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TO LIST Danja’s production credits<br />
and accolades would require an<br />
entire page in itself. STARTING OFF<br />
As a TIMBALAND protégé, Danja,<br />
a.k.a. Danjahandz, went on to BE-<br />
COME a Grammy-winning producer<br />
himself, creating number ONE hits<br />
for names like Britney Spears,<br />
Pink, Justin Timberlake, Nelly<br />
Furtado, Duran Duran, Madonna,<br />
T.I., AND Trey Songz. Danja is NOMI-<br />
NATED for two Grammy awards<br />
in 2010, including Keri Hilson’s<br />
“Knock You Down” written by<br />
Danja’s artist Kevin Cossom. With<br />
a proven chemistry, Danja has<br />
clearly found his next New Age<br />
Rock Star in Kevin Cossom.<br />
What does it feel like to have worked with<br />
some of the greatest pop and R&B acts of our<br />
generation<br />
Man, I don’t know. I never think about it. I feel<br />
like there’s still a lot more I can do. Working<br />
with those people is always great, and I<br />
worked with them pretty early in my career. I<br />
think I’m just so much more focused on breaking<br />
acts and bringing new, quality acts into the<br />
business. I never really think about who I’ve<br />
worked with up to this point.<br />
Speaking of breaking acts, you actually have<br />
your own label. What is your focus with that<br />
The label is called N.A.R.S. Records, which is<br />
an abbreviation for New Age Rock Stars. It<br />
basically speaks for itself, just to bring in a<br />
new evolution of artists, a new age of acts<br />
from Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, whatever. And<br />
the first act that’s signed to the record label is<br />
Kevin Cossom, through Jive.<br />
Was the record label already formed when<br />
you met him, or did you create the label<br />
specifically with Kevin Cossom in mind<br />
It kinda happened at the same time. It never<br />
really was a major goal or dream of mine to<br />
have a record label. As I started coming across<br />
acts I felt were special, KC was one of the<br />
first, and the business became legitimate, it<br />
became something I had to do. As my goals<br />
started changing in the business, it seemed<br />
right for me to start my own label if I was trying<br />
to break new acts. It kinda just happened<br />
because of Kevin Cossom.<br />
Do you feel it’s important for a new artist to<br />
work with a specific producer and come up<br />
with a signature sound Or should they work<br />
with a lot of different producers until they<br />
get the right record<br />
I definitely feel like working with everybody is<br />
the wrong thing to do. Whether it’s me, or The<br />
Runners, or Swizz Beatz, or whoever it may be,<br />
an artist should definitely hone in and figure<br />
out a style and sound. An album will feel more<br />
cohesive, rather than it being all over the<br />
place. Working with a lot of different producers<br />
just creates confusion to me.<br />
Out of everyone you’ve worked with, who<br />
are the people you’ve vibed with the most,<br />
like there was a natural chemistry<br />
Definitely KC (Kevin Cossom). Aside from him,<br />
I’m able to really open up and be creative with<br />
Britney Spears. I feel like that with Tip too,<br />
he’s real accepting and we click well. Justin<br />
Timberlake is another one.<br />
With sales shifting in the music industry<br />
from record sales to now ringtones, has it<br />
personally impacted you How have you<br />
adapted to that<br />
It’s a major issue. Kids really have to buy into<br />
an artist to buy their album. I’m grateful I’m<br />
in a position where people come to me for<br />
their single, so I’m not missing an opportunity<br />
to make money. If it’s a hit, I receive money<br />
for the publishing. Making money off record<br />
sales, that’s really not happening. But I like to<br />
work on whole projects. I like to get in and<br />
do five to six records on an album. You know,<br />
everyone goes to whoever has a hit at the<br />
moment, so artists are going to get records<br />
from everybody and aren’t really interested in<br />
an album. Luckily I’m one of those producers<br />
people come to for a single.<br />
For those interested in the technical side of<br />
things, what equipment and tools do you<br />
use to make instrumentals<br />
I have maybe thirteen various keyboards. I use<br />
MPC and I use Logic. Inside my Logic I have<br />
loads of virtual instruments. I have a massive<br />
sound library. At the end of the day, you can’t<br />
tell that I use just one thing.<br />
What’s coming up for you in the near future<br />
I went in with the Weezer band not too long<br />
ago. We did a couple crazy tracks. I got some<br />
new things with Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Britney<br />
Spears, Kevin Cossom. It’s a lot of opportunities<br />
right now. I’m just trying to get in and<br />
knock it out. It feels like it’s not enough time<br />
in the day for all the stuff I have on one plate,<br />
but I’m making it happen. //<br />
OZONE MAG // 23
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