Duran Duran Gets Down With Hip-Hop; Producer Danjahandz Talks Collaboration
By Danielle Harling
Date: 6/7/2007 9:00 am
Nearly six years after their last release, rockers Duran Duran are currently working on their upcoming album with the help of Hip-Hop producer Timbaland and his protege Danjahandz.
Danjahandz, a young Virginia native, first caught Timbalands attention in 2001 and two years later, the young producer was brought to Timbalands studio in Miami to put his production talents to work.
"The actual process of making the album [with Duran Duran] was cool," Danjahandz told AllHipHop.com. "We just went in there as musicians, I think that's what was beneficial for me, playing those instruments, came into play. Because I had to become a musician, not a producer a beat maker, I had to become a musician and write songs. It was just an easy thing for me, the dudes were real open for me and where I was taking them. It was just a cool experience.
In a short span Danjahandz has worked with a number of artists and is currently working on material for Eve, DJ Khaled, 50 Cent, Chris Brown, and of course, Duran Duran.
The Grammy Award winning English pop/rock band has been cranking out hits since the 80's and have sold more than 80 million records worldwide, based on hit singles like "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Girls on Film," "The Reflex,' the James Bond theme from A View to a Kill.
For them to be in the game for 25 years, and be out for however long they was out, and then just gon drop back in and change some things, its gonna be big, Danjahandz said.
Together Danjahandz and Timbaland have produced three tracks for Duran Duran including "Skin Divers," "Zooming In," and Night Runner featuring Justin Timberlake.
According to group member Simon LeBon, the association with Hip-Hop has helped them become exposed to a new audience.
"We've gotten interest from will.I.am, and from Gnarls Barkley as well," LeBon said in published reports. "There's a possibility -- no, a probability -- we'll do that."
Duran Duran will perform during the UK's Live Earth concert on July 7, with the likes of Madonna, The Beastie Boys, Genesis, James Blunt, John Legend, Bloc Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, Foo Fighters, Keane and others.
Courtesy All Hip Hop.com
