkchild, but even if he wasn’t on my imprint I would be excited about him. It’s the fact that he’s talented. He does everything,” he said of the Virgin Islands native. “He’s a musician, writer. Girls love him; guys respect him. He has every potential to be a star and we need more stars right now. The game is lacking. Great music is lacking; and so is the birth of new artists.”
Like his cut with Mary J. Blige and Drake, Jerkins told EUR’s Lee Bailey, that it’s important for musicians, songwriters, and producers look to place their music in more places than an album.
“I always encourage producers and songwriters that when you write songs, you’ve got to look for the bigger things,” he said. “It’s a different day now. Most people aren’t selling albums the way they used to so you have to tap into all kinds of ways to bring in wealth. So your songs will be on TV, in films, and commercials and all that. It’s real important.”
The AT&T campaign was even extended, which worked well for Jerkins. In the meantime, he has a rap track climbing the pop charts with Academy Award winning rap trio Three 6 Mafia.
“I stay busy,” he said. “The Three 6 Mafia song called ‘Shake My’ is blowing up fast as lighting. It’s going to Top 40 on the pop chart. It’s the fastest song this year to come out of Sony. It’s kind of cool because I’ve never had a rap hit. It’s a blessing to cross and mess around with different genres and just have fun.”
For all those following in his footsteps, Jerkins said that the key to success is staying great at what you do.
“People respect the fact that you’re still doing it,” he said. “For me, it’s about still being here. I’ve tasted success at the highest. I’ve seen the lows and the highs of the game, but it’s important to be here and not only being current, but being revolutionary. It’s about reinventing myself and being able to do things that I want to do.”
Jerkins is at that comfortable place where he now gets to choose and be more focused on who and what he’s working on. And with a young family – he’s been married for five years, has a young son and a baby on the way – he’s more focused in his personal life, too.
“I’m at that place in my life where I’m happy and more content. I’m more focused on life now. Before, I was this young kid. I experienced my first hit at 19 years old. It was all about me. It’s about my family now and making sure that my family is taken care of.”
Jerkins is also at that place where he realizes he’s setting the pace and blazing trails for those producers and music makers coming behind him.
“Teddy (Riley) and Quincy Jones opened up the path for me to be able to do what I do.”
In the goal to help make stars of tomorrow, he is starring as a judge on MTV’s new talent show “Starmaker.” The show, produced by Mark Goodman and P. Diddy, is a cross between “American Idol” and “The Real World.”
“We have all these different talent shows on TV – ‘American Idol’ and ‘America’s Got Talent.’ This is not your typical talent show,” he said. “It’s half reality and half performance. It starts off with contestants in the house, but the cameras are always on backstage which is really unique. You get to hear what the contestants are saying about each other as they're performing, which is probably my favorite element of the show.”
“Starmaker” airs Sunday’s at 10 on the music channel.
“I think it’s just another great show.”
For more on award-winning producer Rodney Jerkins, check his official website at www.darkchild.com. For more on new artist Verse Simmonds, check out his official website at www.versesimmonds.com.
For part one of this series on Rodney Jerkins, click here.
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