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Part 4: J.R. Rotem on Sean Kingston Indicted: Mom Was in Prison for Identity Fraud When He Signed
Part 2: J.R. Rotem on Working w/ 50 Cent & G-Unit After Meeting Dr. Dre, Producing Rihanna's "SOS"
Part 1: J.R. Rotem on Getting First Beat Placement on Destiny's Child Album, Only Paid $2,500
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Producer J.R. Rotem delves into the journey behind signing Sean Kingston and crafting the number one hit, "Beautiful Girls." Kingston was the first artist signed by Rotem's label under a partnership with Sony/Epic. Initially an underdog bet, Kingston’s sound matured from rapped verses and sung hooks to a fully melodic style, with "Beautiful Girls" being the turning point. The catchy 2007 track heavily sampled Ben E. King's classic "Stand By Me." Rotem explains that despite initial hesitations due to the iconic nature of the original, the sample was transformative. Interestingly, Ben E. King and his team claimed a staggering 75% of the song’s royalties, a figure Rotem describes as steep but not uncommon when dealing with such legendary tracks. Despite the significant split, Rotem insists it was worth it, as the hit cemented both Sean Kingston's rising star status and Rotem's prowess as a producer.
