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Knobody
Jerome Foster, better known as Knobody, is an American music producer and A&R. Knobody has produced records across different genres including soul, R&B, hip hop and rock for several multi-platinum artists including Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Game, Big Pun, Mýa and R.E.M. Knobody worked as an A&R at SRC Records/Universal. Due to the enormous success Akon experienced following the release of his debut album, Knobody was recognized as a World Top 10 A&R. He is not to be confused with Bay Area rapper/producer and Hieroglyphics crew affiliate who also goes by the name Knobody. Acclaim Recognized for his hand in launching the careers of world-renowned artists, Knobody has influenced the success of Jay-Z, Akon Big Pun. Knobody's contributions to these artists' careers has had an enormous impact on the world of hip hop and R&B. Jay-Z Knobody produced the classic single " Can't Knock the Hustle" for Jay-Z, the first track on the artist's debut album ''Reasonable Doubt''. " Can't Kn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trouble (Akon Album)
''Trouble'' is the debut album by American singer Akon, released in on June 29, 2004. The album contains Akon's worldwide hit single, " Lonely", which was his commercial breakthrough. However, the release of " Locked Up" propelled Akon to sign a record deal. "Gunshot (Fiesta Riddim)" was released as promotional single on May 11, 2004. The album performed well in the United Kingdom where it peaked at No. 1 on the UK Album Chart. ''Trouble'' sold 25,000 copies in the first week, and certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States and has sold 1.6 million copies. Background Although " Lonely" offered the album's best option in terms of commercial breakthrough, SRC Records A&R Jerome Foster told HitQuarters that " Locked Up" was chosen because he wanted to break Akon in the streets first and work towards a cross-over. "Locked Up" is a street record. I thought that was the place for us to start to get a fan-base, knowing that we had a record like "Lonely", which was more commerci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Can't Knock The Hustle (Jay-Z Song)
"Can't Knock the Hustle" is the third single from American rapper Jay-Z's debut album ''Reasonable Doubt''. The song features a beat produced by Knobody. It is co-produced by Sean C and Dahoud Darien. The chorus is sung by Mary J. Blige. Background "Can't Knock the Hustle" marked Knobody's first foray into outside production after the rap group he was in disbanded. Knobody had been very pleased with the last track he had produced for the band and, together with Sean C, had taken it to the nearby home of Roc-A-Fella's Damon Dash. Dash then showed it to Jay-Z, who was suitably impressed and encouraged the young producer to contribute beats. Knobody then gave Jay-Z the backing track to what would become "Can't Knock The Hustle". The rapper then recorded the track. Combat Jack spoke to Complex about the record. Saying "This song was an effing pain in the ass, as it was the beginning of the end of my run with Roc-A-Fella. Because Dame 'dated' Mary J. Blige briefly, right before she bl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios (November 10, 1971 – February 7, 2000), better known by his stage name Big Pun (short for Big Punisher), was an American rapper. Emerging from the underground hip hop scene in the Bronx borough of New York City in the early 1990s, he came to prominence upon being discovered by fellow Bronx rapper Fat Joe, and made his earliest appearance on his 1995 album ''Jealous One's Envy''. In 1997, Pun signed with Fat Joe's label, Terror Squad Entertainment in conjunction with RCA and Loud Records as a solo artist. The same year, he released his Grammy-nominated debut studio album ''Capital Punishment'' in April 1998 to critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at #5 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and becoming the first solo hip hop record by a Latino artist to go Platinum. Early life Rios was born in The South Bronx in New York City to parents of Puerto Rican descent. He grew up in the Soundview neighborhood and had at least two sisters and one brother. He reg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reasonable Doubt (album)
''Reasonable Doubt'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on June 25, 1996, by Priority Records and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. The album features production provided by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and also includes guest appearances from Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige, Jaz-O and The Notorious B.I.G., among others. The album features mafioso rap themes and gritty lyrics about the "hustler" lifestyle and material obsessions. ''Reasonable Doubt'' debuted at number 23 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, on which it charted for 18 weeks. It was promoted with four singles; including " Ain't No Nigga" and " Can't Knock the Hustle". ''Reasonable Doubt'' was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of 2006, has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States. A critical success, it has been ranked on several publications' lists of the greatest rap albums ever, while many hip hop fans have viewed it as Jay-Z's best ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P), the first single from his debut album '' Trouble'' (2004), followed by the second single " Lonely". His second album, ''Konvicted'' (2006), received three Grammy Award nominations for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Smack That" (featuring Eminem) and " I Wanna Love You" (featuring Snoop Dogg). Both singles became ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top ten hits, followed up by "Don't Matter" and "Sorry, Blame It on Me". His third studio album '' Freedom'' (2008) was led by the single "Right Now (Na Na Na)". Akon often provides vocals as a featured artist and is currently credited with over 300 guest appearances and more than 35 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 songs, resulting in five Grammy Award nominations. He is the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Capital Punishment (Big Pun Album)
''Capital Punishment'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Big Pun, released by RCA Records, Loud Records and Fat Joe's Terror Squad Productions. Released on April 28, 1998, it is the only album released during his lifetime and was regarded as "super groundbreaking" upon release. The album peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200 charts and number one on the Top R&B Albums chart for two weeks. It was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1999 Grammy Awards, but lost to Jay-Z's '' Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life''. It was also the first solo Latin hip hop record to go Platinum. Reception * ''Entertainment Weekly'' (7/17/98, p. 85) – "Everything about this Bronx-bred Puerto Rican rapper is generous, his 400-pound girth, his multiple rhyming within each line, and his talent for spewing out verses without stopping for breath." – Rating: B+ * '' Q'' (6/00, p. 123) – 4 stars out of 5 – "Displaying huge lyrical prowess and the requisite 'sensitive' side...he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Locked Up (song)
"Locked Up" is a song by Senegalese-American singer Akon, taken as the lead single from his debut album, ''Trouble'' (2004). The single was released in the United States on April 5, 2004, peaking at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Locked Up" peaked within the top 10 of the charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom and the top 20 of the charts in France, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. Background Although it was widely regarded that " Lonely" offered the album's best option in terms of commercial breakthrough and lead single as well as first single, SRC A&R and producer Knobody chose "Locked Up" as the first and lead single because he wanted to break Akon in the streets first, and then cross-over. In an interview for HitQuarters, he claimed: "Locked Up" is a street record. I thought that was the place for us to start to get a fan-base, knowing that weight. We thought really carefully about the record, what touches people and will get peo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Still Not A Player
"Still Not a Player" is the second single from Big Pun's debut album ''Capital Punishment''. The song was produced by Knobody and features R&B singer Joe. Composition The song is a remix of Big Pun's previous single "I'm Not a Player" produced by Minnesota and contains an interpolation of Joe's "Don't Wanna Be a Player". It also samples "A Little Bit of Love" by Brenda Russell. In addition to samples, the song contains interpolations of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Brazilian Rhyme (Beijo)"; towards the end of the song, the refrain "Punisher...Punisher...Punisher, Big Punisher" is sung to the tune and rhythm of the lead vocals from the track. Chart performance The song peaked at No. 24 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and at No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it the most successful single released by Big Pun. It was ranked the 108th best song of 1980-2005 by ''Blender'' magazine, and was ranked #76 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs. Music video ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe (singer)
Joseph Lewis Thomas (born July 5, 1972), known mononymously as Joe, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Ashburn, Georgia, he later relocated to Atlanta and signed a record deal with Polygram Records in 1992. He rose to prominence after releasing his debut album ''Everything'' the following year. He followed it with a series of successful albums under Jive Records, including '' All That I Am'' (1997), the international bestseller ''My Name Is Joe'' (2000) as well as the multi-certified albums '' Better Days'' (2001) and '' And Then...'' (2003). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including the number-one hit " Stutter", the top ten entries " All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)", "Don't Wanna Be a Player", and " I Wanna Know" as well as his collaborations "Faded Pictures", "Thank God I Found You" and "Still Not a Player". Since his departure from Jive, Joe has released most of his projects in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jungle Brothers
Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop trio composed of Michael Small (Mike Gee), Nathaniel Hall (Afrika Baby Bam), and Sammy Burwell (DJ Sammy B). Known as the pioneers of the fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and house music, they were the first hip-hop group to collaborate with a house-music producer. The trio released their debut album, '' Straight out the Jungle'' in July 1988. Their hip-house club hit single, "I'll House You" was added to the album in late-1988 reissues. Fostered by Kool DJ Red Alert, the Jungle Brothers success would pave the way for De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and eventually the Native Tongues collective that they founded. History The group's first album, '' Straight out the Jungle'', was released in 1988 on Warlock Records, an independent record label. Soon after they were signed by Warner Bros. Records, with whom the group released '' Done By the Forces of Nature'' in November 1989. In 1990, the Jungle Brothers contributed the song "I Get a Kick" to t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
De La Soul
De La Soul () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1988 in the Amityville area of Long Island, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres. The members are Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo. The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'". With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, '' 3 Feet High and Rising'', has been called "a hip hop masterpiece." The album was the band's biggest commercial success to date, with subsequent ones selling progressively less, despite receiving high praise from critics. They were influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues group, after the Jungle Brothers. In 2006, the group won ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary J
Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blessed Virgin Mary * Mary Magdalene, devoted follower of Jesus * Mary of Bethany, follower of Jesus, considered by Western medieval tradition to be the same person as Mary Magdalene * Mary, mother of James * Mary of Clopas, follower of Jesus * Mary, mother of John Mark * Mary of Egypt, patron saint of penitents * Mary of Rome, a New Testament woman * Mary, mother of Zechariah and sister of Moses and Aaron; mostly known by the Hebrew name: Miriam * Mary the Jewess one of the reputed founders of alchemy, referred to by Zosimus. * Mary 2.0, Roman Catholic women's movement * Maryam (surah) "Mary", 19th surah (chapter) of the Qur'an Royalty * Mary, Countess of Blois (1200–1241), daughter of Walter of Avesnes and Margaret of Blois * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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