You can now add the Stereotypes (Far*East Movement, Chris Brown, Justin Beiber) to the growing list of songwriter/producers who aren’t content to simply sit behind the studio boards. The Grammy Award-nominated production trio-Jonathan Yip, Jeremy Reeves and Ray Romulus-has joined forces with Houston singer/songwriter/MC Three as the group JON MCXRO.
Pronounced the same as the name of tennis legend John McEnroe, JON MCXRO has issued its pop/hip-hop lead single, “Lego.” It’s available as a free download on the production trio’s website, while its fun, colorful video will premiere later this month on MTV. Coming Nov. 8 through Stereotypes Music will be the act’s free first album, The Fifth of Never.
“Between production projects, we’ve been working on bits and pieces of songs and hooks for a minute,” Yip says. “People have been asking, ‘When are you guys going to do this artist project?’ So now that we’re doing this album, I guess today is the fifth of never.”
The mix of party songs and feel-good music, reminiscent of hip-hop’s golden era of the ’90s, showcases the Stereotypes’ penchant for creatively fusing R&B, hip-hop, pop, dance and rock. Guest features include Miguel (on “Give It Up”) and Stereotypes Music artist Sterling Simms (on “That’s Right”).
Formerly an A&R executive at Def Jam, Romulus first met Yip and Reeves when he signed Yip’s friend Three (born Malcolm McDaniel) to the label. Romulus later left Def Jam and joined Reeves and Yip in Los Angeles. After Three’s debut Def Jam project was shelved, Yip called and asked the rapper to come out West and write with them on such projects at Far*East Movement’s debut album.
Noting that the Stereotypes will be back in the studio with Far*East Movement shortly, Romulus says, “It got to a point where hip-hop wasn’t sounding good to us anymore. We thought, ‘Why complain when we can be a part of helping to bring it back?'”