The-Dream
Encyclopedia
Terius Youngdell Nash better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter
and record producer
. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella
" for Rihanna
and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
" for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate
, Love vs. Money
, and Love King
.
and moved with his mother, Reva Nash, to Atlanta at the age of 3. He played trumpet, drums, and guitar as a child. His mother died in 1992 when Nash was fifteen years old, an event which would inspire him to write songs. He states that the death of his mother gave him a "soft spot" for women, which he credits to his desire to write songs about female empowerment such as Rihanna's "Umbrella". He moved in with his grandfather, a concrete mason
who instilled a strong work ethic in young Nash. Of his grandfather, Nash recalls "He came out of a bad time for blacks in the South, but even though we lived in the hood, we had a boat, some cars and a house that was paid for. So I’ve always had a different outlook on life. There’s nothing I can’t do."
in 2001; Stewart helped him get a publishing deal after writing "Everything" for B2K
's album Pandemonium!
. Under the pen name "The-Dream", Nash began writing lyrics for many popular artists. He spent two years working on Nivea's second album Complicated, which he executive produced, and continued to write and produce with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
, Laney's brother, which led to Rihanna
's 2007 smash hit "Umbrella
". The success of "Umbrella" boosted Dream's music career, and in 2007, he signed a deal with Def Jam Records.
. The album was produced by The-Dream's production partner Tricky Stewart
, and Carlos "LOS Da Maestro" McKinney, and featured Fabolous
and Rihanna. The album was written and recorded in eight days with twelve tracks making the final cut. Some of the tracks were written in regards to The-Dream's personal life, most notably "Nikki," written about his ex-wife Nivea
and how he has moved on since their divorce. The-Dream explained the title, Love Hate, as short for, "Love me all summer, hate me all winter, because they love you when you hot and when you're cold they don't... I'm hot right now and they love me, but I was cold and they wasn't fuckin' with me." Released December 11, 2007 on The-Dream's Def Jam
-imprint Radio Killa Records
, Love Hate moved 59,000 copies and debuted at number 30 on the Billboard 200
. Love Hate also peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart. The album received generally positive reviews from critics, as Rolling Stone
called it "one of the most likable R&B records of the year" and UrbanMusicReviews.com said that the singer has "hit a home run."
On March 10, 2009 The-Dream released his second album Love vs. Money
. He re-teamed with his production partner Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
, who produced most of the tracks on the album, and Los Da Maestro. He also enlisted the help of Lil Jon
for the song "Let Me See the Booty
". Love vs. Money debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
, selling 151,000 copies in its first week. It also entered at number one on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
and at number three on its Top Digital Albums chart in March 2009. Upon its release, the album received general acclaim from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 83/100 from Metacritic
.
Initially, The-Dream told Billboard
that he would release his third album Love King
, in December 2009; however, in September 2009, Christopher Stewart
told Rap-Up
that the album will be released in 2010 instead. According to The-Dream, he collaborated with T-Pain
for at least one track and also expressed that he would like to make a collaboration album with Kanye West
in the future. In January 2010, The-Dream officially stated he was finished recording the album and he called it the best of his three albums. The first single, "Love King
", was released on March 16, 2010 for digital download. The-Dream said that he would release four singles and four music videos prior to the album's release. The album was released on June 29, 2010.
In July 2009, The-Dream announced that Love King will be his last solo album; however, with the release of the song Sex Intelligent Remix, The-Dream stated that on "6-07-2011 he will drop that Love Affair". But The-Dream decided to move on from the "Love Affair" album saying he put too much time into it, and that he decided to move on with the next album; "The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman)".
In 2011, The-Dream released double promotional single(s) titled "Body Work" and "Fuck My Brains Out" to the internet.
Due to label difficulties, The-Dream was not able to deliver "Love Affair" on 06/07/2011, however, in August 2011, he stated that his new album, The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman) will be released in the 4th quarter of 2011. In the meantime, he will release a free 10-track album to the internet, it was released on August 31, 2011. The-Dream will also release a 13-track studio album entitled Nikki: The Chronicles, which will follow his infatuation with the woman he sang about on 2007’s Lovehate and 2010’s Love King.. In October 2011, Dream announced that The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman) will not be released in the 4th quarter of 2011 as previously planned, Dream stated that he's delaying the album in order to release his first international project, it is titled 1984: Persona of Love, set for a Spring 2012 release, the album is a "persona album" and is inspired by his recent trip overseas.
's "Bed
", Usher's
"Moving Mountains", Yung Joc
's "Coffee Shop
" and Jesse McCartney
's "Leavin'
". He also co-wrote Mariah Carey
's "Touch My Body
", Ciara
's "High Price," and took part in co-writing a majority of Mary J. Blige
's 2007 Growing Pains
album, including the smash hit "Just Fine
". Recently he featured in Drake Drizzy's/Drake (entertainer)
's album Thank Me Later
the song "Shut It Down".
In December 2007, The-Dream was nominated for Grammy Award for Song of the Year
for "Umbrella
", but lost to Amy Winehouse's
"Rehab". However, in June 2008, The-Dream won the award for Best New Artist at the 2008 BET Awards. Throughout 2008, The-Dream appeared on a number of records including Plies'
"Please Excuse My Hands
" with Jamie Foxx
, LL Cool J
's "Baby
", Gym Class Heroes
' "Cookie Jar
" and Kardinal Offishall
's "Gimme Some". In addition, The-Dream signed female R&B girl-group Electrik Red
to Radio Killa Records and they released their debut album, How to Be a Lady: Volume 1
, under the label. The-Dream and production partner Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
produced "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
" off Beyoncé's
album I Am… Sasha Fierce
, co-produced two tracks ("Just Like Me
" & "Digital Girl") and was featured on Jamie Foxx
's album Intuition
, and worked with Mario and Lionel Richie
. He will also be featured on a number of upcoming albums from; Phyzikal, Ciara
, Sterling Simms
, Young Chris
, Dear Jayne
, Brandy
and Cassie.
In early 2009, The-Dream began working with Christina Milian
on her fourth studio album Elope, which led to her signing a joint-deal with Radio Killa Records
. The-Dream said that when he was building his label, he went looking for Milian because he believed she was a talented singer. The singer confirmed that her second single would be a duet with The-Dream called "Supersonic".
Throughout 2009, The-Dream has also been working on new material for Mariah Carey
, Brandy
, and Diddy
. Diddy's song "Change" is described by The-Dream as, "probably one of the best male records I've ever written...the best record I've written besides 'Umbrella
'. The-Dream also worked on Jennifer Lopez
's first single Louboutins from her 7th album Love? The song did not chart at the Billboard Hot 100 but charted at number 1 on the Hot/Dance Club Chart. He is still working on more tracks for her album which is going to be released in Summer 2010. He also collaborated on, produced and wrote Snoop Dogg
's "Gangsta Luv
", which is on the 2009 album Malice n Wonderland.
The-Dream and Tricky Stewart have worked on Ciara
's fourth studio album titled "Basic Instinct
", which was released on December 14, 2010, and was executive produced by the trio. He co-wrote her lead single titled "Ride
", which was released in April 2010, and went on to become a R&B smash hit and her twelfth top ten hit on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Recently, The-Dream received a fair amount of backlash for his cover of singer Aaliyah
's song "One in a Million
". Upon the release of the song, fans of Aaliyah bombarded radio shows and blog sites with distaste for The-Dream's rendition.
He also worked alongside Tricky Stewart on Jessica Simpson
's Christmas album titled Happy Christmas
, released on November 22, 2010, and also working on Simpson's upcoming pop album, to be released in 2011.
The-Dream recently produced the new single for Kim Kardashian
, "Jam (Turn It Up)
", released in March 2, 2011 and completed working on Beyoncé's album titled 4
, released on June 28, 2011.
in 2004, who he had been dating for one year. Together they had three children, daughter Navy Talia (on May 10, 2005); and twin sons London and Christian (April 2006). They had been married for three years when Nivea filed for legal separation in December 2007. The-Dream said that although he was in love with Nivea, his lack of experience in a family growing up meant he was "not taught how much more than love does it take to run a relationship. Like, 'cause love isn't just where it's gonna end. It can't start and stop with love. There has to be a certain amount of knowledge and patience that's acquired in order to keep it going and keep it straight, and I found out the hard way".
The-Dream began dating Christina Milian
in early 2009; she became pregnant. The Daily Mail reported that "the pregnancy was a surprise, but they were getting married regardless". They then became engaged in June 2009. In August, it was reported that they had applied for a marriage license in Los Angeles. On September 4, 2009, The-Dream married Christina Milian
at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas
. The-Dream said in an interview that Nivea was still a good friend of his, and that she was also friends with Milian. Milian gave birth to their daughter Violet Madison Nash on February 26, 2010. Milian and The-Dream announced their separation on July 12, 2010 after photos surfaced of The-Dream vacationing with his assistant.
In addition to music, The-Dream revealed he is currently working on a TV reality series
for MTV
where he will scout aspiring singers, and plans to release a clothing line called Millionaire Love Affair.
Free albums
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
" for Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate
Love Hate
Love Hate is the debut album of American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released December 11, 2007 on his Def Jam-imprint label Radio Killa. He has stated that the title is an abbreviation for "Love me all summer, hate me all winter". Primarily an R&B and pop outting, Love Hate was produced during...
, Love vs. Money
Love vs. Money
Love vs. Money is the second studio album by American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released March 10, 2009 on Radio Killa and Def Jam Recordings. It is the follow-up to his debut album Love Hate , and it was written and produced primarily by The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. The album...
, and Love King
Love King
Love King is the third studio album by American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released June 29, 2010, on Radio Killa Records with distribution by Def Jam Recordings...
.
Early life
Terius Nash was born in Rockingham, North CarolinaRockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...
and moved with his mother, Reva Nash, to Atlanta at the age of 3. He played trumpet, drums, and guitar as a child. His mother died in 1992 when Nash was fifteen years old, an event which would inspire him to write songs. He states that the death of his mother gave him a "soft spot" for women, which he credits to his desire to write songs about female empowerment such as Rihanna's "Umbrella". He moved in with his grandfather, a concrete mason
Concrete finisher
A concrete finisher, also known as a cement mason, is a tradesman who works with concrete. The job entails placing, finishing, protecting and repairing concrete in engineering and construction projects. Concrete finishers are often responsible for setting the concrete forms, ensuring they have the...
who instilled a strong work ethic in young Nash. Of his grandfather, Nash recalls "He came out of a bad time for blacks in the South, but even though we lived in the hood, we had a boat, some cars and a house that was paid for. So I’ve always had a different outlook on life. There’s nothing I can’t do."
Background
In 2001, Nash met R&B producer Laney StewartLaney Stewart
Laney Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, musician, music publisher, music executive, manager and youth mentor....
in 2001; Stewart helped him get a publishing deal after writing "Everything" for B2K
B2K
B2K was an American R&B music group. The group met in 1998, established in 2001, and managed by music producer Chris Stokes with Lil' Fizz, J-Boog, Raz-B, and Omarion as members. The group disbanded in 2004 due to internal disagreements.-2001-2002: B2K:...
's album Pandemonium!
Pandemonium!
Pandemonium! is the 2002 second and final studio album from the R&B/pop group B2K. The album was released through Epic on December 10, 2002.-Chart performance:...
. Under the pen name "The-Dream", Nash began writing lyrics for many popular artists. He spent two years working on Nivea's second album Complicated, which he executive produced, and continued to write and produce with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
Christopher Stewart (music producer)
Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, music publisher, executive producer, recording industry executive and recording studio owner. In a career spanning 16 years, Stewart, at the helm of his company RedZone Entertainment, is responsible for over 25 million...
, Laney's brother, which led to Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's 2007 smash hit "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
". The success of "Umbrella" boosted Dream's music career, and in 2007, he signed a deal with Def Jam Records.
Solo
Following the deal with Def Jam Records, The-Dream began working on his debut studio album Love HateLove Hate
Love Hate is the debut album of American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released December 11, 2007 on his Def Jam-imprint label Radio Killa. He has stated that the title is an abbreviation for "Love me all summer, hate me all winter". Primarily an R&B and pop outting, Love Hate was produced during...
. The album was produced by The-Dream's production partner Tricky Stewart
Christopher Stewart (music producer)
Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, music publisher, executive producer, recording industry executive and recording studio owner. In a career spanning 16 years, Stewart, at the helm of his company RedZone Entertainment, is responsible for over 25 million...
, and Carlos "LOS Da Maestro" McKinney, and featured Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
and Rihanna. The album was written and recorded in eight days with twelve tracks making the final cut. Some of the tracks were written in regards to The-Dream's personal life, most notably "Nikki," written about his ex-wife Nivea
Nivea (singer)
Nivea B. Nash who performs under the mononym Nivea, is an American recording artist whose recordings reached the Billboard charts during the early 2000s. Nivea is known most for her singles "Don't Mess With My Man" and "Laundromat".-Early life:Hamilton was born in Savannah, Georgia, the youngest...
and how he has moved on since their divorce. The-Dream explained the title, Love Hate, as short for, "Love me all summer, hate me all winter, because they love you when you hot and when you're cold they don't... I'm hot right now and they love me, but I was cold and they wasn't fuckin' with me." Released December 11, 2007 on The-Dream's Def Jam
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
-imprint Radio Killa Records
Radio Killa Records
Radio Killa Records is a record label created by singer-songwriter/producer The-Dream. The label operates as an imprint of, and is distributed through, Def Jam Recordings...
, Love Hate moved 59,000 copies and debuted at number 30 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Love Hate also peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart. The album received generally positive reviews from critics, as Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called it "one of the most likable R&B records of the year" and UrbanMusicReviews.com said that the singer has "hit a home run."
On March 10, 2009 The-Dream released his second album Love vs. Money
Love vs. Money
Love vs. Money is the second studio album by American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released March 10, 2009 on Radio Killa and Def Jam Recordings. It is the follow-up to his debut album Love Hate , and it was written and produced primarily by The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. The album...
. He re-teamed with his production partner Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
Christopher Stewart (music producer)
Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, music publisher, executive producer, recording industry executive and recording studio owner. In a career spanning 16 years, Stewart, at the helm of his company RedZone Entertainment, is responsible for over 25 million...
, who produced most of the tracks on the album, and Los Da Maestro. He also enlisted the help of Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
for the song "Let Me See the Booty
Let Me See the Booty
"Let Me See the Booty" is the first promotional single released from The Dream's second studio album Love vs. Money. The song features Lil Jon, who also produced the track. It was released via iTunes on November 25, 2008.-Chart positions:...
". Love vs. Money debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 151,000 copies in its first week. It also entered at number one on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
and at number three on its Top Digital Albums chart in March 2009. Upon its release, the album received general acclaim from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 83/100 from Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
Initially, The-Dream told Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
that he would release his third album Love King
Love King
Love King is the third studio album by American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released June 29, 2010, on Radio Killa Records with distribution by Def Jam Recordings...
, in December 2009; however, in September 2009, Christopher Stewart
Christopher Stewart (music producer)
Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, music publisher, executive producer, recording industry executive and recording studio owner. In a career spanning 16 years, Stewart, at the helm of his company RedZone Entertainment, is responsible for over 25 million...
told Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
that the album will be released in 2010 instead. According to The-Dream, he collaborated with T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
for at least one track and also expressed that he would like to make a collaboration album with Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
in the future. In January 2010, The-Dream officially stated he was finished recording the album and he called it the best of his three albums. The first single, "Love King
Love King (song)
Love King is a song by American R&B artist The-Dream. It is the first single from his upcoming third studio album, Love King.. The song premiered on February 17, 2010 on Def Jam's official website. It was released digitally on March 16, 2010-Music videos:...
", was released on March 16, 2010 for digital download. The-Dream said that he would release four singles and four music videos prior to the album's release. The album was released on June 29, 2010.
In July 2009, The-Dream announced that Love King will be his last solo album; however, with the release of the song Sex Intelligent Remix, The-Dream stated that on "6-07-2011 he will drop that Love Affair". But The-Dream decided to move on from the "Love Affair" album saying he put too much time into it, and that he decided to move on with the next album; "The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman)".
In 2011, The-Dream released double promotional single(s) titled "Body Work" and "Fuck My Brains Out" to the internet.
Due to label difficulties, The-Dream was not able to deliver "Love Affair" on 06/07/2011, however, in August 2011, he stated that his new album, The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman) will be released in the 4th quarter of 2011. In the meantime, he will release a free 10-track album to the internet, it was released on August 31, 2011. The-Dream will also release a 13-track studio album entitled Nikki: The Chronicles, which will follow his infatuation with the woman he sang about on 2007’s Lovehate and 2010’s Love King.. In October 2011, Dream announced that The Love; IV (Diary of A Madman) will not be released in the 4th quarter of 2011 as previously planned, Dream stated that he's delaying the album in order to release his first international project, it is titled 1984: Persona of Love, set for a Spring 2012 release, the album is a "persona album" and is inspired by his recent trip overseas.
Production
In addition to working with Nivea and Rihanna, The-Dream also began writing for numerous artists, most notably J. HolidayJ. Holiday
Nahum Grymes better known by his stage name J. Holiday, is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He came into prominence in 2007 with his breakthrough hit "Bed" peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Discography:...
's "Bed
Bed (song)
"Bed" is a song by American R&B singer J. Holiday. It is the second single released from his debut album Back of My Lac. The song was produced by Los Da Mystro and written by The-Dream....
", Usher's
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
"Moving Mountains", Yung Joc
Yung Joc
YaMar Jon Robinson , better known by his stage name Yung Joc, is an American rapper.-Early life:Robinson's father, Vivian Young, ran a hair-care products company and helped him write a jingle for Revlon; Robinson founded his own label to release his music.-New Joc City :After Teaming with producer...
's "Coffee Shop
Coffee Shop (Yung Joc song)
"Coffee Shop" is the first single off Yung Joc's second album Hustlenomics. It was officially released on May 5, 2007, but had been leaked onto the Internet beforehand. The track features Gorilla Zoe and uncredited chorus vocals by The-Dream...
" and Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
's "Leavin'
Leavin'
"Leavin" is a song written and produced by Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream, and recorded by American singer Jesse McCartney. It is the lead single from McCartney's third studio album Departure , and it was sent to the U.S. mainstream radios on March 10, 2008...
". He also co-wrote Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's "Touch My Body
Touch My Body
"Touch My Body" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her eleventh studio album, E=MC² . It was written and produced by Carey, along with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Crystal "Cri$tyle" Johnson and Terius "The Dream" Nash, and was released as the album's lead single on...
", Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
's "High Price," and took part in co-writing a majority of Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
's 2007 Growing Pains
Growing Pains (album)
Growing Pains is the eighth studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. The album was released on December 18, 2007 by Geffen Records. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 selling 629,000 copies in its first week...
album, including the smash hit "Just Fine
Just Fine
"Just Fine" is a dance song written by American recording artist Mary J. Blige released as the lead single from her eighth album, Growing Pains...
". Recently he featured in Drake Drizzy's/Drake (entertainer)
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
's album Thank Me Later
Thank Me Later
Thank Me Later is the debut studio album of Canadian recording artist Drake, released June 15, 2010, on Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records...
the song "Shut It Down".
In December 2007, The-Dream was nominated for Grammy Award for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
for "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
", but lost to Amy Winehouse's
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
"Rehab". However, in June 2008, The-Dream won the award for Best New Artist at the 2008 BET Awards. Throughout 2008, The-Dream appeared on a number of records including Plies'
Plies (rapper)
Algernod Lanier Washington , better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper and founder of Big Gates Records. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Washington was a wide receiver on the football team of Miami University in Ohio in 1996 and 1997 before he became a rapper. After dropping out of...
"Please Excuse My Hands
Please Excuse My Hands
"Please Excuse My Hands" is the second single off Plies's second album, Definition of Real. It features Jamie Foxx and The-Dream. It received positive reviews from music critics.-Music video:...
" with Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
's "Baby
Baby (LL Cool J song)
"Baby" is the second single from LL Cool J's 13th album Exit 13. The song was written by LL Cool J and The-Dream. It features The-Dream.Houston rapper Chamillionaire released a skit entitled "Not Your Baby" and a continuation of the "Answer Machine" songs, which was "Answer Machine 3" on his...
", Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes is an American hip hop rock band from Geneva, New York. They have collaborated with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album The Quilt.The group formed...
' "Cookie Jar
Cookie Jar (song)
"Cookie Jar" is the second single from the Gym Class Heroes album, The Quilt. The song features The-Dream singing the chorus with Travis McCoy...
" and Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
's "Gimme Some". In addition, The-Dream signed female R&B girl-group Electrik Red
Electrik Red
Electrik Red is an R&B girl group comprising Kyndra "Binkie" Reevey, Lesley Lewis, Naomi Allen and Sarah Rosete. The members began their individual careers as back-up dancers in New York City and Toronto. The group formed in 2005 and signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2008...
to Radio Killa Records and they released their debut album, How to Be a Lady: Volume 1
How to Be a Lady: Volume 1
How to Be a Lady: Volume 1 is the debut album of American R&B group Electrik Red, released May 26, 2009 on Radio Killa and Def Jam Recordings. Production and songwriting for the album was handled primarily by The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart...
, under the label. The-Dream and production partner Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
Christopher Stewart (music producer)
Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, music publisher, executive producer, recording industry executive and recording studio owner. In a career spanning 16 years, Stewart, at the helm of his company RedZone Entertainment, is responsible for over 25 million...
produced "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" off Beyoncé's
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
album I Am… Sasha Fierce
I Am… Sasha Fierce
I Am... Sasha Fierce is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé. It was released on November 18, 2008, by Columbia Records. The album was released in dual disc format, in which both discs represent a contrasting facet to Knowles' personality and musical style...
, co-produced two tracks ("Just Like Me
Just Like Me (Jamie Foxx song)
"Just Like Me" is the first single off Jamie Foxx's third studio album Intuition. It features T.I. and was written and produced by Tricky Stewart & The-Dream. This is the second collaboration between the two after "Live in the Sky" off T.I.'s fourth studio album King.-Song Concept:"Two can play...
" & "Digital Girl") and was featured on Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
's album Intuition
Intuition (Jamie Foxx album)
Intuition is the third studio album by R&B singer Jamie Foxx. It was released on December 16, 2008 in the United States under J Records....
, and worked with Mario and Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
. He will also be featured on a number of upcoming albums from; Phyzikal, Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
, Sterling Simms
Sterling Simms
Sterling Simms , is an American R&B singer-songwriter. His debut album, Yours, Mine & The Truth was released on December 23, 2008 by Def Jam Records. He is currently working on his sophomore album on J Records, and recently released a mixtape entitled July's Finest.- Biography and career :Sterling...
, Young Chris
Young Chris
Young Chris is a Grammy nominated American rapper and songwriter. A member of Philadelphia rap trio Young Gunz, formerly signed to Roc-A-Fella records through Beanie Sigel’s State Property collective, early success included the hit single "Can't Stop, Won't Stop"...
, Dear Jayne
Dear Jayne
Dear Jayne is a R&B/pop trio from Atlanta, Georgia. Their debut album, Voice Message, was originally scheduled to be released in March 2008 but has been cancelled indefinitely...
, Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
and Cassie.
In early 2009, The-Dream began working with Christina Milian
Christina Milian
Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....
on her fourth studio album Elope, which led to her signing a joint-deal with Radio Killa Records
Radio Killa Records
Radio Killa Records is a record label created by singer-songwriter/producer The-Dream. The label operates as an imprint of, and is distributed through, Def Jam Recordings...
. The-Dream said that when he was building his label, he went looking for Milian because he believed she was a talented singer. The singer confirmed that her second single would be a duet with The-Dream called "Supersonic".
Throughout 2009, The-Dream has also been working on new material for Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
, and Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
. Diddy's song "Change" is described by The-Dream as, "probably one of the best male records I've ever written...the best record I've written besides 'Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
'. The-Dream also worked on Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
's first single Louboutins from her 7th album Love? The song did not chart at the Billboard Hot 100 but charted at number 1 on the Hot/Dance Club Chart. He is still working on more tracks for her album which is going to be released in Summer 2010. He also collaborated on, produced and wrote Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
's "Gangsta Luv
Gangsta Luv
"Gangsta Luv" is the lead single off Snoop Dogg's tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland. It was produced by Tricky Stewart and co-produced by The-Dream, who is also featured in the song...
", which is on the 2009 album Malice n Wonderland.
The-Dream and Tricky Stewart have worked on Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
's fourth studio album titled "Basic Instinct
Basic Instinct (album)
Basic Instinct is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Ciara, released from December 10, 2010 by LaFace Records . Executively produced by A&R agent Mark Pitts, Ciara, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, Basic Instinct returnes Ciara to her urban roots with mid-tempo R&B cuts and...
", which was released on December 14, 2010, and was executive produced by the trio. He co-wrote her lead single titled "Ride
Ride (Ciara song)
"Ride" is a song performed by American recording artist Ciara. The song features American rapper Ludacris. It was co-written by Ciara, Ludacris, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream, and produced by the latter two. The song serves as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Basic Instinct. The song...
", which was released in April 2010, and went on to become a R&B smash hit and her twelfth top ten hit on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Recently, The-Dream received a fair amount of backlash for his cover of singer Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
's song "One in a Million
One in a Million (Aaliyah song)
"One in a Million" is an R&B song by American recording artist Aaliyah from her second studio album, One in a Million . The song was the third main single from One in a Million following "Got to Give It Up", but in North America the song was the second single, because "Got to Give It Up" was not...
". Upon the release of the song, fans of Aaliyah bombarded radio shows and blog sites with distaste for The-Dream's rendition.
He also worked alongside Tricky Stewart on Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
's Christmas album titled Happy Christmas
Happy Christmas (Jessica Simpson album)
Happy Christmas is the seventh studio album and second Christmas album by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. The album was released on November 22, 2010 by Primary Wave Records. Simpson made an appearance on The Early Show to promote the album....
, released on November 22, 2010, and also working on Simpson's upcoming pop album, to be released in 2011.
The-Dream recently produced the new single for Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York...
, "Jam (Turn It Up)
Jam (Turn It Up)
"Jam " is a single released by American television personality Kim Kardashian. The song is for charity purposes, and Kardashian confirmed that she will not be releasing any albums. The song was first premiered on March 2, 2011 during On Air with Ryan Seacrest...
", released in March 2, 2011 and completed working on Beyoncé's album titled 4
4 (Beyoncé Knowles album)
4 is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released through Columbia Records on June 24, 2011. Three weeks before its scheduled release, 4 leaked in full. The twelve-song set marks the first release by Knowles since separating professionally with father and manager,...
, released on June 28, 2011.
Personal life
The-Dream married girlfriend NiveaNivea (singer)
Nivea B. Nash who performs under the mononym Nivea, is an American recording artist whose recordings reached the Billboard charts during the early 2000s. Nivea is known most for her singles "Don't Mess With My Man" and "Laundromat".-Early life:Hamilton was born in Savannah, Georgia, the youngest...
in 2004, who he had been dating for one year. Together they had three children, daughter Navy Talia (on May 10, 2005); and twin sons London and Christian (April 2006). They had been married for three years when Nivea filed for legal separation in December 2007. The-Dream said that although he was in love with Nivea, his lack of experience in a family growing up meant he was "not taught how much more than love does it take to run a relationship. Like, 'cause love isn't just where it's gonna end. It can't start and stop with love. There has to be a certain amount of knowledge and patience that's acquired in order to keep it going and keep it straight, and I found out the hard way".
The-Dream began dating Christina Milian
Christina Milian
Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....
in early 2009; she became pregnant. The Daily Mail reported that "the pregnancy was a surprise, but they were getting married regardless". They then became engaged in June 2009. In August, it was reported that they had applied for a marriage license in Los Angeles. On September 4, 2009, The-Dream married Christina Milian
Christina Milian
Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....
at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The-Dream said in an interview that Nivea was still a good friend of his, and that she was also friends with Milian. Milian gave birth to their daughter Violet Madison Nash on February 26, 2010. Milian and The-Dream announced their separation on July 12, 2010 after photos surfaced of The-Dream vacationing with his assistant.
In addition to music, The-Dream revealed he is currently working on a TV reality series
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
where he will scout aspiring singers, and plans to release a clothing line called Millionaire Love Affair.
Discography
Studio albums- 2007: Love HateLove HateLove Hate is the debut album of American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released December 11, 2007 on his Def Jam-imprint label Radio Killa. He has stated that the title is an abbreviation for "Love me all summer, hate me all winter". Primarily an R&B and pop outting, Love Hate was produced during...
- 2009: Love vs. MoneyLove vs. MoneyLove vs. Money is the second studio album by American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released March 10, 2009 on Radio Killa and Def Jam Recordings. It is the follow-up to his debut album Love Hate , and it was written and produced primarily by The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. The album...
- 2010: Love KingLove KingLove King is the third studio album by American R&B and pop artist The-Dream, released June 29, 2010, on Radio Killa Records with distribution by Def Jam Recordings...
- 2012: 1984: Persona of Love
- 2012: The Love, IV: Diary of a Madman
- 2012: Nikki: The Chronicles
- TBA: Love V
Free albums
- 2011: 1977
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Mobo Awards MOBO Awards The Music of Black Origin Awards, established in 1995 by Kanya King MBE and Andy Ruffell, are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music.... |
Best Songwriter | "Bed Bed (song) "Bed" is a song by American R&B singer J. Holiday. It is the second single released from his debut album Back of My Lac. The song was produced by Los Da Mystro and written by The-Dream.... " (songwriter) |
|
| 2008 | American Music Awards American Music Awards -Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC... |
T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist | The-Dream | |
| BET Awards BET Awards The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET... |
Best New Artist | |||
| Grammy Awards | Song of the Year | "Umbrella" (songwriter) | ||
| Ozone Awards | Best R&B Artist | The-Dream | ||
| 2009 | BET Awards | Best Male R&B Artist | ||
| BET Hip-Hop Awards | Viewer's Choice | "Throw It in the Bag Throw It in the Bag "Throw It in the Bag" is the first single from Fabolous' album Loso's Way. The song features The-Dream. The song leaked in March, and it was initially not supposed to be the lead single, but after the leak, Fabolous changed his mind because of the positive response he got from fans on... " with Fabolous Fabolous John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut... |
||
| 2010 | Grammy Awards | Song of the Year | "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the... " (songwriter) |
|
| Album of the Year | I Am...Sasha Fierce (songwriter) | |||
| Best R&B Song | "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the... " (songwriter) |