# Bryan-Michael Cox

Bryan-Michael Paul Cox (born December 1, 1977) is an American record producer and songwriter, known for his work with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Toni Braxton. His most notable productions are "Be Without You" for Mary J. Blige, "Burn", "Confessions Part II" and "U Got It Bad" for Usher, and "Shake It Off", "I Stay In Love" and "You Don't Know What To Do" for Mariah Carey.
While attending High School in Texas, Cox met singer Beyoncé. He began producing songs for Destiny's Child, prior to their signing with Columbia Records. Cox relocated to Atlanta to pursue his professional music career in 2000, where he established a partnership with Jermaine Dupri and became in-house talent for his So So Def Recordings record label.
Cox attained a Guinness World Record for the longest consecutive period of chart success by spending over 5 consecutive years there, breaking the record that was previously held by The Beatles. In 2009, Cox was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame for his contribution to music.

## Early life

Cox has said that his mother played the flute: "My mom would buy music instead of food when I was little. We would spend her entire pay check at the record store." He expressed his musical ambitions to her when he was seven years old, having written his first song when he was just six years old. Later, he enrolled in Houston's Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
In high school, Cox met Beyoncé when he was a senior and she was a freshman. He recorded his first-ever demo tape with her. Although the two wouldn't reconnect until nearly seven years later when Bryan produced a track on Destiny's Child's Destiny Fulfilled, it was the early confirmation from Mathew Knowles that prompted Bryan to go into the music industry.
"Back then there was three choices if you wanted to be in the music industry, live in New York, LA, or Atlanta. I enrolled in Clark Atlanta University because although my Mom supported my dreams one hundred percent I had to go to college, so I chose Clark because I was just trying to get to Atlanta."

## Career
### 1994–1999: Early career

Cox began his career as an intern at Noontime Records in Atlanta, Georgia. He was discovered by his manager Chris Hicks, who was a partner in Noontime. Cox's first two hit singles as a producer were "Get Gone" & "Creep Inn" for the short-lived R&B group Ideal.

### 2000–2005: Confessions, The Emancipation of Mimi, The Breakthrough

Cox contributed to Lil Bow Wow's debut album, Beware of Dog, writing the single "Puppy Love" and the Big Momma's House soundtrack. He worked with Jagged Edge's second studio album J.E. Heartbreak, contributing to songs "He Can't Love U" and "Let's Get Married". He contributed to Tamar Braxton's debut album, Tamar co-writing and producing "Get None" with musical partner Jermaine Dupri. He wrote and co-produced the second single "Just Be a Man About It" from Toni Braxton's third studio album, The Heat.
Cox worked with Usher, contributing to Confessions, co-writing and co-producing Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs "Burn" and "Confessions Part II". Confessions won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2005 Grammys. Confessions has been certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of 2012, has sold 10.3 million copies in the United States. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. He worked with Mariah Carey again on 2005's The Emancipation of Mimi with hits "Shake It Off" and "Don't Forget About Us". "Don't Forget About Us" was nominated for two Grammy Awards. He wrote the fourth single from Chris Brown's self-titled debut album "Say Goodbye". He co-wrote "Be Without You" the lead single from Mary J. Blige seventh studio album The Breakthrough. The single was certified double-platinum in the United States, was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year and won the Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance categories at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.

### 2006–2009

Cox co-wrote "Shortie Like Mine" the first single for Bow Wow's fifth studio album, The Price of Fame, in 2006. Again working with Austin together the duo co-wrote "Stay Down" for Mary J. Blige's eighth studio album, Growing Pains in 2007. Cox co-wrote "Last Time" for Trey Songz's second studio album Trey Day. Cox produced and co-wrote "Circles", the third single from Marques Houston's Veteran album. In 2008, he wrote five songs for the group Day26's self-titled debut album, including the second single, "Since You've Been Gone".

### 2010–present

In 2010, he co-wrote and produced "Never Let You Go", the single for My World 2.0, the debut studio album by Justin Bieber. For Mariah Carey he co-wrote and co-produced "Oh Santa!", alongside Jermaine Dupri and Carey, for her second Christmas/thirteenth studio album, Merry Christmas II You. He added song writing and production on Usher's Grammy award-winning album Raymond vs Raymond. In the same year, Cox co-produced the single "Love All Over Me", the single from Monica's sixth studio album, Still Standing. He worked on Love and War for Tamar Braxton in 2013. He worked with Johntá Austin co-writing for R. Kelly's thirteenth studio album The Buffet, and on Views for Drake. Cox co-wrote on Free TC for Ty Dolla Sign.

### Legacy

Cox went on to co-produce alongside his musical mentor Jermaine Dupri. He has had 35 number-one hits, 12 Grammy Award nominations, including nine wins, 20 top-ten hits, and eclipsing the record previously held by the Beatles for Billboard's most consecutive number-one hits. Cox has been named one of Billboard's "Top 10 Producers of the Decade" and sits on Billboard's "Hot R&B Song of the Decade List", "Hot 100 Songs of the Decade List", "Top 200 Albums of the Decade List" and is a 2009 Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee. He has been awarded the Billboard Songwriter of the Year Award and the SESAC Songwriter of the Year Award six consecutive years.

## Song writing and producing credits

| Artist | Year | Song | Role | Album |
| 3LW | 2006 | "Feelin' You" | Writer & producer | Point of No Return |
| 3LW | 2006 | "The Way I Feel About You" | Writer & producer | Point of No Return |
| Aaliyah | 2002 | "Come Over" | Writer & producer | I Care 4 U |
| Ari Lennox | 2021 | "Pressure" | Writer & producer | Age/Sex/Location |
| Avant | 2006 | "Director" | Writer & producer | Director |
| B5 | 2007 | "Erika Kane" | Writer & producer | Don't Talk, Just Listen |
| B5 | 2007 | "Right To Left" | Writer & producer | Don't Talk, Just Listen |
| Bobby V | 2007 | "How 'Bout It" | Writer & producer | Special Occasion |
| Bobby V | 2011 | "Are You the Right One" | Writer & producer | Fly on the Wall |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "Bounce with Me" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "Bow Wow (That's My Name)" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "Ghetto Girls" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "Puppy Love" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "The Dog in Me" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "This Playboy" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2000 | "You Know Me" | Writer | Beware of Dog |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "All I Know" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Crazy" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Get Up" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Off the Glass" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Pick of the Litter" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Thank You" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Take Ya Home" | Writer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2001 | "Up in Here" | Writer & producer | Doggy Bag |
| Bow Wow | 2005 | "Go" | Writer & producer | Wanted |
| Bow Wow | 2005 | "Like You" | Producer | Wanted |
| Bow Wow | 2006 | "Shortie Like Mine" | Writer | The Price of Fame |
| Bow Wow | 2009 | "You Can Get It All" | Producer | New Jack City II |
| Bryson Tiller | 2015 | "Don't" (samples "Shake It Off") | Writer | Trapsoul |
| Carl Thomas | 2007 | "If You Ever" | Writer & producer | So Much Better |
| Chris Brown | 2005 | "Say Goodbye" | Writer & producer | Chris Brown |
| Chris Brown | 2005 | "Winner" | Writer & producer | Chris Brown |
| Chris Brown | 2007 | "Fallen Angel" | Producer | Exclusive |
| Chris Brown | 2007 | "Throwed" | Producer | Exclusive |
| Ciara | 2006 | "So Hard" | Writer & producer | Ciara: The Evolution |
| Danity Kane | 2006 | "Back Up" | Writer & producer | Danity Kane |
| Danity Kane | 2006 | "One Shot" | Writer & producer | Danity Kane |
| Danity Kane | 2006 | "Ride for You" | Writer & producer | Danity Kane |
| Danity Kane | 2008 | "2 of You" | Writer & producer | Welcome to the Dollhouse |
| Danity Kane | 2008 | "Sucka for Love" | Writer & producer | Welcome to the Dollhouse |
| Day26 | 2008 | "Are We in This Together" | Writer & producer | Day26 |
| Day26 | 2008 | "Don't Fight the Feeling" | Writer & producer | Day26 |
| Day26 | 2008 | "Exclusive (No Excuses)" | Writer & producer | Day26 |
| Day26 | 2008 | "Since You've Been Gone" | Writer & producer | Day26 |
| Day26 | 2009 | "Babymaker" | Writer & producer | Forever in a Day |
| Day26 | 2009 | "Need That" | Writer & producer | Forever in a Day |
| Day26 | 2009 | "So Good" | Writer & producer | Forever in a Day |
| Day26 | 2009 | "Stadium Music" | Writer & producer | Forever in a Day |
| Destiny's Child | 2004 | "Bad Habit" | Writer & producer | Destiny Fulfilled |
| Dru Hill | 2002 | "If I Could" | Writer & producer | Dru World Order |
| dvsn | 2020 | "For Us" | Writer & producer | A Muse in Her Feelings |
| dvsn | 2020 | "No Crying" | Writer & producer | A Muse in Her Feelings |
| Ella Mai | 2018 | "Dangerous" | Writer & producer | Ella Mai |
| Fantasia | 2004 | "Got Me Waiting" | Writer & producer | Free Yourself |
| Fantasia | 2006 | "Only One U" | Writer & producer | Fantasia |
| Ginuwine | 2002 | "Stingy" | Writer & producer | The Senior |
| Ginuwine | 2009 | "Last Chance" | Writer & producer | A Man's Thoughts |
| Ginuwine | 2009 | "One Time for Love" | Writer & producer | A Man's Thoughts |
| Ginuwine | 2011 | "Busy" | Producer | Elgin |
| Ginuwine | 2011 | "Drink of Choice" | Writer & producer | Elgin |
| Ginuwine | 2011 | "Frozen" | Producer | Elgin |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "Did She Say" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "Healing" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "Heartbreak" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "He Can't Love U" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "Keys to the Range" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "Let's Get Married" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "Promise" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 1999 | "What You Tryin' to Do" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "Best Man" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "Cut Somethin'" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "Goodbye" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "I Got It" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "Remedy" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "Respect" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "This Goes Out" | Producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2001 | "Where the Party At" | Writer & producer | Jagged Little Thrill |
| Jagged Edge | 2003 | "I Don't Wanna" | Writer & producer | Hard |
| Jagged Edge | 2003 | "Shady Girl" | Writer & producer | Hard |
| Jagged Edge | 2003 | "Tryna Be Your Man" | Writer & producer | Hard |
| Jagged Edge | 2003 | "Visions" | Writer & producer | Hard |
| Jagged Edge | 2003 | "Walked Outta Heaven" | Writer & producer | Hard |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Familiar" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Future" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Getting Over You" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Hope" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "It's Been You" | Producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Love Come Down" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Make It Clear" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Ready" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Things I Do For You" | Writer & producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Jagged Edge | 2014 | "Wanna Be (Romeo)" | Producer | J.E. Heartbreak 2 |
| Joe | 2007 | "Feel for You" | Writer & producer | Ain't Nothin' Like Me |
| Joe | 2007 | "Go Hard" | Writer & producer | Ain't Nothin' Like Me |
| Joe | 2007 | "My Love" | Writer & producer | Ain't Nothin' Like Me |
| Joe | 2007 | "Run It Back" | Writer & producer | Ain't Nothin' Like Me |
| Joe | 2007 | "You Should Know Me" | Producer | Ain't Nothin' Like Me |
| Joe | 2008 | "By Any Means" | Writer & producer | Joe Thomas, New Man |
| Joe | 2008 | "Man In Your Life" | Writer & producer | Joe Thomas, New Man |
| Joe | 2008 | "I Won't Let Him Hurt You" | Writer & producer | Joe Thomas, New Man |
| Joe | 2008 | "We Need to Roll" | Writer & producer | Joe Thomas, New Man |
| Justin Bieber | 2010 | "Never Let You Go" | Writer & producer | My World 2.0 |
| Kehlani | 2017 | "Personal" (sample "Come Over") | Writer | SweetSexySavage |
| Kehlani | 2020 | "Can I" (sample "Come Over") | Writer | It Was Good Until It Wasn't |
| Keyshia Cole | 2007 | "Was It Worth It?" | Writer & producer | Just like You |
| Lil' Mo | 2003 | "4Ever" | Writer & producer | Meet the Girl Next Door |
| Lil' Mo | 2007 | "Heartbeat" | Writer & producer | Pain & Paper |
| Mariah Carey | 1999 | "How Much" | Writer & producer | Rainbow |
| Mariah Carey | 2002 | "Miss You" | Writer & producer | Charmbracelet |
| Mariah Carey | 2002 | "The One" | Writer & producer | Charmbracelet |
| Mariah Carey | 2002 | "You Had Your Chance" | Writer & producer | Charmbracelet |
| Mariah Carey | 2005 | "Get Your Number" | Writer & producer | The Emancipation of Mimi |
| Mariah Carey | 2005 | "Shake It Off" | Writer | The Emancipation of Mimi |
| Mariah Carey | 2005 | "Don't Forget About Us" | Writer & producer | The Emancipation of Mimi (Deluxe Edition) |
| Mariah Carey | 2005 | "Makin' It Last All Night (What It Do)" | Writer | The Emancipation of Mimi (Deluxe Edition) |
| Mariah Carey | 2008 | "For the Record" | Writer & producer | E=MC² |
| Mariah Carey | 2008 | "I Stay In Love" | Writer & producer | E=MC² |
| Mariah Carey | 2008 | "4real4real" (featuring Da Brat) | Writer & producer | E=MC² |
| Mariah Carey | 2010 | "Oh Santa!" | Writer & producer | Merry Christmas II You |
| Mariah Carey | 2014 | "Heavenly (No Ways Tired / Can't Give Up Now)" | Producer | Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse |
| Mariah Carey | 2014 | "Make It Look Good" | Writer & producer | Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse |
| Mariah Carey | 2014 | "One More Try" | Producer | Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse |
| Mariah Carey | 2014 | "Supernatural" | Writer & producer | Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse |
| Mariah Carey | 2014 | "You Don't Know What To Do" | Writer & producer | Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse |
| Marques Houston | 2007 | "Circle" | Writer & producer | Veteran |
| Marques Houston | 2007 | "Exclusively" | Writer & producer | Veteran |
| Mary J. Blige | 2005 | "Ain't Really Love" | Writer & producer | The Breakthrough |
| Mary J. Blige | 2005 | "Be Without You" | Writer & producer | The Breakthrough |
| Mary J. Blige | 2006 | "Reflections (I Remember)" | Writer & producer | Reflections (A Retrospective) |
| Mary J. Blige | 2006 | "We Ride (I See the Future)" | Writer & producer | Reflections (A Retrospective) |
| Mary J. Blige | 2007 | "If You Love Me?" | Writer & producer | Growing Pains |
| Mary J. Blige | 2007 | "Stay Down" | Writer & producer | Growing Pains |
| Mary J. Blige | 2009 | "We Got Hood Love" | Writer & producer | Stronger with Each Tear |
| Monica | 2002 | "I'm Back" | Writer & producer | All Eyez on Me |
| Monica | 2002 | "If U Were the Girl" | Writer & producer | All Eyez on Me |
| Monica | 2002 | "Searchin" | Producer | All Eyez on Me |
| Monica | 2002 | "Too Hood" | Writer & producer | All Eyez on Me |
| Monica | 2002 | "U Should've Known Better" | Writer & producer | All Eyez on Me |
| Monica | 2006 | "Hell No (Leave Home)" | Writer & producer | The Makings of Me |
| Monica | 2010 | "Lesson Learned" | Writer & producer | Still Standing |
| Monica | 2010 | "Love All Over Me" | Writer & producer | Still Standing |
| Monica | 2010 | "Still Standing" | Writer & producer | Still Standing |
| Monica | 2010 | "Superman" | Writer & producer | Still Standing |
| Monica | 2012 | "Amazing" | Writer & producer | New Life |
| Nivea | 2001 | "Don't Mess with My Man" | Writer & producer | Nivea |
| Nivea | 2005 | "Parking Lot" | Writer & producer | Complicated |
| Omarion | 2006 | "Just Can't Let You Go" | Writer & producer | 21 |
| Omarion | 2006 | "Made For TV" | Writer & producer | 21 |
| Tamar Braxton | 2000 | "Get None" | Writer & producer | Tamar |
| Tamar Braxton | 2013 | "Pieces" | Writer & producer | Love and War |
| Tamar Braxton | 2013 | "Where It Hurts" | Writer & producer | Love and War |
| Tamia | 2004 | "Still" | Writer & producer | More |
| Toni Braxton | 2000 | "Just Be a Man About It" | Writer & producer | The Heat |
| Toni Braxton | 2005 | "Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)" | Writer & producer | Libra |
| Toni Braxton | 2005 | "What's Good" | Writer & producer | Libra |
| Trey Songz | 2007 | "Last Time" | Writer & producer | Trey Day |
| Trey Songz | 2009 | "One Love" | Writer & producer | Ready |
| Tyrese | 2001 | "Off the Heezy" | Writer & producer | 2000 Watts |
| Tyrese | 2002 | "Somebody Special" | Writer & producer | I Wanna Go There |
| Tyrese | 2006 | "Gotta Get You" | Writer & producer | Alter Ego |
| Usher | 2001 | "Good Ol' Ghetto" | Writer & producer | 8701 |
| Usher | 2001 | "If I Want To" | Writer & producer | 8701 |
| Usher | 2001 | "I Can't Let U Go" | Writer & producer | 8701 |
| Usher | 2001 | "T.T.P." | Writer & producer | 8701 |
| Usher | 2001 | "U Got It Bad" | Writer & producer | 8701 |
| Usher | 2001 | "U-Turn" | Writer & producer | 8701 |
| Usher | 2004 | "Burn" | Writer & producer | Confessions |
| Usher | 2004 | "Confessions Part I" | Writer & producer | Confessions |
| Usher | 2004 | "Confessions Part II" | Writer & producer | Confessions |
| Usher | 2004 | "Do It to Me" | Writer & producer | Confessions |
| Usher | 2008 | "Before I Met You" | Writer & producer | Here I Stand |
| Usher | 2010 | "Foolin' Around" | Writer & producer | Raymond v. Raymond |
| Usher | 2019 | "Don't Waste My Time" | Writer & producer | Confession 2 |