Key Songs In The Life Of… Tunji Balogun

MBW’s Key Songs In The Life Of… is a sequence through which we ask influential music trade figures in regards to the tracks which have – to this point – outlined their journey and their existence. This outing we discuss to Tunji Balogun, Chairman & CEO of Def Jam Recordings. The Key Songs… sequence is supported by Sony Music Publishing.

Many music execs spend chunk of their early years in search of a observe or, ideally, an artist, that won’t simply assist advance their profession however – on a extra primary degree – put meals on the desk.

When Tunji Balogun signed Ok Camp and had a success with the Atlanta rapper’s Comfy in 2015, it not solely put meals on the desk – it paid for the desk to place meals on.

Explains Balogun: “I truly helped write the refrain and organize the track [so] I ended up getting my solely actually important BMI test for it.

“This was when my spouse and I had been flat-broke, and we purchased a eating room desk with that test… each time we see Ok Camp, she’s like, ‘You obtain our eating room desk!’”

Comfy sits simply over midway in Balogun’s record of Key Songs, all of which converse both to his influences, his experiences, or his success.

It’s maybe the pivotal choose – marking the transition from the songs that made him to the songs he helped make.

Comfy was launched in 2015, simply as Balogun’s time at Interscope was coming to an finish and he was becoming a member of RCA, the place he would finally turn into EVP of A&R.

In 2022 he returned to Common, as Chairman & CEO of the legendary Def Jam label, the newest highpoint in a 21-year profession that has seen him signal and work with artists together with Bryson Tiller, Infantile Gambino, Goldlink, Khalid, and Wizkid.

A few of these are represented in his Key Songs playlist – one thing that he didn’t discover too taxing to tug collectively. “Actually, I did it 20 minutes in the past within the Uber and it most likely took me about 10 minutes in whole.”

That isn’t, nonetheless, as a result of he was dashing. He wouldn’t choose a unique 9 if he was requested 20 minutes later. This was one other form of simple.

“These are the songs that fashioned my worldview as a music fan, in order that they’re not onerous for me to recollect and discuss, they’re proper on the entrance of my thoughts…”

1. Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On (1971)

It’s an ideal track. It’s extraordinarily effectively written. the instrumentation is unbelievable.

It’s a track that my dad used to play loads once I was a child. In reality that complete album, and just about the complete Marvin Gaye catalog was getting spun in my dad’s automotive.

He’s one of many artists who was a serious constructing block of my fandom. This specific track just isn’t solely from what I take into account to be the best album ever made, however it additionally has such a strong message. It’s a 50-year-old track that’s nonetheless related and nonetheless speaks to what we’re going by means of and what life is like in the present day.

“Every little thing about it’s excellent – the lyric, the melody, the vocals, the instrumentation, the manufacturing, the blending, the idea.”

Every little thing about it’s excellent – the lyric, the melody, the vocals, the instrumentation, the manufacturing, the blending, the idea: it’s simply an unbelievable piece of artistry.

I really like songs that talk in regards to the human situation and what it’s actually prefer to stay on this world. These songs have gotten rarer and rarer, however that is positively one in all my favourite examples.

Marvin Gaye’s profession is an unbelievable instance of an artist who grew into somebody able to one thing as highly effective as this, having began out as somebody who sang pop songs, dance songs, love songs – all of that are wonderful, by the best way, excellent Motown songs.

However he advanced and he adopted his personal imaginative and prescient, the final word instance of which is the What’s Going On album, his magnum opus.

2) Michael Jackson, Human Nature (1983)

Michael Jackson’s Thriller is the primary album that I absolutely obsessed over.

Human Nature isn’t one of many greatest hits or most well-known songs on the file, however it’s extra introspective and sincere about life.

I bear in mind it being one of many first songs that I used to be interested by lyrically and requested questions on.

“It’s only a actually superbly written track.”

I knew what Thriller was about, I knew what Beat It was about. I may form of work out what Billie Jean was about. However with Human Nature, I used to be like, ‘What’s he speaking about?’ As a result of he speaks in these kind of metaphors, and speaking about ‘electrical eyes are in all places’, and he’s utilizing the town as a personality within the story. It’s only a actually superbly written track.

Michael was the primary artist I cherished and I do know all his songs. It was actually onerous to choose one, and I wouldn’t even say that that is essentially his greatest. However it’s a track that meant loads to me from an album that meant loads to me.

3) Outkast, Rosa Parks (1998)

Outkast are my favourite rap group. I feel they’ve made 5 traditional albums.

This [Rosa Parks] can also be one in all my favourite music movies of all time. It’s so colourful and expressive, and it was form of the second when André stepped right into a extra left-of-center model and method.

That album [Aquemini] simply blew me away. I used to be 15 years outdated when it got here out, and it was simply so artistic from begin to end.

“You may nonetheless see and listen to the affect of what they had been capable of do in a variety of artists in the present day.”

This specific observe is so filled with vitality and life. The verses are unbelievable. The hook is super-catchy, but additionally not very easy, which I like – it was one thing I needed to decipher to even perceive what they had been speaking about.

They’re each unbelievable MCs with utterly totally different approaches and methods. Huge Boi is the sport spitter, had unbelievable flows. André was just like the thinker, somebody who was actually taken with increasing what was doable for an MC on the time.

You may nonetheless see and listen to the affect of what they had been capable of do in a variety of artists in the present day.

They expanded the boundaries of the sound and scope of hip-hop. They’re legends to me.

4) Jay-Z, Grammy Household/Company Takeover Freestyle (2006)

This isn’t a observe, it’s a Jay-Z freestyle from 2006, across the time Kingdom Come got here out.

It’s both known as the Grammy Household Freestyle or the Company Takeover Freestyle. It was by no means formally launched, however a part of the verse appeared on a Coldplay track known as Misplaced in a while.

However the most effective model of it’s this horrible high quality, recorded-off-the-radio model. I feel he was at Funkmaster Flex’s Sizzling 97 present, and it’s simply among the finest shows of lyricism that I’ve ever heard.

Jay-Z is my favourite rapper. And this could be my favourite track of his, regardless that it’s not even a track.

“It captures a variety of what I’ve been by means of in my journey as a younger black government, and all of the issues that you simply expertise within the trade as you’re looking for success.”

I appreciated it a lot once I was a child as a result of he’s speaking about all of the issues he had been by means of within the music trade, one thing I couldn’t relate to in any respect when it got here out. However I had massive goals of entering into the music trade, having success, and climbing the ladders.

He explains his ethos as a businessman whereas rapping at a 100-out-of-100 degree. He’s simply so cocky and certain of himself. It’s simply an unbelievable show of all the things I really like about hip-hop.

It’s not on DSPs, you’ll be able to’t purchase it wherever, however to me it’s one of many biggest moments of hip-hop.

It’s a observe I at all times discover myself coming again to, particularly once I’m going by means of tumultuous music trade bullshit. It captures a variety of what I’ve been by means of in my journey as a younger black government, and all of the issues that you simply expertise within the trade as you’re looking for success.

Jay Z isn’t simply the most effective rapper, he’s somebody who has constantly pushed tradition ahead. I’m a lifelong fan and I respect not simply his music, however the classes I’ve discovered from him.

5) Kendrick Lamar, Cash Timber (2012)

It’s my favourite track on a traditional album [Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City] by an artist I used to be fortunate sufficient to work with throughout my time at Interscope.

It’s produced by good friend, DJ Dahi, whom I’ve identified since my teenage years and [with whom] I collaborated on songs after we had been children.

So it’s only a loopy kind of convergence of my life and my profession, and it’s additionally such an introspective and nice track in its personal proper. The hook is wonderful. Jay Rock’s verse is among the greatest visitor verses ever. And it’s from one other album that I feel is a traditional. It was by no means truly a single, however to this present day I feel it’s one in all Kendrick’s greatest songs.

“Every little thing in regards to the TDE story – and Kendrick’s story – is a testomony to how essential artist growth is.”

Essentially the most precious factor I discovered from working and being round TDE [Top Dawg Entertainment] was seeing how they actually deal with growth – they’ve carried out it repeatedly they usually’re doing it now.

I used to be fortunate sufficient to have a front-row seat and meet all of them actually early, once they had been engaged on Jay Rock round 2006-2007. So, I do know the work they put in.

Every little thing in regards to the TDE story – and Kendrick’s story – is a testomony to how essential artist growth is, and actually taking the time to hone in on a gifted particular person with a imaginative and prescient and allow them to inform their story.

Kendrick’s rise has been unbelievable to observe, and I’m simply fortunate that I performed any small half. I wouldn’t have the profession that I’ve been capable of have if I wasn’t related to that so early on.

6) Ok Camp, Comfy (2015)

Ok Camp is an unbelievable hip-hop artist and super-talented songwriter from Atlanta. He’s additionally the primary artist that I formally signed and obtained the credit score for. After which I used to be capable of run with him once I was at Interscope.

This track, Comfy, was a success on his debut album.

It’s particular to me as a result of not solely was it on the debut album of the primary artist that I signed, however it’s additionally a track that I contributed to. I helped write the refrain and organize the track.

“I used to be capable of contribute was as a result of the connection with the artist had gotten so sturdy that it was comfy, no pun supposed, to take action.”

We had been in a home in Brentwood that we rented and arrange a studio in. We had been ending his album, together with his producer, Huge Fruit. The rationale why I used to be capable of contribute was as a result of the connection with the artist had gotten so sturdy that it was comfy, no pun supposed, to take action.

It’s a line that I might by no means cross with an artist except we had been truly at a degree the place we’re truly associates, and it’s gone past work.

We most likely wrote this track in about an hour, and it’s ended up 2x Platinum. I ended up getting my solely important BMI test for it.

That’s when my spouse and I had been flat-broke, and we purchased a eating room desk with that test. We nonetheless have it, in reality; each time we see Ok Camp, she’s like, ‘You obtain our eating room desk!’

It’s only a nice, feel-good, comfortable, romantic track about being in love.

7) Bryson Tiller, Don’t (2015)

This track modified my life. It additionally utterly modified the sound and vitality of R&B at a time when many individuals thought it was lifeless.

It got here out first – however not as an official launch – on October 9, 2014. I do know that date as a result of there’s a track on [Tiller’s debut album] Trapsoul known as Ten 9 Fourteen about how his life modified when this got here out.

He posted it on his SoundCloud however instantly took it down as a result of he didn’t suppose it was adequate. Then he put it again up, and I feel I should have heard it round November 2014.

I used to be nonetheless working at Interscope, however I form of knew that my time there was coming to an finish.

“it’s not a file that I made, however it’s a file that made me.”

I reached out to Bryson and met him actually early on. I knew I wished to signal him, however I didn’t have a label to signal him to as a result of I used to be exiting Interscope and didn’t have a brand new job.

Fortunately, I used to be capable of get fairly near him, and finally signal him to RCA in April of 2015, which is loopy as a result of that’s precisely 10 years in the past now.

That is the track that broke the artist that modified my profession. To this present day, it’s nonetheless a track that does rather well. If you happen to have a look at the Apple Music R&B chart, it’s going to be within the high 10. It’s an evergreen, traditional R&B track, however with hip-hop in its sonic fingerprints.

If you happen to hearken to a variety of the sound and vitality of R&B in the present day, a variety of it’s descended from this track. Bryson doesn’t essentially get as a lot credit score as I feel he ought to for serving to to shift the vitality round R&B and make individuals consider in it once more.

I wasn’t there for the creation of it; I simply discovered it organically on SoundCloud. So it’s not a file that I made, however it’s a file that made me.

8) Khalid, Location (2016)

Location is one other track that I discovered on SoundCloud, this time in early 2016.

Khalid was this highschool senior in El Paso, Texas, who was simply importing songs. He had a few tracks out earlier than this, however the minute I heard Location, I immediately knew that he had an instinctive understanding of each different indie music and R&B, and he was form of sitting proper within the center.

He was so younger and inquisitive. I adopted him on Twitter and began speaking to him, and he was like, ‘Oh my God, you’re the Bryson Tiller man!’.

“the minute I heard Location, I immediately knew that he had an instinctive understanding of each different indie music and R&B.”

We simply instantly hit off, turned associates and I used to be capable of signal him. It’s one of many solely occasions in my profession the place the very first thing we put out from an artist simply exploded; it simply all occurred instantly.

We made American Teen, which got here out in early 2017. It’s one in all my favourite albums that I’ve ever labored on. I feel it’s a very timeless coming-of-age album about being younger, about discovering your self, and about gaining confidence.

Location was only a actually lovely straight-to-the-heart, soulful track. It’s utterly distinctive, from the manufacturing to his method to supply, to the timbre of his voice.

It’s actually one-of-one, and I’m tremendous proud that I obtained to be part of it.

9) H.E.R. & Daniel Caesar, Finest Half (2017)

In 2017 I used to be working with H.E.R. as an A&R at RCA, and we had been making a variety of nice music.

Daniel Caesar was simply beginning to catch his wave. He had the track Get You with Kali Uchis, which was out and effervescent.

He truly hit me up and was like, ‘Do you suppose I may ever meet H.E.R.?’ I stated, ‘Man, you guys ought to make music collectively,’ simply because they’re each such unbelievable songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists – and each so imaginative of their writing.

I had been attempting for a very long time to get them collectively, and there was one specific day when H.E.R. was within the studio, and the producer left early to work on one thing else. Daniel Caesar occurred to be in L.A. on the time– he’s from Toronto – so it was form of like stars had been aligning.

I contacted him and his managers to see if he may make it to the studio on quick discover, and he was there inside the hour.

“I typically really feel like I’m the Forrest Gump of R&B!”

They began enjoying round on guitars, and people of us who weren’t a part of the songwriting course of left the room to go to the lounge and discuss for 45 minutes. Once we went again into the studio, they’d give you this unbelievable track.

It was clear instantly that this was a traditional, a very tender, lovely R&B duet;  a marriage track, or a track to fall in like to.

I typically really feel like I’m the Forrest Gump of R&B or one thing! The truth that I used to be even within the room to see that begin to come collectively, and I’ve been round for thus many different unbelievable artistic moments.

I’ll always remember that day, that session. It’s an ideal track. It’s a multi-generational track that can stand the check of time; my mother is aware of that track!

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