“MORE MUSIC THAN MOUTH”

“More music, than mouth” is a title that has deemed itself to be most deserving for Ron Browz, a young producer from Harlem, New York. With numerous gold and platinum plaques, Browz is not exactly an up-and-coming producer.

While his name might not sound familiar, his music surely does. His previous track record includes Ludacris’s “Blow it Out”, Lloyd Banks’ “Hunger for More”, DMX’s “Fuck Yal'”, Lil Kim’s “Whatz the Word”, and the Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent collabo “Oh No”. Add all of those tracks along with creating the soundtrack for Street Skillz, an Emmy nominated sports program, and you can see that Ron Browz is a truly talented producer.

Let’s date back to year 2000, Browz first burst onto the scene with the help of the late Big L, whom he produced four tracks on the album The Big Picture, including the ghetto classic “Ebonics”.

But it was one year later that sealed the producer’s fate, when rapper Nas blasted Jay-Z with the historical Hip Hop masterpiece “Ether” which Browz produced. Nas’s album Stillmatic went double-platinum and Browz became in heavy demand.

This year has also been quite an accomplishment for Browz, especially with his contribution to 50 Cent’s new movie “Get Rich or Die Tryin” in theaters now. Browz’s track “Whip Your Head Boy”, which features 50 and Young Buck, is the opening song to the movie and is included as a bonus track on the movie’s soundtrack.

I had a chance to chat with the talented producer whose humble and easy going demeanor caught me by surprise. Check him out…

Tha Brown Fox: When you first started out you were a rapper. Why did you make the switch from rapper to producer?
Ron Browz: I didn’t make it. It was something that just happened. I was signed to an independent label, and the label was seized; the owners were incarcerated and their equipment was left behind (a drum machine and a keyboard).

Tha Brown Fox: You’re a producer who has been in the game for a minute. In 2000, you hooked up with the late BIG L and produced four songs on the album “The Big Picture”. How did you get a chance to work with him?
Ron Browz: We’re both from Harlem, so I’d heard about him. He was one of the few artists signed from Harlem. I approached him on the block, asked him if he wanted to hear some beats and he said, “Yeah”, so I took him upstairs and he picked the ones he liked.

Tha Brown Fox: One year later, you produced one of the most memorable tracks in Hip Hop history, the infamous “Ether” track by Nas! Did you know that he was going to use that track to dis track Jay-Z?
Ron Browz: I didn’t know until Nas invited me to the studio to hear the mix down.

Tha Brown Fox: What was your first reaction?
Ron Browz: My first reaction was the same as your first reaction. I was like, “Wow!”

Tha Brown Fox: How would you describe your production style?
Ron Browz: Aggressive and [full of] energy. People tell me my beats make them shift their mood. My beats can play with your mood.

Tha Brown Fox: How do you feel when people know your music, but not your name?
Ron Browz: I’m working on branding my name. On the records, the artists never say my name, so people don’t know it’s me. But at the end of the day some people say its better that way. [It’s like] Would you rather have fame or fortune?

Tha Brown Fox: And which would you rather have?
Ron Browz: I just go with the flow.

Tha Brown Fox: Street Skillz was a popular sports program that received an Emmy nomination for best sports show. How was it creating music for a television show? Was it any different than working with artists?
Ron Browz: It was kind of fun. It’s different than working with an artist. You have to stick to one thing. The show was about basketball, so all the artists came in and rapped about basketball.

Tha Brown Fox: Your track “Whip Your Head Boy” is the opening track on 50 Cent’s new movie “Get Rich or Die Tryin” and is included as a bonus track on the movie’s soundtrack. How was it working with 50 and Young Buck?
Ron Browz: They were on the road, so I didn’t get a chance to meet them. But 50’s been on a couple of my tracks. He did a Reebok commercial to the beat that I did for Lloyd Banks.

Tha Brown Fox: Being a NY producer, what are your thoughts on how Rap Music from the Northeast seems to have taken a step back while artists from the South are dominating the rap game?
Ron Browz: What’s going on is all the NY artists are beefing and fighting with one another and the down south artists are partying and having fun. When all the New York artists were getting along, there was unity and we were the dominant. We were able to come in and break records. It’s going to patch-up and New York will be back.

Tha Brown Fox: What would you say separates you from other producers?
Ron Browz: Hmmmmmmmm. I don’t know. It’s something that separates me. I have a different style of music. I can’t put my finger on it, but my tracks talk for me. I’m more music than mouth. I let the fans decided.

Tha Brown Fox: Out of Big L, Nas, Fat Joe, Lil Kim, 50 cent, Ludacris, Snoop just so many great talented artists, too many to name, who would you credit as being your favorite artist to have worked with?
Ron Browz: You’re going to hate my answer, but all of them are my favorite. Growing up in Harlem, I would never think that I would be making tracks for them. I never imagined working with any of them. It’s truly a blessing to work with them.

Tha Brown Fox: What are some of your upcoming projects?
Ron Browz: Jae Mills, Killa Mike, probably more tracks with G-Unit Records, I’m working with some R&B artists as well as the breath-taking Mya.

Tha Brown Fox: Are there any other artists that you would like to work with in the future?
Ron Browz: Nelly

Tha Brown Fox: Why Nelly?
Ron Browz: Because I have a lot of party tracks and I think Nelly is an artist that can bring out another side of the tracks that I do. Most artists choose my more dark or serious tracks, but I got some good party tracks as well.

Tha Brown Fox: Aside from working with countless artists, you’ve also created a company MONEY AVE. What can people expect from your label?
Ron Browz: Beautiful Music. You’re going to hear the stuff you don’t normally hear. I got T-Rex who is very talented and all over the Smack DVD’s, Paper Ova, Severe, and an R&B artist Angeliq. Music you can have fun with.

Tha Brown Fox: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Ron Browz: Go see the movie [Get Rich or Die Tryin]

Questions, comments? Email me at
brownfox@indiestreetent.com
www.IndieStreetEnt.com
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