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J. Wells (born Jon Wells in Chicago, 1982) is a record producer and occasional rapper. He is a member of the Likwit Crew[1].
[edit] Biography
J. Wells was born and raised in Chicago but moved to California in his early years. He started his career in entertainment at the age of 12 as a rapper, and actor starring in several commercials including Levi's and Mcdonalds. In high school Wells began to Produce Music and he formed a 3-men group called "Rocswell" [2]. The group formed their first album Chilahyork in 1997 and sold massive copies out the trunk. They had created a second album Tha Classiks in 1999 and topped the first one with massive street sales. As time went by Wells took his productions to other acts and in the summer of 2000 he found a new Dallas-based hip hop collective of Styliztik Jones and Versatile collectively called "Virus". The group caught the attention of Warner Brothers Record executives and Virus was eventually signed to Warner Brothers in 2001. Due to Warner Brothers political problems the label dropped all hip-hop oriented acts thus their first album Outbreak was shelved for unknown reasons. At this time Wells began musical studys at Cal-State Northridge and began producing for local record label Wolfpac Records where he was introduced to J-Ro of Tha Alkaholiks. Encouraged early on by J-Ro, J. Wells was invited to join the legendary Likwit Crew which includes Tha Alkaholiks E-Swift, J Ro and Tash (rapper), King Tee, LootPack, Phil Da Agony, and Defari as well as the extended Likwit family of Xzibit, Dilated Peoples, Planet Asia, Madlib, Evidence, amongst others. Furthermore, Wells completed work on on Wolfpac's "Roger Troutman tribute Project". The next year Tha Liks took him on the road on Snoop Dogg's 'Puff Puff Pass' tour, where he met Kurupt from the Dogg Pound (with whom he later released an collaboration album "Digital Smoke" ). After touring with Snoop, Wells went on to put together his own Mixtape debut J. Wells presents: "The Wolfpac Mixtape" Vol.1, which garnered massive critical acclaim and sold more copies than almost any West Coast mixtape. The CD features guests including Kurupt, Styliztik, James DeBarge, El DeBarge, Y.A.,Roscoe, J Ro, Tash and Prodigal Sunn of Sunz of Man. In 2005 at the age of 22, J.Wells launched his own record label Bonzi Records distributed by Fontana Distribution [3]. J.Wells completed his debut album on Bonzi Records, "Digital Master", which was hugely successful throughout the West Coast. It features new Artist signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment Bishop Lamont, as well as other artists including Method Man, Mitchy Slick, Goodie Mob, Tha Liks, Jayo Felony, Kurupt, Roscoe, and Planet Asia. J. Wells also produced the Goodie Mob single, Play Yo Flutes,featuring Sleepy Brown, for Goodie Mob's album One Monkey Don't Stop No Show. Wells produced songs for Snoop Dogg's animated DVD "The Adventures of The Blue Carpet Treatment", also J.Wells Produced "Work It Out" for Keyshia Coles' Platinum CD "Just Like You". In 2007 Wells teamed up with The Dogg Pounds' Kurupt to release “Digital Smoke” . It pays homage to the beloved city of Los Angeles with special guest appearances by Goodie Mob, Tha Alkaholiks, Kokane, Roscoe, James DeBarge and Kurupt’s fiancée, Gail Gotti. There has been a surge in demand for J. Wells in Film & TV after having his tracks featured on hit taste-maker shows such as,The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, and F. Gary Grays' blockbuster film and soundtrack Be Cool. His songs are also featured in the video games: EA Sports, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 Fight Night Round 3, as well as commercials for major corporations directed by Paul Hunter (director) including McDonalds, Smirnoff, Starbucks, and Coors Light Furthermore, Wells went on to Produce for the likes of Ne-Yo, Katt Williams, D-12, Da Brat, Nate Dogg, Rakim, DJ Quik, Canibus, Nicole Wray, Dead Prez, WC, Mack 10, and Tyrese, amongst others...
[4][5][6]
[edit] Discography
- West Coast All Stars - Still Mo Bounce (2000)
- "Crushed Grapes" ft. Merciless Stylz,K Boogs
- J-Ro - "What U Lookin' At?" (single, 2002)
- Wolfpac Records Presents: Still More Bou (2002)
- "Grape Juice" ft. Merciless Stylz, K. Boogs
- Roscoe - Young Roscoe Philaphornia (2003)
- J. Wells Presents: The Wolfpac Mixtape (full album) (2004)
- Shyheim - The Greatest Story Never Told (2004)
- Goodie Mob - One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (2004)
- "Play Your Flutes" ft. Sleepy Brown, Kurupt
- Kurupt - Kurupt Presents The Originals (2004)
- "I Didn't Change"
- "Y'z Up A'z Down"
- Planet Asia - The Grand Opening (2004)
- The Sopranos series episode music (1999-)
- Six Feet Under series episode music (2001-2005)
- EA Sports 2004 Tiger Woods Golf soundtrack
- EA Sports, 2006 Fight Night soundtrack
- Digital Master (full album) (2005)
- Be Cool soundtrack (2005)
- Planet Asia featuring Kurupt - "G'z & Soldiers" [7]
- Prodigal Sunn - Return Of The Prodigal Sunn (2005)
- "Procrastinators" ft. Freemurder, Young Masta, Bonzi J. Wells
- Flixx - "Tha Dubb" (promo, 2005)
- Stico and Da Bandit - "Only U" Feat. Nire (promo, produced by J. Wells) (2006)
- Kurupt "Digital Smoke ( collaboration album) (2007)
- Snoop Dogg "The Adventures of the Blue Carpet Treatment" animated DVD(unreleased)
- "To All My Bitch__"
- Stic-Man of Dead Prez "Manhood (stic.man album)"
- "Independent Hustler"
- "Black Girl Shine"
- Keyshia Cole - Just like You (Keyshia Cole album) (platinum) (2007)
- Canibus - For Whom the Beat Tolls (2007)
- "702-386-5397"
- "Javelin Fangz"
- J-Ro - Rare Earth B-Boy Funk Vol.2 (2007)
- Young Ant aka A+ Tha Pimp - Made Men
[8][9] [10]
[edit] Commercials music composed by
- McDonalds
- Smirnoff
- Starbucks
- Coors Light
[11]
[edit] References
- ^ New Members. Playback Magazine. ASCAP (Fall 2004).
- ^ Cover of second record Tha Classiks, 2001, printed in the US
- ^ according to lyrics in Digital Smoke, 2006, no link available
- ^ JWELLS PRESENTS: THE WOLFPAC MIXTAPE VOLUME 1 | RAPINDUSTRY.COM FEATURE
- ^ Nima (February 2008). Exclusive interview with J. Wells. DubCNN Magazine. DubCNN. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
- ^ James Robinson. Virus.... Wolfpac Records. Archived from the original on 2004-02-04. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
- ^ Be Cool (2005) - Soundtracks
- ^ ProdBy // The Net #1 Source for Hip-Hop Productions and Discographies
- ^ dubcnn.com // West Coast News Network //
- ^ Canibus - For Whom The Beat Tolls
- ^ MySpace.com - Bonzi!! - Likwit Atlanta, Georgia - Hip Hop / R&B / Pop - www.myspace.com/digitalmastermusic
Digital Smoke
