James Fauntleroy

Last updated

James Fauntleroy
Birth nameJames Edward Fauntleroy II
Born (1984-05-16) May 16, 1984 (age 40)
Origin Inglewood, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • percussion
Years active2006–present
LabelsReservoir (Publishing) [1]
Formerly of

James Edward Fauntleroy II (born May 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for numerous songwriting credits and guest performances on songs by high-profile artists including Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Drake, J. Cole, Vince Staples, Jhené Aiko, Big Sean, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Justin Timberlake. In 2014 and 2018, Fauntleroy won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

Contents

Musical career

In 2007, Fauntleroy wrote five tracks for Chris Brown's second album Exclusive (2007). [2]

In 2009, James Fauntleroy co-wrote six tracks on Rihanna's fourth album Rated R (2009). [3]

In 2011, Fauntleroy provided vocals for five songs on Common's The Dreamer/The Believer album. He appeared on "Dreamer (feat. Maya Angelou)", "Gold," "Cloth", "Celebrate", and "Windows". In 2012, he contributed vocals to Kanye West's first G.O.O.D. Music collaborative album, Cruel Summer. He appears on "Clique", "Higher", "Sin City", and "The One". [4]

In 2013, Fauntleroy also made high-profile appearances on Drake's "Girls Love Beyonce", Nipsey Hussle's Crenshaw , Travis Scott's Owl Pharaoh , J. Cole's Born Sinner and Big Sean's Hall of Fame . [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] He also contributed writing and additional vocals to New Kids on the Block's 10 (2013) and Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013). [10] Fauntleroy also performed at the 2013 Soul Train Music Awards. [11] On November 15, 2013, Timbaland released "Know Bout Me", the first single from his album Textbook Timbo featuring Fauntleroy, Drake and Jay-Z. However, Timbaland looks to have shelved the project for the time being, instead focusing on his new album Opera Noir. [12] [13] He also co-wrote every song on Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience (2013) and twelve further tracks on the follow-up The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (2013). [3] [14]

In 2014, Fauntleroy won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for co-writing "Pusher Love Girl", for Justin Timberlake's highly successful third studio album The 20/20 Experience (2013). [15]

In 2015, Fauntleroy wrote on 4 tracks on Rihanna's eighth studio album Anti and appeared on Kendrick Lamar's album To Pimp a Butterfly , which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. [16]

In 2016, Fauntleroy co-wrote 7 tracks on Bruno Mars' third studio album 24K Magic.

Discography

Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry. Considered the highest music honor, the awards were established in 1958. James Fauntleroy has won 4 awards out of 6 nominations. [17]

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2014 "Pusher Love Girl" (As a songwriter) Best R&B Song Won
2015 BEYONCÉ (featured artist) Album of the Year Nominated
2016 To Pimp a Butterfly (featured artist)Nominated
2018 "That's What I Like" (As a songwriter) Song of the Year Won
Best R&B Song Won
"24K Magic" (As a songwriter) Album of the Year Won
2024 Nova(with Terrace Martin) Best Progressive R&B Album Nominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timbaland</span> American record producer (born 1972)

Timothy Zachery Mosley, known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, and singer. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinctive "stuttering" rhythmic style. In 2007, Entertainment Weekly stated that "just about every current pop trend can be traced back to him—from sultry, urban-edged R&B songstresses [...] to the art of incorporating avant-garde sounds into No. 1 hits."

<i>Shock Value II</i> 2009 studio album by Timbaland

Shock Value II is the third and latest studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to his previous album, Shock Value. Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 through Blackground Records, however, it was pushed back once more and finally released on December 7, 2009 in the UK and December 8 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipsey Hussle</span> American rapper (1985–2019)

Ermias Joseph Asghedom, known professionally as Nipsey Hussle, was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid-2000s, Hussle independently released his debut mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1, to moderate local success, which led to him being signed to Cinematic Music Group and Epic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scoop DeVille</span> American record producer (born 1987)

Elijah Blue Molina, better known by his stage name Scoop DeVille, is an American record producer, rapper and DJ. DeVille has produced singles and albums for hip hop artists including Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nipsey Hussle, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe. He produced Kendrick Lamar's 2013 single "Poetic Justice" and Snoop Dogg's 2009 single "I Wanna Rock", both of which peaked within the top 50 of the US Billboard Hot 100.

Jerome Harmon, better known as J-Roc, is an American songwriter and music producer from Fort Worth, Texas. He frequently collaborates with Timbaland. Jerome Harmon has produced for Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Chris Brown, Keri Hilson, Ashlee Simpson, Mario, Nelly Furtado, Jamie Foxx, Michael Jackson, Kat Dahlia and Chris Cornell.

<i>The 20/20 Experience</i> 2013 studio album by Justin Timberlake

The 20/20 Experience is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on March 19, 2013, by RCA Records, as the follow-up to his second studio album FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). It is considered the first half of a two-piece project, later being supplemented by his fourth studio album The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (2013). The album incorporates neo soul styles with elements of older soul music; its lyrics discuss themes of romance and sex. Production is handled by Timbaland, Timberlake, who also serves as the album's executive producer, and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with Rob Knox contributing to the album's deluxe edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suit & Tie</span> 2013 single by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z

"Suit & Tie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his third studio album The 20/20 Experience (2013). It features a verse from American rapper Jay-Z. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. It features compositional samples from the 1972 song "Sho' Nuff" by Sly, Slick and Wicked, which members are credited as co-writers to "Suit & Tie". The song was premiered on YouTube on January 13, 2013, and was released on the following day by RCA Records as the lead single from the album. It serves as Timberlake's highly anticipated musical comeback following a six-year hiatus, during which time he pursued an acting career and developed his skills as a record producer and songwriter for other artists.

"Don't Hold the Wall" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his third studio album, The 20/20 Experience (2013). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy.

"Pusher Love Girl" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his third studio album, The 20/20 Experience (2013). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy. The song is an ode to the "intoxicating effects" of love and sex. "Pusher Love Girl" is a slow-tempo R&B song that goes through several different styles during its eight-minute duration. It opens with an orchestral intro, before transcending into its "funky main section". The song concludes with an outro that sees Timberlake rap over futuristic hip hop beats, comparing several narcotics to the love of his significant other.

<i>Magna Carta Holy Grail</i> 2013 studio album by Jay-Z

Magna Carta Holy Grail is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was made available at first for free digital download for Samsung customers via the Jay-Z Magna Carta app on July 4, 2013. It was released for retail sale on July 8, 2013 by Roc Nation, Roc-A-Fella, and Universal Music Distribution, as well as the final release by Roc-A-Fella before the label was shuttered. The album features guest appearances by Justin Timberlake, Nas, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean and Beyoncé. Most of the album was produced by Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, while other producers included Boi-1da, Mike Will Made It, Hit-Boy, Mike Dean, No I.D., The-Dream, Swizz Beatz, and Pharrell Williams among others. The album was promoted through various commercials presented by Samsung and was not preceded by any retail singles.

"Holy Grail" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z from his twelfth studio album Magna Carta Holy Grail. It features vocals from American singer Justin Timberlake and serves as the album's lead single. It was produced by The-Dream, Timbaland, and J-Roc, with additional production from No ID and contains elements of Nirvana's 1991 hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Following the release of the album, the song charted in many regions, entering at number eight and reaching number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as charting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. "Holy Grail" had sold over 3.4 million copies in the United States as of 2018.

"Picasso Baby" is a song by American hip hop artist Jay-Z from his twelfth studio album Magna Carta... Holy Grail. It is the second track on the album and features additional vocals by The-Dream and Zofia Borucka Moreno. The song was produced by Timbaland and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon and contains a sample of "Sirens" by Adrian Younge. Following the release of the album, the song peaked at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 based on downloads only.

"Cabaret" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake for his fourth studio album, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (2013). Featuring a rap verse by Canadian rapper Drake, the song was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon and Daniel Jones, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy and Drake. "Cabaret" is a pop and soul song which features beatboxing, handclapping, guitars and keyboards in its composition. Music critics noted its similarity to Timbaland's earlier works with singer Aaliyah and Timberlake's 2006 single "My Love". Lyrically, it finds the singer comparing his love to a burlesque and features sexually oriented lyrics.

<i>Crenshaw</i> (mixtape) 2013 mixtape by Nipsey Hussle

Crenshaw is the eighth official mixtape by American rapper Nipsey Hussle. The mixtape was released as a free digital download on October 8, 2013, on mixtape hosting websites. It was also released in a limited first edition of 1,000 copies for $100 each including other incentives via his All Money In record label. The mixtape features production by The Futuristiks, 1500 or Nothin', 9th Wonder, DJ Dahi, Mike Free, Ralo, Wizzo and Jiggy Hendrix, among others. Guest appearances on the mixtape came from Rick Ross, Dom Kennedy, Slim Thug, James Fauntleroy II, Z-Ro, Skeme and Sade among others. The mixtape was supported by the singles "Checc Me Out" featuring Dom Kennedy and Cobby Supreme, "U See Us", "The Weather" featuring Rick Ross, "If U Were Mine" featuring Fauntleroy, and "1 of 1".

1500 or Nothin' is an American musical ensemble composed of record producers, songwriters, musicians and music videographers, formed in 2006, in Los Angeles, California. With headquarters located in Inglewood, California, 1500 or Nothin' is composed of three internal divisions: 1500 Or Nothin' Music, 1500 Or Nothin' Video, and 1500 Or Nothin' Ancillary. In 2006, 1500 or Nothin' began to create "a variety of music genres including Hip-Hop Rap, Rhythm & Blues, Alternative Rock, Urban and New Adult Contemporary. The collective 1500 or Nothin' has lent their writing, production or instrument skills to records for Justin Timberlake, Asher Roth, Jay-Z, Kanye West, T.I., Bruno Mars and B.o.B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Know Bout Me</span> 2013 promotional single by Timbaland featuring Jay-Z, Drake and James Fauntleroy

"Know Bout Me" is a promotional single by American producer and rapper Timbaland's. The song features vocals from Jay Z, Drake and James Fauntleroy. It was released as promotional single via digital download on November 21, 2013.

"What It Feels Like" is a song by American rappers Nipsey Hussle and Jay-Z, from the soundtrack to the film Judas and the Black Messiah. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on February 16, 2021, four days after the film was released.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay-Z singles discography</span>

The singles discography of American rapper Jay-Z consists of 68 singles as a lead artist, and 51 singles as a featured artist, as well as 14 promotional singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Carless</span> American music executive

Steven Pierre Carless, also known as "Steve-O", is an American record executive, talent manager, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He is best known for working with Nipsey Hussle. In 2020, the duo received two Grammy Awards for the songs "Racks in the Middle" featuring Roddy Ricch and "Higher" with DJ Khaled.

References

  1. Roberts, Dave (April 10, 2018). "I just wanted a job, a car and a cell phone". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  2. Exclusive - Chris Brown | Credits | AllMusic , retrieved July 1, 2020
  3. 1 2 "Check The Credits: Songwriter James Fauntleroy II On Writing Hits For Rihanna, Jordin Sparks, Justin Timberlake & More | Life+Times". Lifeandtimes.com. June 11, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  4. "G.O.O.D. Music, 'Cruel Summer': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  5. "Drake Releases James Fauntleroy-Assisted, 'Girls Love Beyonce': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  6. "New Song: Drake Featuring James Fauntleroy, 'Girls Love Beyonce' (NSFW)". Buzzworthy.mtv.com. April 16, 2013. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  7. ""Born Sinner" f/ James Fauntleroy — 30 Second Reviews: First Impressions of J. Cole's "Born Sinner"". Complex. June 7, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  8. Baker, Soren (October 8, 2013). "Nipsey Hussle "Crenshaw" Release Date, Cover Art, Tracklisting, Stream | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHop DX. Archived from the original on November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  9. Jamshed, Zahra. "Big Sean – Hall Of Fame (Tracklist)". Hypetrak. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  10. "James Fauntleroy | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  11. "He Got Soul: James Fauntleroy | Soul Train Awards". BET. October 31, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  12. "Listen: Timbaland Teams Up With Drake, Jay Z and James Fauntleroy on "Know Bout Me" | News". Pitchfork. November 15, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  13. Helman, Peter (November 15, 2013). "Timbaland – "Know Bout Me" (Feat. Jay Z, Drake & James Fauntleroy)". Stereogum. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  14. "Terrace Martin, James Fauntleroy, and Robert Glasper Team for Touching 'No Wrong, No Right' | SPIN | SPIN Mix | Premieres". SPIN. August 2, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  15. "Grammys 2014: The complete list of nominees and winners". LA Times. January 26, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  16. "58th Annual GRAMMY Awards". GRAMMY.com. November 28, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  17. "James Fauntleroy". GRAMMY.com. November 28, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2018.