I go to work...

It's an incredible concept:

1. Form a working relationship with a producer who was at the helm of the soundtrack to Golden Era hip-hop.

2. Dig through his data discs for untapped gems from the 90's.

3. Turn those joints into current diamonds in the rough.

4. Put in a call to your old friends Dan & J.J. to buff out the final product!

Haha... that's what my good friend, the man, the myth, Celph Titled has done by joining forces with legendary beatsmith Buckwild from DITC, and the result is an unprecedented mix of old school aesthetics and new school audio technology, courtesy of 5G Productions. Click on the album cover below to be taken directly to iTunes and purchase your copy... Nineteen Ninety NOW!!!!

Click the pic to purchase
Celph & Buck's album from iTunes!

This is a historic meeting of the minds that is sure to spawn a whole new genre of music making, featuring guests including one of my personal all-time favorites Treach of Naughty By Nature, and Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks who played a big part in getting me into this game on a professional level in the first place. You can also purchase a t-shirt/CD combo pack directly from Celph by clicking HERE.

Download Never Yet Contested's new track
RETRO, produced by me, FOR FREE
by clicking on the artwork!

As those of you who I'm cool with on Twitter already know, a few months ago I became the proud recipient of an Xbox 360 gift, and things just haven't been the same since! Ha. I'm just now getting back into the gaming world after a small absence, but I go all the way back to the Atari 2600. Perfect timing, because I recently produced a track for my fellow Penn State alum Never Yet Contested called Retro. It's all about classic games throughout the past few decades, and he just unleashed this great music video for it. Gamers... click HERE and enjoy a trip down memory lane. Beat is kinda nice too ha. You can download the track FOR FREE by clicking the single's cover art above, of course mixed to perfection by my partner Dan "The Deacon" Maier. More on him in a sec.

Click the pic to purchase ILLUS' FEEL GOOD MUSIC EP,
produced entirely by me, from iTunes!

Also on the music video tip, my man ILLUS continues to churn out clips in celebration of his Feel Good Music EP, which I produced in full. Check out the vid for Old Friends featuring YouTube superstar Paul Dateh by clicking HERE, and click HERE to instantly experience a Beautiful Day in Hawaii! Also be sure and visit his BLOG for all the latest.

www.myspace.com/theknownmusic

Now back to my man Danny... he's sound designed some of the most profound television news promos you've seen in the past decade, mixed & mastered some of your favorite songs, and he's even co-produced a few! But what you might not know is that his Christian Rock outfit THE KNOWN, for which he's the drummer and the Pro Tools wizard behind the sound of the project, has just unveiled their debut album, The Next Chapter! Over three years in the making, this incredible work carries messages of hope and restoration, and it's just what you've been missing in your 5G collection. Click HERE to purchase The Next Chapter featuring Brian Parker on vocals, and Frank Sanyshyn -who also played on my album Connect The Dots.- on guitar and bass.

And don't forgot I'm also an official ambassador to

FELA! The Broadway Musical...

CLICK THE PIC to get tickets
using my exclusive discount code!

Original no artificiality,
J.J.

5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube

"Music is the weapon of the future!"

Prophetic words from the late great Fela Kuti, the pioneer of Afrobeat! Music is in fact the weapon that has proven a stronger source of inspiration for social change and political awareness than maybe any other creative medium throughout history. What do voices like Bob Dylan, James Brown, Bob Marley, Ice Cube and Public Enemy have in common? A passion for making music with a message, and all of them have Fela Kuti to thank for helping pave the way...

?uestlove on Fela Kuti from Fela Kuti on Vimeo.
Watch as ?uestlove from The Roots finds the
influence of Fela Kuti in today's musical landscape!

Whether it's the driving drums, the rolling bass lines, or the powerful lyrics in Fela's works, he found a way to draw the listener into his world and make them ultra-aware of his surroundings. His stage shows at his famed Afrika Shrine nightclub in Nigeria were the icing on the cake, and if you weren't fortunate enough to be a part of that scene, you're in luck... the Eugene O'Neil Broadway theater in New York City has been re-imagined as The Shrine, and houses the Tony Award winning musical FELA! for the experience of a lifetime six days a week!

Some of you may know that I grew up in The Big Apple's performing arts community. I've always celebrated each aspect of creative expression, and it's no different with my love for theater. I performed in many dramas and musicals, as well as commercials and films, and when I was just thirteen my father realized my attraction to the budding world of hip-hop and bought me my first drum machine and DJ set-up. A music producer was born. Over the years my music production career began to take precedence over my acting endeavors, but I never lost touch with that side of what makes me who I am. My work with recording artists ranging from louis logic and Mr. Cheeks to remix projects with Ludacris and Gym Class Heroes have all been shining examples of my ability to combine dramatic melody with theatrical stories of hardship and triumph, sound familiar?

This is my story...

It is my great honor to announce that I have been chosen as an official Ambassador to FELA! on Broadway, and not only has it afforded me the opportunity to form a relationship with the cast and all the amazing people who make this show possible, but I can also pass ticket price savings on to you, my friends and supporters, so that you too can witness the life story of Fela Kuti and his dancers and band, live on stage, for a life changing, one of a kind exhibition!

Here I am with the genius that is Sahr Ngaujah,
one of two incredible performers
who portray Fela Kuti on Broadway!

To see this groundbreaking musical for a fraction of the price available to the general public, all you have to do is click HERE. As you'll read, the legendary Ms. Patti Labelle will be joining the cast in the roll of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Fela's mother) on Sept. 14th, so see the show now and again in a few weeks, because either which way you will walk out of that theater with a new found respect for Fela's music, the art of dance, the thunder of pulsating Afrobeat music, and a better understanding of the power of live performance than you will find anywhere else on "the great white way." Trust your man when I say that FELA! on Broadway is the definition of a memorable night out in New York City.

Bonus content:

Here's vintage J.J. Brown circa 1987 in a Fisher Price "Sun Jammers" commerical... I was stuntin' in fly shades and watches even back then haha. I got the first verse:

See you at the show,
J.J.

5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube

Back for round 2...

That's right... you remember the inclusion of my joint It. featuring Poison Pen on the official Brooklyn's Finest DJBooth.net mixtape back in February? Well that was to celebrate the release of the feature film in theaters, and now it's time to roll out the red carpet for the release of the DVD!

This times around on Volume 2, you'll find the It. REMIX featuring Prince Po, Armageddon and Kyle Lucas of Vonnegutt. Click the pic below to be taken directly to DJbooth.net's page for the FREE DOWNLOAD!

Click the pic to download the
Brooklyn's Finest Vol. 2 mixtape for FREE.

I'm in good company on both volumes, so download your copies and let me know what ya think in my comments section below.

Big shouts to my homie Cory at Corner Burger on 5th Ave. here in BK, and I don't know how I missed this grand opening back in February, but if you're not in the mood for a burger and poutine in the Slope, do yourself a favor and head over to the classiest Arby's in America in the Heights! More on my unhealthy (yet marketable) relationship with good eats coming your way in the near future.

Far back,
J.J.

5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube

Nineteen Ninety Now

Here's a pic of where I sit each and everyday, alongside my man Dan "The Deacon" Maier, in the captain's chair at 5G Studios in Brooklyn, NY:

Complete with gin & juice to the left there haha...

This room has been home base for almost 10 years now, so you can imagine the level of respect I have for the aura in here. Some of the finest talents hip-hop has to offer has graced us with their presence and talents here... Flavor Flav, Craig G, louis logic, J-Zone, Benny Blanco, the1shanti, RA the Rugged Man, Reef the Lost Cauze, Homeboy Sandman, Block McCloud, Travie McCoy, Kyle Lucas... the list goes on. It's not always easy to deal with the business side of this industry, but the creative side never gets old.

I'm proud to say that my partner and I can sit calmly at this console and confidently (and enthusiastically) handle whatever is asked of us. It's a challange that I don't think many are really up for. A lot of people talk the talk... do you have what it takes to sit here?

Danny begs to differ haha.

Recently a longtime music friend of the camp, Celph Titled, completed an album with the legendary producer Buckwild (Big L, Biggie, Faith Evans, OC... you know, that Buckwild) and flew in from Tampa for a week to mix with Dan and I. It's called Nineteen Ninety Now and this record is nothing short of incredible.

Ladies & gentlemen, Celph Titled is in the mix!

It was an honor to be part of the process. Complete with unreleased Buckwild beats from the 90's and a slew of guest appearances from Treach (of Naughty By Nature), Diamond D, Vinny Paz and more, this thing is gonna ruin a lot of careers haha.

Mista Sinista of X-Ecutioners fame
stops by to lay cuts for Celph.

I've also seen a lot more of my man Illus (from the Public Enemy camp) these past few weeks, who is adding to his EP to create an entire album fully produced by me. This week he brought over his friend (and YouTube sensation) Paul Dateh to work on a few tracks with us. He's a hip-hop violinist who sings, but it's no gimmick. He's freakishly talented, and working with him was a real pleasure. For an example of his work click on the pic I took below:

Click the pic to see this wizard in action!

Lastly, this week I also got the final edit of Jonny October's video for his song I produced called SRI. I've been working closely with Jonny for a few years now... he was a big part of my album Connect The Dots. behind the scenes, he just got off his first tour with my man Louis and Emcee Type, and he's about to earn the respect he deserves from the masses. Click on the pic below to see this cinematic work, artfully directed by my friends Ethan Blum and Jed I. Rosenberg. Stay till the end for a cameo from ya boy:

Click on this pic I took from the shoot
to watch the SRI music video NOW!

I go to work,

J.J.

5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube

3 Parts ILL...

I'm proud to announce the formation and first performance of my new group 3 Parts ILL!

You may be familiar with the stuff that Danny and I have worked on with singer/songwriter Erin Barra (if you're not, get started by clicking HERE and check out the audio player on the right) which lead to an opening spot for her at my Connect The Dots. album release party at SOB's this past November. The performance felt so good to me, and the on-stage partnership so natural, that I asked Erin if she wanted to put together something more permanent.

Erin Barra housing the mic,
with me on the decks, at my album release party.

At her suggestion we added a third part to round out the musical backdrop, the freakishly talented Justin Goldner, and 3 Parts ILL was born!

3 Parts ILL consists of:

Erin Barra (lead vocals, keys, melodica)
J.J. Brown (DJ, backing vocals)
Justin Goldner (guitar, electric bass, backing vocals)

Click the pic to watch 3 Parts ILL in rehearsal
at 5G Studios, Brooklyn, USA

We've secured a monthly residency with Savalas nightclub in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and as the flyer (above) says, our first show is this Sunday, April 18th! The performance takes place at 10pm, but I will be holding down the decks all night, before and after our set, so come and join us for a full night of great music. I can guarantee it.

We will also have a jam packed merch table, which will feature free gifts and exclusive gear from our official sponsor, Brooklyn-based Wrecords By Monkey. I'm really excited about working with these guys... they specialize in jewelry made from recycled vinyl records! The perfect fit for a group with breakbeats as the backbone of our sound.

Click the pic to be taken directly to
the official website of Wrecords By Monkey!

Thanks to everybody who hit me up with all the love for It Remix. There's a lot more music and innovative collabos on the way,

J.J.

5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube

When you rock & roll...

Peace internet fam, it's ya man J.J. Brown back for another one!

Remember how I told you to peep the new Cookbook & Uno Mas album C&U Music Factory because I got a few tracks on there? Well they made one of them their first single. It's called When You Rock & Roll and it features Evidence from Dilated Peoples. Check out the music video for the song below, I'm real proud of the way it turned out:

"WHEN YOU ROCK & ROLL" CookBook & UNO Mas feat. Evidence from AudioSketchBook on Vimeo.

In case you haven't seen it, I also have this little gem to share... the music video for a joint I produced for my man ILLUS from the Public Enemy camp. Look for cameos from the legendary Chuck D as well as the kid himself, along with an up-and-comer I've been working closely with (who is soon to be a household name) Jonny October. Ladies & gents I present to you... Feel Good Music:

This week me and my team also unleashed a remix to my song It. from my solo debut Connect The Dots. In keeping with the theme of the album, when I set my sights on remixing the song I wanted to create a sonic atmosphere suitable for guest artists ranging from fan favorites to newcomers. I called on Prince Po from Organized Konfusion, my newest rap alliance Armageddon (who I'm working with as he breaks out from the Terror Squad pack) and my homie Kyle Lucas from Big Boi's Purple Ribbon stable.

Here's a shot I took
of Kyle laying down his verse at 5G.

The outcome is exactly as I had envisioned. And with a perfected final mix from my longtime 5G engineer Dan "The Deacon" Maier, I really couldn't have asked for a more fulfilling remix experience. Click below to be taken directly to 2dopeboyz.com's post on the matter:

Click the single artwork to be taken
directly to 2dopeboyz.com
to preview and download the song for FREE.

Last but certainly not least, I recently had the pleasure of doing an in-depth interview for the9elements.com with my man I.G.O.D. It's extensive so it was broken into three parts, but all you have to do is click on the banner below to see them all:

Click on the banner to see my in-depth interview
conducted by I.G.O.D. for the9elements.com

More from Geddy and J.J. on the way...
J.J.
5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube

Brooklyn's Finest

Hey guys,

Hope you had a great Valentine's Day with that special someone. A couple of real interesting projects I've had the pleasure of being a part of are now available, and I wanted to tell you about them...

First off, I'm a huge movie buff, so I was very excited to hear about the new Brooklyn's Finest film coming out March 5th starring Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and more. And -as you can imagine- I was even more excited to hear that my song It. featuring Poison Pen off my album Connect The Dots. was selected to be a part of the official Brooklyn's Finest mixtape brought to you by the fine folks at Overture Films and djbooth.net! I keep some great company on there, so be sure and check it out...

Click the movie poster to be taken directly
to the DJ Booth website
for a FREE DOWNLOAD of the mixtape!

Next up, my homies from the left coast, L.A. Symphony's Cookbook & Uno Mas are back with a new one called C&U Music Factory. I got two joints on there, and they're both very special to me for different reasons. One is called When You Rock & Roll which features Evidence from Dilated Peoples. It's so ill to me to hear him on one of my beats because I learned a lot from listening to DP product over the years, and consider Ev to be one of the best doin' it right now. It's really an honor to have a song with him on my resume.

Here's Ev with another one of my pals,
the radiant and talented Eternia.

The other song featured on the album is called L.A. Times (J.J. Brown REMIX) which features the great DJ Rhettmatic from the mighty Beat Junkies DJ crew. I love this joint because I grew up totally immersed in the big, driven Gangsta Rap production sound. In fact, there was a time was I think I was more influenced by West Coast groups than those right here in my own back yard, so it was nice to get to use some of those hidden talents on a track haha. I got a lot out of my system on this one. So click on the album cover below and support that good shiyit y'all:

Click the album cover to be taken directly
to the C&U Music Factory page on iTunes!

Last but certainly not least, I've always had a passion for the visual arts as well, especially photography. I got a ill Cannon for my one year wedding anniversary from my lovely wife Kai, so I put it to good use by tagging along with her as the photographer on one of her styling gigs. This time it was for my good friend the1shanti's new group Bonita Applebum with the beautiful Shefali Kumar. They created a behind-the-scenes video blog of the photo shoot, and if ya wanna see yer boy throwing down in a way you never saw before, click the pic below!

Click the pic (which I took!) for a look behind-the-scenes
at the Bonita Applebum photo shoot.

All in a day's work haha...

J.J.

5G | Twitter | MySpace | Facebook | YouTube | imeem