J-Swift
Encyclopedia
J-Swift is an American music producer responsible for songs with groups on the Delicious Vinyl
Label. He has produced the alternative rap
groups The Pharcyde
and The Wascals.
Around 1988 J-Swift met R&B musician Reggie Andrews, producer of Dazz Band’s 1982 funk hit “Let It Whip.” After J-Swift composed three New Jack Swing-style songs to get his attention, Andrews suggested that he concentrate on writing and producing, and set him up with a recording studio (complete with a then-state-of-the-art Akai MPC60) at South Central Unit (SCU), an after-school program for disadvantaged young talent. This gave J the opportunity to submit songs to A&M Record’s Rondor Music publishing, while additional work came via BMI’s Cheryl Dickerson. Though much of this early music went unreleased (like an album by Bell Biv DeVoe spin-off STR8-Ahead), J-Swift’s official songwriting/producing debut came in 1991 with Keisha Jackson’s “Feel You Out.”
Around this time J-Swift began making music, rolling out to clubs, and smoking weed with a crew of dancers-turned-rappers. With Reggie Andrews’ record collection at their disposal, J-Swift and The Pharcyde crafted a three-song demo in ’91 and subsequently a hip-hop classic, 1992’s Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. Featuring the hit single “Passin’ Me By,” Pharcyde’s debut went certified Gold. Disputes over production and credits caused a rift between J and the group (although they would later reunite on The Pharcyde’s “Trust” remix in 2000, not to mention several J-Swift-produced tracks on Fatlip’s 2005 solo debut The Loneliest Punk, and Fatlip and Tre Hardson’s 2007 holiday song “All I Want for Xmas”).
With his own “Fat House Productions” acts Jazzyfatnastees
and Quinton, J-Swift signed an ill-fated million dollar deal with Tommy Boy Records in 1993. Another of his groups, The Wascals, dropped several singles including “Class Clown” and “The Dips” in ’94, but broke up before releasing their debut. (Wascals’ Greatest Hits, completely produced by J-Swift, was finally released by Delicious Vinyl in 2007.) In the mid-‘90s, J-Swift lent his signature style to a string of remixes, including Prince’s “Letitgo (Sherm Stick Edit),” Massive Attack’s “Protection,” and Urban Thermo Dynamics’ “Manifest Destiny” (featuring a young Mos Def
).
By the late ‘90s, a depressed J-Swift had disappeared from the music scene and turned to sniffing coke before graduating to crack. He lost his studio and was introduced to the streets. These hard times are candidly shown in director (and J’s longtime friend) Shauna Garr’s documentary 1 More Hit, which features such taglines as, “From hip hop visionary to homeless in Hollywood.” and "1 More Hit: Every Great Musician Needs One". 1 More Hit was completed in October 2011 and will be released digitally in December of 2011.
Amazingly, J-Swift’s immense musical talent still shines through the darkness of his addiction. Somehow, someway, J-Swift managed to record new tracks from 2005 through 2010, providing not only the beats but also the rhymes. Featuring soul-baring rap confessionals (“Off My Chest”) and tales of perseverance through struggles (“Born To Win Despite Myself”) — while still celebrating recreational drug use (“I’ll Do Mine”) — J-Swift’s new project has the b-boy making his long-anticipated return with a daringly dope alter ego: Negro Kanevo!
J-Swift came up with the name after a heated altercation with a gun-wielding meth addict over some missing dope. As he later sat on a bed in a dingy motel room reflecting on the daily myriad risks he faced, J-Swift sighed, “Man, I can’t believe my life. I’m living like Negro Kanevo!”
Delicious Vinyl
Delicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles. Throughout its history, the label has had distribution deals with [Island Records/[PolyGram]], Warner Music Group, EMI, Red Ant, Rhino and Universal Music Group.-Early...
Label. He has produced the alternative rap
Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
groups The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
and The Wascals.
Biography
Hip-hop producer J-Swift was born Juan Manuel Martinez in 1971 in Madrid, Spain. His Afro-Cuban father was a salsa bandleader and multi-instrumentalist. In 1974 the family headed to Los Angeles, California, settling in Inglewood. At age six, J-Swift enrolled in a piano conservatory, quickly proving to be a prodigy. The all-rap radio station KDAY introduced him to hip-hop in the early ‘80s, and the first record he ever got was by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.Around 1988 J-Swift met R&B musician Reggie Andrews, producer of Dazz Band’s 1982 funk hit “Let It Whip.” After J-Swift composed three New Jack Swing-style songs to get his attention, Andrews suggested that he concentrate on writing and producing, and set him up with a recording studio (complete with a then-state-of-the-art Akai MPC60) at South Central Unit (SCU), an after-school program for disadvantaged young talent. This gave J the opportunity to submit songs to A&M Record’s Rondor Music publishing, while additional work came via BMI’s Cheryl Dickerson. Though much of this early music went unreleased (like an album by Bell Biv DeVoe spin-off STR8-Ahead), J-Swift’s official songwriting/producing debut came in 1991 with Keisha Jackson’s “Feel You Out.”
Around this time J-Swift began making music, rolling out to clubs, and smoking weed with a crew of dancers-turned-rappers. With Reggie Andrews’ record collection at their disposal, J-Swift and The Pharcyde crafted a three-song demo in ’91 and subsequently a hip-hop classic, 1992’s Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. Featuring the hit single “Passin’ Me By,” Pharcyde’s debut went certified Gold. Disputes over production and credits caused a rift between J and the group (although they would later reunite on The Pharcyde’s “Trust” remix in 2000, not to mention several J-Swift-produced tracks on Fatlip’s 2005 solo debut The Loneliest Punk, and Fatlip and Tre Hardson’s 2007 holiday song “All I Want for Xmas”).
With his own “Fat House Productions” acts Jazzyfatnastees
Jazzyfatnastees
Jazzyfatnastees is a vocal duo, Tracey Moore and Mercedes Martinez . Originally, a vocal quartet, they landed a deal with Tommy Boy in 1993...
and Quinton, J-Swift signed an ill-fated million dollar deal with Tommy Boy Records in 1993. Another of his groups, The Wascals, dropped several singles including “Class Clown” and “The Dips” in ’94, but broke up before releasing their debut. (Wascals’ Greatest Hits, completely produced by J-Swift, was finally released by Delicious Vinyl in 2007.) In the mid-‘90s, J-Swift lent his signature style to a string of remixes, including Prince’s “Letitgo (Sherm Stick Edit),” Massive Attack’s “Protection,” and Urban Thermo Dynamics’ “Manifest Destiny” (featuring a young Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
).
By the late ‘90s, a depressed J-Swift had disappeared from the music scene and turned to sniffing coke before graduating to crack. He lost his studio and was introduced to the streets. These hard times are candidly shown in director (and J’s longtime friend) Shauna Garr’s documentary 1 More Hit, which features such taglines as, “From hip hop visionary to homeless in Hollywood.” and "1 More Hit: Every Great Musician Needs One". 1 More Hit was completed in October 2011 and will be released digitally in December of 2011.
Amazingly, J-Swift’s immense musical talent still shines through the darkness of his addiction. Somehow, someway, J-Swift managed to record new tracks from 2005 through 2010, providing not only the beats but also the rhymes. Featuring soul-baring rap confessionals (“Off My Chest”) and tales of perseverance through struggles (“Born To Win Despite Myself”) — while still celebrating recreational drug use (“I’ll Do Mine”) — J-Swift’s new project has the b-boy making his long-anticipated return with a daringly dope alter ego: Negro Kanevo!
J-Swift came up with the name after a heated altercation with a gun-wielding meth addict over some missing dope. As he later sat on a bed in a dingy motel room reflecting on the daily myriad risks he faced, J-Swift sighed, “Man, I can’t believe my life. I’m living like Negro Kanevo!”
Recent Events
J-Swift was featured in Rhyme and Punishment, a 2011 film that documents various Hip-Hop artists who have spent time in prison. In the film J-Swift recounts his convictions and life in prison.Productions
- 1992 The PharcydeThe PharcydeThe Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
- Bizarre Ride II the PharcydeBizarre Ride II the PharcydeBizarre Ride II the Pharcyde is the debut album of American hip hop group The Pharcyde, released on November 24, 1992 through Delicious Vinyl Records. The album was produced by former group member J-Swift, and features only one guest appearance, provided by little known Los Angeles rapper Bucwheed... - 1993 The Wascals - Greatest Hits
- 1994 QuintonQuintonQuinton may refer to:*Quinton Andrews, American football player*Anthony Quinton, a philosopher*A. R. Quinton, an English watercolour artist*Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, an American Mixed Martial Artist*René Quinton, a French naturalist...
- Quinton's Here – Tommy Boy RecordsTommy Boy RecordsTommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
- 1) "Quinton's on the Way (A Jazzy Skit)" (production)
- 2) "Still Fiendin'" (production)
- 3) "Quinton's Here" (production)
- 4) "I'm Not an MC" (production)
- 5) "Quinton's Here" [instrumental] (production)
- 6) "Ill Friend" (production)
- 1994 Prince – "Letitgo" – Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
- 1994 Prince – "Letitgo" – Warner Bros. Records
- 6) Letitgo (Sherm Stick Edit) (production)
- 1995 Urban Thermo Dynamics - "Manifest Destiny (single)" - Payday/ffrr Records
- 3) "Manifest Destiny (J-Swift Edit)" (production)
- 1995 Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
– "Protection" – Virgin RecordsVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
- 1995 Massive Attack
- 4) "Protection (J Swift Mix)" (production)
- 2000 The PharcydeThe PharcydeThe Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
– Trust – Delicious Vinyl Records
- 2000 The Pharcyde
- 1) "Trust (Remix)" (production)
- 2000 Buc Fifty - Bad Man – Battle Axe Records
- 2004 Buc Fifty - Serve The Devil, Praise The Lord - Battle Axe Records
- 4) "Gangster (Murderville)" (production)
- 7) "Manifest Destiny" (production)
- 2000 Various - Delicious VinylDelicious VinylDelicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles. Throughout its history, the label has had distribution deals with [Island Records/[PolyGram]], Warner Music Group, EMI, Red Ant, Rhino and Universal Music Group.-Early...
Presents... Prime Cuts Vol. 1 - Battle Axe Records
- 2000 Various - Delicious Vinyl
- 2) "The Black Pack - Used To Be My Lover" (production)
External links
- 1 More Hit Official Website
- Discogs Discography
- http://rhymesandpolitics.com/?p=1669