Polow da Don in 2011 (credit: BMI)
Born on October 15, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, Polow- Freache Jamal Fincher-Jones, the cousin of singer Monica, who had a hit with Brandy on 1998's The Boy is Mine, is a music artist and producer going by the pseudonym of Polow da Don who emerged on the music scene in the mid to late 2000s as the next hot super-producer of Zone 4 Inc., with a string of songs for the likes of The Pussycat Dolls, Chris Brown, Rihanna and Mary J. Blige.
After a brief stint in Jim Crow, he, later on, became a producer and songwriter and worked with Interscope Records: the label home to Eminem, Lady Gaga, and Dr Dre. As one of the producers of The Kingpinz, his earlier efforts were released in the late 1990s by the likes of Monica and Ludacris. Polow earned 'Songwriter and Producer of the Year honours at the 2008 and 2009 annual pop awards, as well as the BMI Urban Producer of the Year award in 2010.
He credits King Edward as an inspiration source for his production style; 'Edward J would take R&B songs, mix them with rap songs, or take two songs that didn't go together and put em' together'. Polow's style seems to fuse southern bounce with uptempo contemporary RnB and pop beats and futuristic space-pop on this side of Timberland (sources: Last. fm, Rated RnB, Apple Music).
The Way You Love Me - Keri Hilson (2010) - raunchy, feisty, the high point from No Boys Allowed LP, the song evokes energy and is a club banger with its bounce feel
Glamourous - Fergie feat. Ludacris (2007) - lyrics dealt with staying rooted and not being driven by fame and money; samples Raheem The Dream's 'if you ain't got no money'; became Fergie's second number 1 single in the U.S hot 100 and stayed at the top for two weeks. Glamourous was later sampled by Jack Harlow for First Class in 2023.
Woohoo - Christina Aguilera feat. Nicki Minaj (2010) - samples the 1972 song, 'Add mar uram az esot by Hungarian singer, Kati Kovacs; the song, about oral sex, sounded like a blend of Kelis' Milkshake with Lil' Mama's Lipgloss, as stated by The Village Voice's Rob Harvilla. Far from the dirtier cousin of Rude Boy, but rather dirtier than Xtina Aguilera's Dirty, her worldwide smash, it is a love-it-or-hate-it song. Totally unexpected, yet it turns out to be one of her most fun yet left-field efforts.
Forever - Chris Brown (2008)
Outta Here - Esmee Denters (2009) - the only hit from Esmee Denters with a little help from JT (Justin Timberlake)
Fading - Rihanna (2010)
Lay it Down - Lloyd (2010)
Area Codes - Ludacris feat. Nate Dogg (2001)
Wait - Chris Brown feat. Trey Songz and The Game (2009) - similar in a way to the single, I Can Transform Ya in terms of composition, only a tad better
Remember Me - T.I. feat. Mary J. Blige (2009) - Mary J. slays this track with T.I going hard with his verses. Instrumentally, Remember Me pulls no punches. Song reminds us that no matter how many times we fall down, it's how we get back up that truly matters
Back to the Crib- Juelz Santana feat. Chris Brown (2009)
Bad Girl - Rihanna and Chris Brown (2009) - Pussycat dolls recorded this song, but Chris Brown and Rihanna did it originally
Baby by Me - 50 Cent feat. Ne-Yo (2009)
My Heart - Jennifer Hudson (2008)
Medicine - Piles feat. Keri Hilson (2009)
Buttons - Pussycat dolls feat. Snoop (2006) - taken from their debut album, penned and co-produced by Polow and Sean Garrett and third song of theirs to feature a rapper (first with Busta Rhymes for Don't cha and will.i.am for Beep. Decent song, though it's not as fun as Beep
London Bridge - Fergie (2006) - samples Tower of Power's Down to the Nightclub with Polow providing backing vocals, it sounds sort of like Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani. Received a mixed reception, it is another love-it- or- hate-it type of song, courtesy of the producer and Fergie
Sex Therapy - Robin Thicke (2009)
Stronger - Mary J. Blige (2009) - with backing vocals from Chris Brown and written by Brown and Ester Dean, Stronger featured on the soundtrack to the basketball-based documentary, More than a Game based on the story of Lebron James. Song deals with issues surrounding people standing by one another through thick and thin
Love in this Club - Usher ft. Young Jeezy (2008)
Heaven - El DeBarge (2010)
Gone - Jennifer Hudson (2011)
You II - Lloyd (2011) - samples Cameo's Word Up
Lost in Love - I-15 (2007); formed by Polow da Don in 2006, 1-15 were a short-lived trio. Decent song though
Whatever U Like - Nicole Scherzinger feat. T.I. (2007) - a promo single taken from her unreleased album, 'Her name is Nicole'
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