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The music business has birthed some of the greatest duos the world has known. From Lennon and McCartney to L.A. and Babyface, nothing spells magic like two guys cranking out blazing beats, laying down killer tracks and creating songs that stand the test of time. But of all the twosomes who have blessed us with their memorable hits, few have been as diverse and multi-talented as J and DJ KO. Known collectively as Phivestarr, J and KO are re-writing the rules of the music game, casting their net far and wide to cover a range of musical styles rarely mastered by one set of producers. “We started out producing rap and R&B,” says J, who grew up listening rap and rock. “As we matured in life I started listening to a lot more country and started writing country songs.” J says the Atlanta-based duo also experiments with a form of European music known as dubstep. More than just a couple of beat makers who know their way around an MPC, J and KO are also multi-instrumentalists, versed on guitar, keys and drums -- although DJ KO’s instrument of choice is clearly a set of turntables. Together, the two Fayette, GA natives have coined a sound that is so unique it deserves to be a genre unto itself. Whether they’re crafting a hip-hop anthem for Nappy Roots or a sing-along country ditty for multi-platinum artist John Michael Montgomery or a hip-hop/country hybrid for Colt Ford, Phivestarr puts their inimitable stamp on everything they touch. Even though the guys are skilled at creating tracks that are unmistakably country, R&B, rock or hip-hop, it’s the marrying of seemingly mismatched genres that raises eyebrows and garners the most ooohs and ahhs. “I think the sound that everybody goes crazy over is the acoustic guitars with a hard beat,” says J. “We’ve been making songs like that for years and they always turn out amazing.” Check out country superstar Colt Ford’s new CD “Ride Through the Country,” and you’ll find Phivestarr’s signature written all over it. The same holds true for award-winning songwriter Jamey Johnson’s “Cold Beer,” Montgomery Gentry”s chart-topping hit “Roll With Me” or Brantley Gilbert’s “Dirt Road Anthem,” a mega hit that boasts some 7 million plays on MySpace. Rewind a few years and bob your head to Bonecrusher’s “Pistol Fo” and “Hustle from Monday to Sunday,” featuring Youngbloodz, Angie Stone and 8Ball or “On Time,” by The Outlawz’s Young Noble. Check Khujo Goodie’s underground hit “Like Dis” featuring Youngbloodz, Big Gipp and Trae or Witchdoctor’s “Best Year,” the song that landed the Atlanta rapper a deal with Ted Turner’s Williams Street Records and aired on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim.” Rounding our Phivestarr’s list of hip-hop credits are Rehab, Bubba Sparxxx, DJ Unk, Obie Trice, and Nappy Roots spinoff group 40 Akerz. So how can a quirky DJ and a down home producer navigate such vast musical terrain without missing a beat? KO attributes it to their unconditional love for music. “Our tastes are so broad that we can get together with any artist from any genre and feel comfortable working with them. We can go from a rap session to a country session in the same day.” The personalities of the two production partners and the gifts they bring to their collaboration are just as distinct as the music they create. Says J, “KO is more of a people person. He knows everybody everywhere and isn’t scared to approach anybody.” J is just the opposite. “He’s a lot more reserved,” says KO. “He tends to stick to himself and just observe the world around him but when it’s time to work, he takes control; he speaks the absolute truth -- sometimes to a flaw; no candy coating.” Despite their differences, KO says the partnership works. “We just get along. We’ve known each other since we were like six or seven. We have similar interests and goals. We lived together for a couple years and it was a blast. We were making like six beats a day all year long.” Of all the projects they’ve worked on, KO and J agree that the most memorable has been Colt Ford, whose 14-track “Ride Through the Country” features eight songs produced by the duo. “He started with an idea and we helped him create his signature sound,” J explains. “People just love the work we did with him. People pass us in cars bumping ‘Dirt Road Anthem’ and it makes us feel really good.” Watching their music gain wider acceptance and appreciation has been exciting for Phivestarr as they strive to live up to their name and to the standards they’ve set for themselves. “We have been working hand in hand with music industry legend Jan Smith,” says J. “We feel they are at the highest possible level and we’re ready to work with the biggest artists in the world.”