Original version

1xtra

1XTRA

1Xtra Talks with Richie Brave

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Richie Brave hosts the biggest group chat of the week.

BBC Radio 1Xtra's Stories

1Xtra Talks with Richie Brave: The Story of Stargate

Music

Entertainment

The Story of Stargate

17/07/2011

BBC Radio 1Xtra - 1Xtra Talks with Richie Brave, The Story of Stargate

Another chance to hear 1Xtra's Story of Stargate.

They own a record label with Jay-Z, have produced hits for Rihanna, Beyonce and Ne-Yo, and had 27 Top Ten's in the UK and another 16 in America. But just who are Stargate?

Ignored and unknown, Stargate are the unsung heroes of R&B. It's a mystery why the media isn't all over the Norwegian production duo, a pairing that within four years of arriving in America had not only produced a string of hits for the U.S.A.'s biggest and brightest stars, but also joined forces with the King of New York, Jay-Z , to create their own label, StarRoc. Think about it - when was the last time you saw them walking a red carpet, hanging out with the stars, or pictured surrounded by video babes on some wild night out. Actually, come to think of it, when have you ever even seen a picture of them at all? 

It seems crazy that the people who created arguably Rihanna's best work ('Unfaithful', 'We Ride', 'Don't Stop The Music', 'Take a Bow', 'Te Amo', 'Rude Boy'), delivered some of Beyonce's biggest hits ('Irreplaceable', 'Beautiful Liar', 'Broken-hearted Girl') and practically gave the world Ne-Yo ('So Sick', 'Miss Independent', Closer', 'Beautiful Monster') should be virtually unknown. 

Recorded at Jay-Z's Roc The Mic studio, their base and virtual home, this programme gets behind the scenes and behind their story. Tor and Mikkel tell of their journey from Norway to New York, and are helped in this by Ne-Yo, Wiz Khalifa, Alexis Jordan, J Cole, Eric Turner, plus their manager, former producer/remixer Tim Blacksmith. 

We'll hear how Stargate started out in Scandinavia, before making the short trip to the UK where they produced a mass of pop hits. Although their love of music is steeped in R&B and Hip Hop, their first chart success came thanks to... er.. S Club 7. Yeah, that's right, 'S Club Party' is all their fault, but in their defence you don't need to be a music nerd to hear how within that track the Scandinavian producers tipped their hats to Naughty By Nature's 'Hip Hop Hooray' and KRS-One's 'Sound Of Da Police'. Hits for Blue, Hear'say, Atomic Kitten and Samantha Mumba would follow, before Stargate made their biggest and most decisive move - Tor and Mikkel got on a plane for New York. And it was while walking the halls of Sony Music that they bumped into Ne-Yo, persuaded him to hear their beats and, with 'So Sick', both Ne-Yo and Stargate had arrived in America. 

Shy of the spotlight and disinterested in fame, this is a rare insight into a musical hit factory that just keeps delivering bigger and more successful music. Today they continue to roll out Top Ten songs thanks to their first artist signed to StarRoc, Alexis Jordan, while tracks from Jennifer Lopez and Lil Wayne, Keri Hilson and Nelly, and Tinie Tempah and Wiz Khalifa are all riding high right now. 

This is The Story of Stargate - so far.

BBC Radio 1Xtra

The biggest tunes, talent and mixes in new Black music

Accessibility links

Programme Index

1Xtra Talks with Richie Brave

The Story of Stargate

Genres

Formats

Brand

1xtra

About BBC Radio 1Xtra