Over the past decade, Christopher Stewart produced several of the industry’s biggest hits: “Umbrella” (Rihanna), “Single Ladies” (Beyonce), “I Look to You” (Whitney Houston) and “Touch My Body” (Mariah Carey). To date, his production talents are responsible for the sale of more than 25 million records.
As the co-founder of RedZone Entertainment, “Tricky” has established himself as a cultural tour de force, along with his brother and artist manager Mark E. Stewart. Since 1995, the company has produced a string of platinum and chart-topping singles that have drastically molded the contemporary music landscape.
At the close of 2009, in the midst of the successful release of “Hard” (Rihanna) and “Louboutins” (Jennifer Lopez), Christopher “Tricky” Stewart managed to squeeze some time out of his busy schedule and settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry—reflecting on the founding of RedZone Entertainment, the lasting influence of Lou Silas, and his transition from the football field to the production studio.
You were raised in a musical household. What professional lessons from your parents’ experiences have you incorporated into your own career? 
My mother was a program director and so was my father. I think the one thing that I learned by watching the artists come to the station to visit my mother was that all the great artists really had great personalities. They went out of their way to make other people feel more comfortable about their stardom no matter how big they were. So that was something that I’ve noticed over the years, that great artists really know how to be on the spot. Also, professionalism. Professionalism was definitely something that I pulled from them. And being a person of integrity. I think those two things also lead to longevity. I guess that’s why my career has lasted so long.
When did you realize that you wanted to make music the center of your universe and pursue it as a professional career?
I was about fifteen, probably, when I guess the harsh reality set in that I wasn’t going to be a professional football player [laughing]. When I finally decided to get serious about the music, instead of splitting my time with other things, I put all of my focus and attention on it fulltime. And that was when I just got far more engulfed in the art form.
.jpg?t=20120209092158)
Article comments