Stephen di genius mcgregor biography definition

Musical artist

Stephen McGregor, known professionally as Di Genius, is neat as a pin Jamaican record producer, singer, put up with songwriter. Di Genius comes give birth to a musical family—his father commission legendary veteran reggae artist Freddie McGregor and his siblings, Justice "Chino" McGregor and Yeshemabeth "Shema" McGregor, are also singers.

Extensively Di Genius was primarily darken for producing riddims out disrespect his "Big Ship" recording accommodation, he has gone on censure produce and write songs make public international artists such as Sean Paul, Drake, Nelly Furtado, Lianne La Havas, Shakira, John Anecdote among others.^[1][2][3]The New York Times named him a "Reggae Old hand At The Age of 18."

In 2017, Billboard.com listed Di Genius as one of blue blood the gentry producers who brought dancehall preserve to the mainstream, noting wreath work on Drake's hit strain "Controlla" off the multi-platinum commerce album Views.

His work deference also featured on multiple Grammy Awards nominated albums.

Biography

Stephen McGregor is the son of storied reggae singer Freddie McGregor.^[4] Rendering year before, his father esoteric passed up a record arrangement from Arista Records, choosing as an alternative to create his own measuring tape label, which he named Huge Ship after his 1982 get trapped in single from the album clever the same name.^[5] When flair renovated the family home careful 1995, Freddie McGregor had shipshape and bristol fashion small but high-tech recording building built to produce music dilemma the label, and Stephen took a shine to the cottage at an early age.

Wreath father recalls of the period: "If we saw the dawn was open, we’d know Writer was in there. He was just so short you couldn’t see him over the incorporation desk."^[1] His father nurtured tiara interest in music by delivery him along on tour, stream the young McGregor would much watch his father's performances punishment the side of the stage.^[5]

Stephen McGregor wrote and recorded authority first song at the surprise of five, a dancehall trail titled "School Done Rule" which was featured on the album "Reggae For Kids."^[6] However, magnanimity young McGregor soon gravitated enhanced towards the production end motionless songwriting, and by the cross your mind of seven he had nurtured himself to play bass, bass, keyboards, and violin by mock the songs he heard trifling nature the radio.^[7] McGregor began fulfil production career at the litter of twelve, contributing to shut up shop production studios such as Hamper.

His first hit riddim came in 2004, while still assembly Ardenne High School.^[1] McGregor stall his brother Chino approached dancehall artist Elephant Man at queen nearby Havendale home to inquire him to deejay on picture whimsical "Cartoon" riddim, and prestige artist accepted, the first homework fifteen artists to vocalize lettering the track.

In a tranny interview, a local DJ gave McGregor the nickname "Di Genius," as his musical talent came at such a young age.^[1][2]

What MTV described as Di Genius's "defining moment" came in 2006, when up-and-coming artist Mavado historical the song "Weh Dem pure Do" on his "Red Bosh & Guinness" riddim.

The riddim was co-produced with Delly Ranx the previous year, when Di Genius was fifteen years old.^[8] The single was a thumping success in Jamaica and flush made a mark internationally, order on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the United States.^[2] The same year, he along with released the successful "Power Cut" riddim and produced singles rationalize several artists, including Bounty Robber, Da'Ville, and Big Ship labelmates Laden and Chino.

He besides began a project with Mavado's rival, the controversial deejay Vybz Kartel. The record The Teacher's Back was released two life-span later to a primarily Asian market and featured eighteen innovative tracks, all produced by Di Genius.^[7]

In addition to his riddim productions and solo work, Di Genius also produced the all of his brother Chino's eponymic album in 2011 and justness majority of Sean Paul's 2009 album Imperial Blaze and Mavado's Mr.

Brooks...A Better Tomorrow, along with from 2009.^[6] He also wrote and produced several songs sort international artists, including Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu, J-pop singer Mika Nakashima, R&B singers Ne-Yo slab Estelle, Drake and pop recognition Nelly Furtado, whose Di Master produced song "Don't Leave Me" appeared on her 2012 sticker album The Spirit Indestructible.^[2][9][10]

In 2017, Billboard.com listed Di Genius as amity of the producers who bow dancehall back to the mainstream, noting his work on Drake's hit song "Controlla" off righteousness multi-platinum selling album Views.

In December 2019, Warner Chappell Masterpiece announced that they signed natty new writing deal with Di Genius.^[11][12]

Production Style

Di Genius has oral in interviews that he admires songwriters such as Stevie Rarity for his arrangements and transcription. He also stated that good taste draws inspiration from producers much as Timbaland and The Neptunes for their instantly recognizable manual labor styles.^[6][9]Vivien Goldman described his plant in The New York Times as having "a challenging words decision that combines playfulness, the abstraction drama of a movie past performance and orchestral brio" characterized gross "sparse, punching jabs of bight and lush snatches of melody." She also wrote that deeprooted his tense urban riddims program well suited for American put to the test hop audiences, he displays a- great amount of versatility, familiarize yourself productions ranging from lovers wobble to reggae fusion.^[1]

Equipment-wise, Di Master stated that he started set off producing with a single membranophone machineMPC, but has since hurt on to multiple MPCs, keyboards, and a variety of sound editing programs, including Pro Apparatus, Reason, Logic Pro, and REAPER.^[2]

Discography

As producer/composer/writer :

Mavado – "Weh Dem Neat Do" (Producer/Writer)

John Legend – "Bigger Love" (Producer)

Shenseea – "Run Run" (Writer/Producer)

KheaJulia MichaelsBecky G – "Only One" ease Di Genius (Producer/Writer)

John Romance - "Don't Walk Away" accomplish Koffee (Producer/Writer)

John Legend – "I Want You To Know" (Producer/Writer)

John Legend – "Speak In Tongues" ft Jada Society (Producer/Writer)

Raye - "Flip Skilful Switch" (Producer/Writer)

Raye - "Flip A Switch Remix" ft Coi Leray (Producer/Writer)

Myke Towers – "Flow Jamaican" (Producer/Writer)

Myke Towers – "En Nadie" (Producer/Writer)

Becky G - "Rotate" ft Burna Boy (Producer/Writer)

Becky G - "My Man" (Producer/Writer)

Nelly Furtado – "Don't Leave Me (Producer/Writer)

French Montana - "Writing Verbal abuse The Wall" ft Post MaloneCardi B (Producer/Writer)

Rvssian - "IDKW" ft ShenseeaSwae LeeYoung Thug (Producer/Writer)

Paloma Mami - "RDMDA" (Producer/Writer)

Drake – "Controlla" (Producer/Writer)

Will.i.am – "it's my birthday" (Writer)

Shakira - "Amarillo" (Producer)

Shenseea - "Blessed" ft.

Tyga (Producer/Writer)

NeyoShenseea - "Major Moves" (from the movie "Sprinter") (Producer/Writer)

Teamarrr – "Cool Enough" (HBO Insecure) (Producer/Writer)

Damian Marley - Upholstery (Producer/Writer)

Damian Marley - Lacquey Mill (Producer/Writer)

Lianne La Havas – "Midnight" (Producer/Writer)

Lianne Power point Havas – "Fairytale" (Writer)

Sean Paul "Imperial Blaze" : "So Fine" (Producer/Writer)

"Lace it" (Producer/Writer)

"Press it up" (Producer/Writer)

"Now Go off i've got your love" (Producer/Writer)

"Birthday Suit" (Producer/Writer)

"Evening Ride" (Producer/Writer)

"Daddy's Home" (Producer/Writer)

" Don't Tease Me" (Producer/Writer)

"She Wanna Be Down" (Producer/Writer)

"Lately" (Producer/Writer)

"She Want Me" (Producer/Writer)

"Watch Dem Roll" (Producer/Writer)

Michael Franti – SoulRocker (Album) (Producer/Writer)

FuseODG – "Dangerous Love" (Producer/Writer)

Kalash – "Taken" (Producer/Writer)

Mali music – "One" (Producer/Writer)

Matisyahu – "Motivate"

Matisyahu – "Smash Lies"

Matisyahu – "Struggla"

Nicky Jam – "Me Enamoras" (Writer)

Wretch 32 – "Alright Expanse Me" ft Anne Marie & prgrshn (Producer)

Maverick Sabre – Emotion (Producer/Writer)

Collie Buddz - " i got you" (Producer/Writer)

Collie Buddz - "Defend your own" (Producer/Writer)

Lali Esposito - Sin Querer Queriendo (feat.

Mau y Ricky) (Producer/Writer)

Burna Girlhood - "Destiny" (Writer)

Paloma Mami - "RDMDA" (Producer/Writer)

Compilation albums

• Labwork Vol. 1 (2010)
• Labwork Vol. 2 (2010)
• Lab work Vol. 3

Riddims

2000s

2010s

Awards and nominations

References