HHW gives you another exclusive Behind The Beats featuring LA’s own, Stereotypes.
“Rocketeer” Far East Movement
“Somebody to Love” Justin Beiber feat. Usher
How did the Stereotypes come together?
John: We ended up having our artist Three and we took him to Def Jam in New York and got him a record deal through Ray who was an A&R at Def Jam and he ended signing Three to a deal but things didn’t really work out to well; Three got shelved, Ray got fired in ’07 and then he hit me up and was like, “Yo man, I’m thinking about moving to L.A., let’s rock!” I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it!” So ’07 Ray ended up moving to L.A., Jeremy ended up moving to L.A. and that’s how Stereotypes came together.
When and how did the Stereotypes get their first placement and how did that come about?
John: Our first placement was in ’03 on The Barbershop 2 soundtrack and it was a rapper named Spitfire featuring Anthony Hamilton. But our first single was with Marcus Houston in ’04 –’05, a song called “Wonderful,” it was written by Ne-Yo. Then we had a couple of small placements here and there but then our biggest look was “Damaged” by Danity Kane and that was what kind’a put us on the map and that’s what got us enough money to get us outta of our spare bed room studio and move us into out own facility.
How did the Danity Kane opportunity come about?
John: We ran into our current manager Leonard “ LB” Brooks at a random meeting at showcase that we went to. He was like, “Yo, y’all make beats?” We said, “Yep!” He came over to the crib and listened to a bunch of tracks and he hit us up like a week later and was like, “Y’all wanna get your pockets fat?” And our reply was, “Yes.” He was like, “Okay, cool. Stay tuned.” Then like a couple of days later he was like, “Yo, Puff wants to fly you guys down to Miami to record “Damaged” with Danity Kane and put you guys on “Making the Band.” So that was really where it sparked off at.
Are there particular areas in which each of you specializes?
Jeremy: Yeah, we have our different talents, Ray’s a drummer and a percussionist, John plays the keys and then I play the drums, and the piano and the guitar and the base and percussion as well but then we all just kind’a sit around the keyboard like a little camp fire and we all just collaborate.
What’s next for the Stereotypes?
Ray: We’re focusing on a group we created called JON MCXRO (pronounced Mac & Ro) it started off as a passion project for us and on our down town we created songs and it ended up turning into an album. It’s us as the Stereotypes and including our artist Three. It’s that hip hop that we grew up listening to. Our first single off the free download album is called “Lego” the video will be debuting on MTV. The album is called The Fifth of Never it comes out on November 8th.
Twitter @Stereotypes and @JONMCXRO
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