W O L PAODON D
A
errin by Eric P
Don is generally regarded as a boss; the head honcho of a family, group or illegal organization. Whether or not Atlanta-raised, California-paid Polow is actually a Don or not is for you to decide, but his music definitely makes a strong case for the jury. You gotta respect his resume; it’s impeccable, while many producers stick to one style, Polow’s pedigree is extremely versatile. He produces unique beats that love to linger at the top of the charts and he has worked with an array of artists from R. Kelly to Rich Boy. He does more than just hip-hop; his beats have earned him a top spot outside the rap industry as well. The self proclaimed “King of the White Girls” has now become the go-to producer for so-called “pop music,” making beats beautifully blessed with jungle fever. In the past year, he has produced number one hits for the likes of Fergie, Gwen Stefani, and The Pussycat Dolls, but Polow Da Don has just started and now, he is well on his way to an interracial marriage of true hip-hop style and pop star status. 66
How did you get started producing? It was just a hobby. I started off rapping and after a while I just lost the passion to rap, and I love music, but I wasn’t pleased with a lot of beats I was rapping on. I was more intrigued by actually putting the records together. Even to this day I only produce because it allows me to put the records together. If I just had to do the beat and send it off, I wouldn’t like it as much. So when people try to get me to do that, it’s really hard for me to accept it. I just like the whole coming together of a record. Briefly tell me about some of your past projects and biggest successes. I made Billboard history with Fergie’s “London Bridge,” it was the second fastest song to ever go number 1; it went number 1 in three weeks. It debuted at 85, the second week it jumped to number 5, and then the third week it went number 1. At the same time, I had another record in the top 5, the Pussycat Dolls’ song “Buttons,” which also went number 1.