Def Jef

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Def Jef
Birth nameJeffrey A. Fortson
Born (1970-09-27) September 27, 1970 (age 54)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Genres Hip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • music producer
  • actor
Years active1984–present
Labels

Def Jef is the stage name of Jeffrey Fortson [1] (born September 27, 1970), an American alternative hip hop musician and rapper of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was born in Harlem, New York City.

Contents

His debut album was 1989's Just a Poet with a Soul , [2] which won critical acclaim for sociopolitical lyrics and original beats. [1] Additionally, he was a member of the West Coast Rap All-Stars, a collaboration of West Coast-based hip hop artists who released the anti-violence single "We're All in the Same Gang" in 1990. He performed on the television variety show In Living Color in 1990. [3]

After his second album, Soul Food , was released, Def Jef moved into production full-time. [1] Since the 1990s, he has produced, written, arranged and remixed artists including Nas, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kimberley Locke, Maxwell, Avant, Tupac Shakur, and Shaquille O'Neal. He has worked with Krayzie Bone and Thugline Records.

He produced the theme songs for the Disney sitcom That's So Raven and The Game .

Def Jef also appeared in the feature film Deep Cover in 1992. [1]

Discography

Production Credits
YearSongArtistAlbum
1989Hi PoweredBody & SoulNon-album single

[4]

En La Casa Mellow Man Ace Escape from Havana
1991Mean GreenTone-Loc Cool Hand Lōc
1992Good Things Don't Last; Let It Move You; Forward Bound; Best in MeThe PoetessSimply Poetry [5]
1993Deeper; Process of Elimination; 1800 Bodies Boss Born Gangster
I Know I Got Skillz; I ate to Brag Shaquille O'Neal, Def Jef Shaq Diesel
I Know I Got Skillz RemixNon-album single

[6]

1994The Right Kinda Lover (Def Jef Remix)Patti LaBelleNon-album single
Life's a Bitch (Arsenal Mix)Nas, AZNon-album single
Out of ControlWellsNBA JAm Session [7]
Cherish This Love; DOn't Let Me Catch You Slippin'Brigette McWilliamsTake Advantage of Me [8]
Shaq-Fu: Stand and DeliverShaq Shaq Fu: Da Return [9]
199680 WaysDef JefPhat Beach (soundtrack)
1997Under PressureNadanufWorldwide
1999Betta DayzSnoop Dogg No Limit Top Dogg
2000Tha EastsidazTha Eastsidaz Snoop Dogg Presents: Tha Eastsidaz
2001Late Night Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way
Shackled UpKrayzie Bone Oz (soundtrack) [10]
A THugga Level; I Don't Give a Fuck Thug on da Line

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 80. ISBN   0-7535-0252-6.
  2. Kellman, Andy. "Biography: Def Jef". AMG . Retrieved May 7, 2010.
  3. Def Jef at IMDb
  4. "discogs".
  5. "YouTube".
  6. "discogs".
  7. "discogsy".
  8. "discogs".
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  10. "discogs".