Knobody

Forget what you might think about the name, because Jerome “Knobody” Foster is definitely a somebody.And, who might this somebody actually be?The answer is simple. Knobody is by far, one of the hottest music producers in music today, with the hit single, Feels So Good, by Remy Ma alongside R&B crooner NE-YO, currently bubbling on urban radio everywhere. And while Feels So Good is officially the hot collaboration of the summer, it only reveals a single ingredient in Knobody’s amazing discography. Blazing a path that newcomers to the production game have already begun to follow, Knobody has devised a unique approach to breathing new life into older music.First breaking into the game as an artist, Knobody saw his initial success as a notice to be a creative force behind the boards. While shaping the sound that would soon become his signature, a chance encounter to produce for a future Hip Hop legend would present itself when Jay-Z commissioned Knobody to lay down a track for his debut album, Reasonable Doubt in 1996. For Knobody, it was only the start of a promising career, as the resulting track for Jay-Z, “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” with Mary J. Blige became a huge hit on radio and in the clubs, and the accompanying video saw tremendous rotation on MTV, BET and video outlets overseas. Knobody had his first street anthem.And while we all know the remainder of the Jay-Z story, Knobody had forged a significant imprint of his own, as his production discography began to read like a copy of Billboard magazine.Soon the industry began calling and Knobody seized the opportunity to work with budding talents and music heavyweights. His crack at radio supremacy came yet again, in the form of Big Punisher’s 1998 smash debut single, “Still Not a Player,” with Joe adding a vocal touch. The song and video dominated the airwaves and ears alike and single-handedly propelled Big Punishers album, Capital Punishment, to a platinum-selling success, the first of its kind for a Latin rapper.Still, the unassuming producer chose to remain a mostly hidden figure while his creations rose on the charts and brought millions of sales. But despite his anonymity with the public, the masses have all been treated to his talents for over a decade. That staying power has led to Knobody personally craft tracks for artists like Mya, Lil’ Kim, Jungle Brothers, Bounty Killer, Kool G. Rap, and Bilal.In recent memory, Knobody helped introduce the world to Akon, as he co-produced the singer’s street hit, “Locked Up,” in 2003, with rapper Styles P of The LOX appearing on the remix version.His personal favorite experience has been the surprise admiration of Michael Stipe of R.E.M. Knobody met Stipe in a roundabout way, but the pair hit it off immediately. They share a mutual appreciation for each other’s music and talent and so it seemed appropriate that they would collaborate on the R.E.M. song, “I’ve Been High.”Without dwelling on his success over the years, Knobody is still working harder than ever, with creations coming from Kelis and the newly reunited Fugees.He credits his longevity with being inspired by music legends like Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder, with Public Enemy and even some venerable rock groups such as Led Zeppelin that make up long list of personal favorites.What sets this man apart from other producers is the diversity in the style of his production to the range of music he produces for. Knobody is not afraid to take old music and infuse new life into it.He sets his goals on continuing to be a major player in building integral music without duplicating what has already been done. In his own words, he notes that, “Music evolves and changes over time. It is meant to be created freely. Those who produce it can present the best to the audience if there are few if any constraints. It is like a breath of fresh air.”