Let’s start at the end. This past December, Don Cannon announced via press release the termination of his professional relationship with the Asylum-distributed Aphilliates Music Group. After helping launch the Aphilliates movement a decade ago, Cannon cites “a business and creative difference” for the split, but, despite rumors that swirled throughout 2008, says his personal relationship with fellow co-founders DJ Drama and DJ Sense is just fine.
“Nah, everything is cool,” Cannon explains, “but when you got a 3-headed monster, everybody has their own idea of where they wanna be. [Every crew] breaks up ‘cause they get their own direction. That don’t mean they ain’t friends no more or that there’ll be beef when they see each other, but at the same time everybody’s gotta do what they believe in. Look at it like this: If you got three Iversons or three Kobes on one team, what’s gon’ happen? (laughs) You’re gonna bump heads. Everybody held their ground as to what they wanted to do, so it was either stay and keep bumpin’ heads or go ahead and do my own thing. So I had to make a move.”
In many observers’ opinions, if Drama is the face and voice of AMG and Sense is the brains, Don Cannon – with his infectious, “electrifying” production – was the heart and soul. He created many of the soundbeds that helped catapult the movement to the premier status it enjoys today. Already renowned as a DJ, his work while with the Aphilliates made Cannon one of the most sought-after producers in music. With a portfolio that includes work with hardcore artists like Young Jeezy and Freeway, underground acts such as Little Brother’s Big Pooh, even R&B singers like Claudette Ortiz, Cannon’s versatility is practically limitless, and his desire to pursue that versatility played a big part in his decision to leave the AMG fold.
“I just felt like where I was going musically was different from what they do,” he says. “[Me, Drama and Sense’s] thing was never about money, it was always about brotherhood; but at the same time I had to put the pieces together to take me where I wanted to go as a producer. If I’m not in charge of how I’m gon’ be as a producer and have to cater to one style of music, I’m not gon’ be happy ‘cause it’ll feel like work and not be fun anymore. It’s about being happy, know what I mean? It was good while it lasted; I just felt that situation was something I had to move from in order to get to where I wanted to be as far as music.”
Now managed by Disturbing the Peace co-founder Chaka Zulu and Ebony Son Management’s Jeff Dixon, Cannon hopes to take his Cannon Music brand to the heights he’s been dreaming of since 5 years old. With joints already in the bag for upcoming albums from 50, Fabolous and Asher Roth, an album-in-progress with the Cool Kids and pending work with Wale and Mark Ronson, ’09 is sure to be quite a year for one of the most productive producers in music.
“I wanna be Lil’ Wayne the producer – you know, put out so much product that I’m just killin’ the game,” Cannon laughs. “I’m just gon’ continue producing and trying to build a stronger brand, probably drop an album pretty soon and hopefully get my own situation. Hopefully I’m making the right choices with every step I take.”
The evolution has begun.
