https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/a-former-and-current-south-jersey-resident-created-the-music-for-brandys-newest-album/article_aada9669-ea1e-599e-8607-44e5e2d812ba.html
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A former and current South Jersey resident created the music for Brandy's newest album
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Singer Brandy, one of the best-selling female recording artists of all time, recently made her return to music with her first full-length studio album in eight years with the help of a former and current South Jersey resident.
When Darhyl Camper, a former Mays Landing resident, first met Brandy when he was 11-years-old, there was no way to know that he would be eventually co-producing or co-writing 14 out of the 15 tracks on one of her releases.
Brandy was involved professionally and romantically with music producer and songwriter Robert "Big Bert" Smith, a former Egg Harbor Township resident, who is the cousin of Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Rodney Jerkins, who used to operate Darkchild Recording Studios in Pleasantville.
Camper, a keyboard player and drum programmer, met Brandy as a fan at "The Dome" Morning Star Church in Egg Harbor Township.
"I said, 'Man, this is Brandy right here.' I walked up to Brandy, and I said, 'Hi, Brandy,'" said Camper, who added he thinks he got her autograph that day. "She said, 'Hi.'"
Eighteen years later, Camper is a Grammy Award-winning producer in his own right. He is now Brandy's musical colleague and the main collaborator on her latest album entitled, "B7."
Camper, 29, brought along his friend Alonzo "Lonnie" Smalls II, 36, of Galloway Township, who has production credit on the first two songs on the new album, "Saving All My Love" and "Unconditional Oceans."
"It felt like heaven. She is, to me, my favorite singer in my lifetime that I witnessed. Her (Brandy's) favorite is Whitney Houston. I loved Whitney Houston, too, but I wasn't with Whitney Houston for three years straight, seeing her, feeling her out and connecting with her," said Camper, of his time working on Brandy's new album with her.
Born Brandy Rayana Norwood, but known as Brandy, she has sold more than 40 million records worldwide. She is a Grammy Award winner, who also has 11 other nominations. Brandy, 41, has earned seven Billboard Music Awards and was the star of the sitcom "Moesha" on the now defunct UPN network from 1996 to 2001. The show is currently streaming on Netflix.
Besides the new album, Brandy will be in the news again soon as she engages in a Verzuz DJ battle through Apple Music with fellow singer Monica at 8 p.m. Aug. 31 live from Tyler Perry Studios.
A Verzuz battle matches two similar artists who square off and showcase their hits in a friendly competition while fans cheer on via social media.
Brandy and Monica sang a duet called "The Boy Is Mine" in 1998, which spent 13 weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Rodney Jerkins was the main producer of the song. Jerkins was among its writers along with his older brother, Fred Jerkins III, formerly of Galloway Township, the late LaShawn Daniels, a Newark, Essex County native.
Brandy's management and Camper's management worked it out back in 2016, so that they would be together for the first time in a recording studio in Los Angeles to create a song titled "Beautiful Minds," which did not make the album, Camper said.
"There were times when we would start to work, but then, something would come up, and the work would be put on hold," Camper said.
Most of Camper and Brandy's work on "B7" took place during the last three years in recording studios in Atlanta, New York and California, where Camper now lives. They recorded more than 50 songs together and would work for 12 or 13 hours in one shot.
"She called me and said, 'I need you. Can you come?'" said Camper, who is the dominant producer on "B7." "She knows how she wanted to feel for this album, and she allowed herself to have that time... I was patient with her and helped her to find that peace."
"B7" is Brandy's seventh studio album, but it is the first independent release on her own record label Brand Nu, Inc.
"Great things come to those who take their time," said Camper, who has also worked with Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Keyshia Cole. "Everything is about perfection for us, the details. We might spend all day on one song."
"B7" hit No. 1 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 12 on the Billboard 200.
Similar to Camper, Smalls started in the gospel music field. Camper is a 2008 graduate of Oakcrest High School in Mays Landing. Smalls is a 2003 graduate of the Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts in Somers Point.
Smalls led an ensemble that evolved from a community choir called H.I.S. Instruments of Praise to a gospel group named Higher Ground. Camper played with Higher Ground for at least three years in the late 2000s at Second Baptist Church in Atlantic City.
The Brandy songs Smalls appears on are his first pop production credits.
During one of the days making "B7" with Brandy in an Atlanta recording studio, Camper left to pick up food and left Smalls to work on his own music, which was not intended for Brandy. Brandy wasn't there initially, but showed up early.
When Camper returned, he was knocked out by Smalls' track, which he had never heard previously.
"I'm hearing these chords and these patterns and these guitars. I'm like, 'Yo, what is this?' This is crazy, and it was Lonnie's (Smalls) beat. It was never finished. It was an idea that he started," said Camper who told Smalls that this music was needed for Brandy. "We are doing that immediately."
The entire session was changed, and the opening song, titled "Saving All My Love," on Brandy's new album was born.
Why's he strangling her :bvy:
Good article!
I need the leftover songs released
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(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fa/c1/60/fac160e2a7b9563baa3dfddfefed253e.png)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9f/dc/6e/9fdc6ea329acbde39c8f9aec8e5db584.png)
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via pinterest, no info
Are these old?
I've never seen them before
50 songs :loose2when:
Quote from: Annie on August 23, 2020, 02:24:46 PM
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9f/dc/6e/9fdc6ea329acbde39c8f9aec8e5db584.png)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/aa/ea/1e/aaea1e2fdd3ac93dfd89c1b85034617c.png)
via pinterest, no info
Are these old?
I've never seen them before
No these are new and shot by Sikora - her videographer. Why did you post these in this thread tho? :ermm:
because this is a thread about another publication/promo so I thought it would fit better than the big b7 is lashing thread
Thanks for sharing this. I love their chemistry
Them first meeting when he was 11 is so weird to me lol
It's so cool and random that Camper's family pretty much grew up with Bert's family. One of Sy'rai's cousin who produces worked on b7.
This is cool. I need someone in the booth telling them to up the quality next time tho. That mix/master needs to be on point and improved from b7. With that many years of working on these songs I'm struggling to understand why the sound quality is subpar :dead:
ch... they recorded more than 50 tracks OMG... there is no fuckin' reason for them not to release a full blown only digital deluxe version with at least 6 tracks loool
i would be pissed if those 50 joints get lost in her vault...
like girl...
Quote from: Bish on August 23, 2020, 07:11:34 PM
Them first meeting when he was 11 is so weird to me lol
It's so cool and random that Camper's family pretty much grew up with Bert's family. One of Sy'rai's cousin who produces worked on b7.
Well, like someone said some weeks ago...Brandy has a type. :justabit:
Quote from: 123 on August 23, 2020, 08:09:02 PM
Quote from: Bish on August 23, 2020, 07:11:34 PM
Them first meeting when he was 11 is so weird to me lol
It's so cool and random that Camper's family pretty much grew up with Bert's family. One of Sy'rai's cousin who produces worked on b7.
Well, like someone said some weeks ago...Brandy has a type. :justabit:
I disagree. None of her men look the same.
Quote from: Bigmacthawoppa on August 23, 2020, 07:31:54 PM
This is cool. I need someone in the booth telling them to up the quality next time tho. That mix/master needs to be on point and improved from b7. With that many years of working on these songs I'm struggling to understand why the sound quality is subpar :dead:
Y'all still going on about this?
Quote from: Desilu on August 23, 2020, 08:12:56 PM
Quote from: Bigmacthawoppa on August 23, 2020, 07:31:54 PM
This is cool. I need someone in the booth telling them to up the quality next time tho. That mix/master needs to be on point and improved from b7. With that many years of working on these songs I'm struggling to understand why the sound quality is subpar :dead:
Y'all still going on about this?
Only that dummy. He's such an anal asshole. But he a honky so it is what it is.
:everythingok: