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{{Short description|American record producer}}

'''J-Swift''' is an [[Afro-Cuban]] American music producer responsible for songs with groups on the [[Delicious Vinyl]] Label. He has produced the hip hop groups [[The Pharcyde]] and [[The Wascals]].

{{BLP sources|date=December 2013}}

'''J-Swift''' is an [[Afro-Cuban]] Americana music producer responsible for songs with groups on the [[Delicious Vinyl]] Labellabel. He has produced the hip hop groups [[The Pharcyde]] 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.

==Early life==

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.”

Hip-hop producer J-Swift was born '''Juan Manuel Martinez-Luis''' in 1971 in [[Madrid, Spain]]. His [[Afro-Cuban]] father, Pedro, was a [[salsa music|salsa]] bandleader and multi-instrumentalist. His mother, Dolores, was a native of the [[Canary Islands]].<ref name="land"/> In 1974, the family headed to [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], settling in [[Inglewood, California|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 ‘80s1980s, and the first record he ever got was by [[Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five]].

==Career==

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”).

Around 1988, J-Swift attended [[Locke High School]], where he met his mentor [[R&B]] musician [[Reggie Andrews]], producer of [[Dazz Band’sBand]]'s 1982 funk hit “Let"[[Let It Whip]]" and collaborator of [[Rick James]].”<ref name="Bowler 2021">{{cite web | last=Bowler | first=Paul | title='Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde': A Sampledelic Trip Worth Taking | website=uDiscover Music | date=2021-11-24 | url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/bizarre-ride-ii-the-pharcyde/ | access-date=2022-08-26}}</ref> After J-Swift composed three New[[new Jackjack Swingswing]]-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’sRecords]]' Rondor Music publishing, while additional work came via BMI’sBMI's Cheryl Dickerson. Though much of this early music went unreleased (like an album by [[Bell Biv DeVoe]] spin-off STR8-Ahead), J-Swift’sSwift's official songwriting/producing debut came in 1991 with [[Keisha Jackson’sJackson]]'s “Feel"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’Andrews' record collection at their disposal, J-Swift and [[The Pharcyde]] crafted a three-song demo in ’91'91 and subsequently a hip-hop classic, 1992’s1992's [[Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde]]. Featuring the hit single “Passin’''[[Passin' Me By]]'',” Pharcyde’sPharcyde'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’sPharcyde's “Trust”"Trust" remix in 2000, not to mention several J-Swift-produced tracks on Fatlip’s[[Fatlip]]'s 2005 solo debut [[The Loneliest Punk]], and Fatlip and [[Tre Hardson’sHardson]]'s 2007 holiday song “All"All I Want for Xmas”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]]).

With his own “Fat"Fat House Productions”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"Class Clown”Clown" and “The"The Dips”Dips" in ’94'94, but broke up before releasing their debut. The crew was started by members Alfie and Buckwheed, the latter of which met J-Swift while they were going to high school together.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.strictlycassette.net/2012/01/rewinding-with-j-swift.html |title = STRICTLY CASSETTE}}</ref> (Wascals’Wascals' Greatest Hits, completely produced by J-Swift, was finally released by Delicious Vinyl in 2007.) In the mid-‘90s'90s, J-Swift lent his signature style to a string of remixes, including Prince’sPrince's “Letitgo"Letitgo (Sherm Stick Edit),”" [[Massive Attack’sAttack]]'s “Protection"Protection,”" and [[Urban Thermo Dynamics’Dynamics]]' “Manifest"Manifest Destiny”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 November 2011 and will be released digitally January 2012.

J-Swift was the subject of the 2007 documentary film ''[[1 More Hit]]''.<ref name=laweekly>{{cite web|last1=Weiss|first1=Jeff|title=J-Swift Made Big Hits With the Pharcyde Before Tragedy and Drugs Nearly Took Him Down|url=http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/01/11/j-swift-made-big-hits-with-the-pharcyde-before-tragedy-and-drugs-nearly-took-him-down|website=[[LA Weekly]]|publisher=Beth Sestanovich|accessdate=12 August 2014|date=11 January 2012}}</ref>

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 Kanevil!

Amazingly, J-Swift’s immense musical talent still shines through the darkness of his addiction. Somehow, someway, J-Swift managed to recordrecorded new tracks from 2005 through 2010, providing not only the beats but also the rhymes. Featuring soul-baring rap confessionals (“Off"Off My Chest”Chest") and tales of perseverance through struggles (“Born"Born To Win Despite Myself”Myself") — while still celebrating recreational drug use (“I’ll"I'll Do Mine”Mine") — J-Swift’sSwift's new project has the b-boy making his long-anticipated returnbegan with a daringly dopean alter ego: '''Negro Kanevil!'''.

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 Kanevil!”

==Personal life==

=== Recent Events ===

In 2006, J-Swift was arrested for possession of narcotics. In 2015, his [[permanent resident]] status was stripped and he was deported back to his birth country of Spain.<ref name="land">{{cite web|url=https://thelandmag.com/the-bizarre-and-tragic-ride-of-j-swft/|title=The Bizarre and Tragic Ride of J Sw!ft|author=Bell, Max|publisher=theLAnd|date=2021-08-26|accessdate=2022-03-16}}</ref>

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 Pharcyde]] - ''[[Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde]]''

*1993 [[The Wascals]] - ''[[Greatest Hits (Wascals album)|Greatest Hits]]''

*1994 [[Quinton (musician)|Quinton]] - ''Quinton's Here'' – [[Tommy Boy Records]]

:1) "Quinton's on the Way (A Jazzy Skit)" (production)

:2) "Still Fiendin'" (production)

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*1994 [[Prince (artist)|Prince]] – "Letitgo" – [[Warner Bros. Records]]

:6) Letitgo (Sherm Stick Edit) (production)

*1995 [[Urban Thermo Dynamics]] - "Manifest Destiny (single)" - [[FFRR Records|Payday/ffrr Records]]

:3) "Manifest Destiny (J-Swift Edit)" (production)

*1995 [[Massive Attack]] – "[[Protection (Massive Attack song)|Protection]]" – [[Virgin Records]]

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*2000 [[The Pharcyde]] – Trust – [[Delicious Vinyl Records]]

:1) "Trust (Remix)" (production)

*2000 [[Bucwheed|Buc Fifty]] - ''[[Bad Man (album)|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)

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:2) "The Black Pack - Used To Be My Lover" (production)

== External linksReferences==

{{Reflist}}

* [http://www.1morehitthemovie.com/ 1 More Hit Official Website]

* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/J-Swift Discogs Discography]

* http://rhymesandpolitics.com/?p=1669

{{Authority control}}

{{Persondata

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[[Category:1971 births]]

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[[Category:American hip hop record producers]]

[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Musicians from Madrid]]

[[Category:Spanish emigrants to the United States]]

[[Category:AmericanSpanish hip -hop record producersmusicians]]

[[Category:Spanish people of Cuban descent]]

[[Category:Locke High School alumni]]

[[Category:Musicians from Los Angeles]]