Dorsey Wesley, better known by his stage name Megahertz, is an American record producer, composer and songwriter. ''

Vibe Magazine ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production ...

'' dubbed Megahertz one of music's "10 Most Valuable Producers", while

About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, l ...

ranked him on its list of the "Top 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Producers". Described by ''

Billboard Magazine ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...

'' as a "Powerful Producer", Megahertz has enjoyed commercial success producing music for television, film, video games, mixtapes & songs that have been certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum. Associated with artists such as

P. Diddy Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...

Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...

& ''Saturday Night Live's''

Robert Smigel Robert Smigel (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, producer, and puppeteer, known for his ''Saturday Night Live'' " TV Funhouse" cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic D ...

– it has been said that Megahertz "..brings the wattage."

Early career

Megahertz is a native of

Willingboro, New Jersey Willingboro Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is a suburb of Philadelphia and part of the state's South Jersey region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,889, an increase of ...

. He was raised in a "Christian household that didn't allow rap music." Trying to keep his passion hidden, he would get "extra church time" if his mom heard him rapping. Despite his rigid religious upbringing, Megahertz immersed himself in what his mother called "evil music". But as Megahertz admitted to ''

'', "Not being able to listen to music only made me want to hear it more." Tired of rapping over other people's beats, Megahertz began to purchase his own equipment and secretly keep it at his friend's house. Before long, producing music took precedence over rapping. One of his first breakthrough hits was "

Bad Boy for Life "Bad Boy for Life" is a song by American rappers P. Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry, featured on Diddy's 2001 third album '' The Saga Continues...''. Produced by Megahertz (Dorsey Wesley), it was released as the second single from the album in Ju ...

". According to ''Vibe Magazine'', "...Megahertz's bionic rubber-band beat for 'Bad Boy for Life' put Diddy back in the winner's circle." Grammy nominatedpublisher=allcharts.org
/ref> and certified four times platinum, it was the second single from

's ''

The Saga Continues The Saga Continues may refer to: * ''The Saga Continues...'' (Roger Troutman album), 1984 * '' The Saga Continues...'', 2001 by P. Diddy and The Bad Boy Family * ''The Saga Continues'' (Wu-Tang Clan album), 2017 {{DEFAULTSORT:Saga Continues ...

'', which peaked at number two on the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40. The "

" music video featured cameo's by actor

Ben Stiller Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is the son of the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Stiller was a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known as ...

, rock drummer

Travis Barker Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip hop artists, is a member of the rap rock group Transpla ...

, NBA star

Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...

and others.

Commercial success

Described by ''

'' as a "powerful producer", Megahertz has enjoyed commercial success producing music for television, film, video games, mixtapes & songs that have been certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum. Associated with artists such as

& ''Saturday Night Live's''

– it has been said that Megahertz "..brings the wattage." Megahertz made history when he produced "Gotta Make It to Heaven" for the fourth highest selling U.S. rap album of all-time,

's ''

Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, Eminem's Shady Records, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After signing wi ...

''. With over 12 million copies sold, it is on one of the best selling albums of the decade.

Production style

Music writer

Raqiyah Mays Raqiyah Mays (born November 11, 1975, in Newark, New Jersey) is an author, screenwriter, executive producer, podcaster, journalist, and former radio personality, Born in Newark, NJ, Raqiyah was featured in The Limited clothing store's 2015 nation ...

wrote, "There's power in Megahertz's name: a million cycles per second, to be exact. And when you buy his beats it's as if that power electrocutes whomever he's working with, shocking them into accelerating their skills." Megahertz's genre-bending production style uses original composition, in combination with the occasional use of sampled sounds or songs, performed over programmed drums. One such track was the

single "

Got Ur Self a Gun "Got Ur Self a Gun" also known by "Got Ur Self A..." for the clean versions of the album and single respectively, is the second single from the 2001 album ''Stillmatic'' by the American rapper Nas. The song is produced by Megahertz and samples ''T ...

", which used "Woke Up This Morning" – the theme song from HBO's ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based American Mafia, Italian-American mobster, portraying h ...

''. Referencing the music Megahertz created around that sample,

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's Shaheed Reid wrote, "Megahertz molded pianos and strings that sound like they could've been played at the coronation ceremony for an 18th century king." Another example of his knack for reinterpreting popular music occurred when Megahertz created a track for

Tony Yayo Marvin Bernard (born March 31, 1978), better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is an American rapper. He is best known as a member of G-Unit, a hip hop group he formed with his childhood friends 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks. Yayo released his deb ...

's debut album using a sample made popular by

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

. In the words of one fan, "'Love My Style' is probably one of the album's craziest tracks as Megahertz flips the same sample used on Britney Spears's '

Toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

.' What was once sugar-sweet pop takes on a menacing and minister tone and Yayo takes full advantage as he attacks the beat with confidence." Megahertz's diverse production style, opened the door for collaborations with rock groups like

P.O.D. P.O.D., an initialism for Payable on Death, is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992 and based in San Diego, California. The band's line-up consists of drummer and rhythm guitarist Wuv Bernardo, vocalist Sonny Sandoval, bassist Traa ...

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...

. Attracted to unusual musical pairings, Megahertz told ''

Source Magazine ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...

'', "I like

System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...

and I wouldn't mind doing something with them....I'd work with

Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by D ...

and I'm a

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...

fan. I'll do Calypso. I'll do some Indian music, whatever, just bring it on. I'll do it." Resolute that his music continue to evolve, Megahertz said, "I'm not into repeat joints- I want to be re-discovered for new sounds each time."

Performer

As a performer Megahertz grew up rapping, a talent that blossomed into creating jingles, commercial spots and ultimately led to songwriting & singing. In one such performance, Megahertz drops a cameo on the chorus of "Superstar", a song that features

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...

, WC &

Mack 10 Dedrick D'Mon Rolison (born August 9, 1971), better known by his stage name Mack 10, is an American rapper. He has sold nearly 11 million records combining his solo and group works. Mack 10 made his first appearance on Ice Cube's 1994 " Bootleg ...

Controversy

One of the most high-profile feuds in American hip hop history was the rivalry between

. ''Vibe Magazine'' writer Dave Tompkins recounts, "When Jigga's (a.k.a.

's) publicized beef with

reached nasty proportions, everyone waited on a response from God's Son (a.k.a. Nas). And he came out swinging with the Megahertz produced "

Got Ur Self A Gun "Got Ur Self a Gun" also known by "Got Ur Self A..." for the clean versions of the album and single respectively, is the second single from the 2001 album ''Stillmatic'' by the American rapper Nas. The song is produced by Megahertz and samples ''T ...

" – a killer cut laced with a violent harpsichord." The track was the second single on

' ''

Stillmatic ''Stillmatic'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Nas, released on December 18, 2001, by Ill Will and Columbia Records. In contrast to his previous work's gangsta rap themes, the album contains socially conscious and philosophical theme ...

'' album, and just days after its release,

retaliated by putting out "

Supa Ugly Supa may refer to: Geography * Supa Dam, Western Ghats, Karnataka, India * Joida, new settlement for the people from the defunct town Supa. Supa town was immersed due to the construction of Supa Dam * Supa, Parner Supa or Supe is a village ...

", a combative freestyle, performed over "

" and

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

's song "Bad Intentions."

Later years

At the height of his production career, he suddenly disappeared from the music industry. According to Megahertz, the reason was due to the death of his father around the time of his success.

Awards and nominations

MTV Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...

** Best Rap Video "Bad Boy For Life" ominated* MVPA Awards ** Best Rap Video "Bad Boy For Life" ominated*

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

** Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "Bad Boy For Life" ominated*

Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...

** R&B/Soul Album Group, Band or Duo "The Best of Both Worlds' " ominated*

American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...

** Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on*

Billboard Music Awards The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...

** Album of the Year "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on*

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

R&B/Hip-Hop Awards ** Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on*

R&B/Hip-Hop Awards ** Top Rap Album "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on*

MOBO Awards The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Af ...

** Best Album "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on*

The Source Awards ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the magaz ...

** Album of the Year "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on*

Vibe Awards ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production ...

** Dopest Album "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " on

References

External links

Megahertz
discography at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

Megahertz
Thir13en Ghosts Soundtrack on

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

Megahertz
Lakeview Terrace Soundtrack on

Megahertz
Death of a Dynasty Soundtrack on

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

Megahertz
Death on Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller. It is a Fortune 1000 company and the bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. As of July 7, 2020, the company operates 614 retail stores across all 50 U. ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Megahertz Music Group American rappers of Jamaican descent African-American composers African-American male composers American hip hop musicians American rhythm and blues musicians American rock musicians East Coast hip hop musicians Remixers People from New Jersey American hip hop record producers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century African-American musicians