Novel | |
---|---|
Birth name | Alonzo Mario Stevenson |
Born | Los Angeles, California |
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper, producer, singer, songwriter |
Years active | 2000–present |
Labels | Rowdy, Capitol, Rawkus |
Alonzo Mario Stevenson, (born September 3, 1981) professionally known as Novel, is an American hip-hop/soul artist based in Los Angeles, California. He is a Grammy Award winning songwriter, singer, rapper and producer with also 5 Grammy nominations. He is the son of Motown's William "Mickey" Stevenson and the grandson of soul pioneer Solomon Burke.
Novel has collaborated with artists such as Lauryn Hill and Talib Kweli, and worked with other musicians including Royce Da 5'9', Joss Stone, David Guetta, India.Arie, Tweet, Stacie Orrico and Smokey Robinson and others. He has received over 5 Grammy nominations and 1 win in all different categories[ citation needed ] and is considered very versatile for writing & producing in the Pop genre, Alternative, Rock, Hiphop, R&B, even Jazz, Dance, Electronic, Including gospel, and currently working on country.
Alonzo Mario Stevenson was born in Los Angeles, California, son of William "Mickey" Stevenson, Motown singer/songwriter/producer and the label's first A&R executive, and Melanie Burke, a background singer for Chaka Khan. Stevenson, also the grandson of soul music pioneer Solomon Burke, grew up with his mother in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and North Carolina, sometimes staying in shelters because they had no money. A friend of Stevenson's in Philadelphia nicknamed him "Novel" because he always carried a notebook. After running away from home at age 14, Novel returned to California where his father set up a recording studio for him. [1] [2] He released a single, "Peach", on Rawkus Records in 2003. The video for the song features Smokey Robinson, a longtime family friend and Novel's godfather. [3] [4] Vibe called the song's melody "infectious" and Novel's vocals "seductive", but Novel almost didn't release the single because he "felt it was bubble gum". [3] His debut album The Word was set to be released in 2003 but was ultimately cancelled when Rawkus split from MCA Records, which folded that year. [1] [2]
Novel spent the next several years writing and producing for other artists, including Alicia Keys, Beyoncé Knowles, India.Arie, Joss Stone, Kelis, and Leona Lewis. [5] [6] He signed to Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records in 2007 and released an EP, I Am... (Future Black President), the following year. [1] The single "I Am", featuring Talib Kweli and Spree Wilson, contains a sample of the 2001 Ben Folds song "The Luckiest". [2] Folds also provides pianos and vocals on the track. [6] Novel's debut full-length album, The Audiobiography, was announced in early 2009. [1] [2] Spin wrote that Novel's "innate talents ooze" on the album and that it contains a "series of slinky funk jams", but it also "sounds a little too well-oiled at times". [7] Novel wrote and featured on the David Guetta song, "Missing You", from Guetta's 2009 album One Love . The song peaked at number 85 on the French singles chart. [8] Novel and rapper Joell Ortiz released a collaborative album, Defying the Predictable, in 2010. [9]
Title | Artist | Label | Year | Contribution |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stand to the Side feat. Novel | Talib Kweli | MCA | 2002 | writer/& Feature |
Peach Remix feat. G Unit, LLoyd Banks | Novel | Rawkus | 2002 | writer/producer |
Purify Me | India.Arie | Motown | 2005 | writer |
Bossy | Kelis | LaFace/Zomba | 2005 | writer |
Sick & Tired | Monica | Motown | 2005 | writer/ co-producer |
Roll with Me | Sammie | Rowdy/Universal | 2006 | producer/writer |
Slow | Sammie | Rowdy/Universal | 2006 | producer/writer |
Addiction | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Frustrated | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Baby Girl | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Brush Em Off feat. Novel | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Dream You | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Easy to Love You | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Wait | Stacie Orrico | EMI/Virgin | 2006 | Producer/Writer |
Tell You Something | Alicia Keys | J Records | 2007 | Writer |
What We're Gonna Do | Joss Stone | Emi/Virgin | 2007 | Writer/ Co-Producer |
Music feat. Lauryn Hill | Joss Stone & Lauryn Hill | Emi/Virgin | 2007 | Writer/Co-Producer |
Whatever It Takes | Leona Lewis | SONYBMG UK | 2007 | Producer/Writer |
Myself feat. Novel | Leona Lewis | SONYBMG UK | 2007 | Writer |
Back Down | Sugababes | Island UK | 2007 | Producer/Writer |
With You | Tweet | Bugsby Group | 2007 | Producer/Writer |
Anymore | Tweet | Bugsby Group | 2007 | Producer/Writer |
Alright, Soundtrack & Score | Knivez Out | Sony Pictures | 2008 | Producer/Writer |
I Can't Be Without You | Nikki Flores | Epic/Sony | 2008 | Producer/Writer |
Love feat. Novel | Nikki Flores | Epic/Sony | 2008 | Producer/Writer |
Call Me feat. Novel | Joell Ortiz | E1 Music | 2009 | Producer/Writer |
We Don't Believe You feat. Novel | Joell Ortiz | E1 Music | 2010 | Writer |
Raindrops feat. Novel | Slaughterhouse | E1 Music | 2009 | Writer |
Missing You Feat. Novel | David Guetta & Novel | Virgin Fra (EMI) | 2009 | Writer |
Therapy | India Arie | UMG | 2009 | Writer |
Broken | Leona Lewis | Sony BMG UK | 2009 | Writer |
Eyes For You | Esmee Denters Justin Timberlake | Tennman | 2009 | Producer/Writer |
Hero | David Guetta | Virgin Fra (EMI) | 2010 | Writer |
Coming Home | Lemar | Epic Sony BMG | 2010 | Producer/Writer |
Trust Him | Fantasia | J Records | 2010 | Producer/Writer |
Ms. Orleans feat. Kid Rock | Trombone Shorty | Jazz | 2011 | Writer |
Walk with Me feat. Novel | Lecrae | Reach | 2012 | Writer/ Feature |
Under Water, Overwhelmed EP | Novel | Unsigned/Lost Poets | 2012-2013 | Writer/ Co-Producer |
The Woman You Love feat. Busta Rhymes | Ashanti | Unknown | 2012/2013 | Writer |
BlackStreet | Teddy Riley | N/A | 2013/2014 | Writer |
Detox Album/Untitled feat. Novel | Dr. Dre | Interscope | Unknown | Writer |
If I Die Tonight feat. Novel | Lecrae | Reach | 2013 | Writer |
Fire & Brimstone | Trombone Shorty | Jazz | 2014 | Writer |
Nothing Is Impossible | Smokie Norful | Motown Gospel | 2014 | Writer/ Co-Producer |
He Loves Me | Smokie Norful | Motown Gospel | 2014 | Writer/ Co-Producer |
Hey Mama (feat. Nicki Minaj) | David Guetta | unknown | 2015 | Vocalist/Sample Re-imagine for Film and Commercial versions only |
Made In America | The Game | The Documentary 2 | 2015 | co-Writer |
Joy (NBA Theme Song) | Coby Odonis | Sony | 2015 | co-Writer/ Co-Producer |
Lifes Pretty Sweet (Georgia Tourism Theme) | Novel | unknown | 2016 | co-Writer/ Producer |
Can't Keep Me Caged (Netflix Commercial) | Novel | Lost Poet Indie | 2016 | Writer/ Producer |
Key To The Streets feat. Migos (Remix) | YFN LUCCI | T.I.G. | 2016 | co-Writer/Producer |
No Dope On Sundays (feat. Pusha T) | Cyhi Da Prynce | Sony | 2017 | co-Writer/ Co-Producer |
Get Yo Money | Cyhi Da Prynce | Sony | 2017 | co-Writer/ Co-Producer |
Don't Know Why (feat. Jagged Edge) | Cyhi Da Prynce | Sony | 2017 | co-Writer/ Co-Producer |
Leave With You (feat. Novel) | Dallas Austin | Rowdy | 2017-2018 | co-Writer/Vocal Producer |
Not A Rich Man (feat. Royce da 5′9″) | Summer Of 96 | Unknown | 2017 | Writer/Producer |
Sunflower Seeds (feat. Novel) | PRhyme2 (DJ Premier & ROyce) | N/A | 2018 | co-Writer/Performer |
Misunderstood (feat. Novel) | Father Figures Movie | Soundtrack/ Film Score | 2018 | Producer/Writer/Performer |
Red Light (feat. Dej Loaf) | Jacquees | 4275 | 2018 | Co-Writer |
Bossy | Ocean's 8 Movie Scene | Film Score | 2018 | Writer |
Hell Fire (RetroValley) | HBO Trailer | unsigned | 2019 | Producer/Co-writer/Performer |
Monster feat. Afro | BET TV Synch | Cop Watch: Reality Docu Series | 2019 | Artist/Writer/Singer/producer |
Can't Keep Me Caged | BET TV Synch | Cop Watch: Reality Docu Series | 2019 | Artist/Writer/Singer/producer |
The Old Groove | Griselda - Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher | Shady Records | 2020 | Featured Artist/Writer/Rapper/Singer |
Can't Keep Me Caged | Netflix Trailer/Commercial | 13Th Documentary | 2021 | Artist/Writer/Singer/producer |
A Sickness | Netflix Film Score | Monster | 2021 | Artist/Writer/Singer |
Rise | STARZ | Power II: Book Of Ghost Season 1 Finale | 2021 | Artist/Writer/rapper/Producer |
Wild Chapter Conway The Machine feat. T.I. | God Don't Make Mistakes | Shady Records | 2021-2022 | Featured Artist/Rapper/Singer |
Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor.
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star is the debut studio album by Black Star, a hip hop duo consisting of emcees Talib Kweli and Mos Def. The album was released on September 29, 1998, to critical acclaim. The title is a reference to the Black Star Line, a shipping line founded by Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey. The album deals with modern-day issues, philosophical ideas, and life in Brooklyn, New York City as the two artists know it.
Tony Louis Cottrell, better known as Hi-Tek, is an American rapper and music producer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Talib Kweli. His father is singer Willie Cottrell of the Willie Cottrell Band, whom Hi-Tek featured on his second album, Hi-Teknology 2.
Reflection Eternal is an American hip hop duo composed of emcee Talib Kweli and producer Hi-Tek. They released their first album, Train of Thought, in 2000. They have since released a mixtape, The RE: Union, in late December 2009, and their second album Revolutions Per Minute was released May 18, 2010.
Rawkus Records was an American hip hop record label, owned by James Murdoch, known for starting the careers of many rappers. Rawkus started in 1995 with releases in hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-dustrial.
Tsidi Ibrahim, known professionally as Jean Grae, is an American rapper. She rose in the underground hip hop scene in New York City and has built an international fanbase. Grae's unique music and lyrical style have earned the artist recognition as a favorite emcee by many rap artists such as Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots.
Richard Andrew Thorburn, better known by his stage name R.A. the Rugged Man, is an American rapper and producer. He began his music career at age 12, building a reputation locally for his lyrical skills. Thorburn signed with major label Jive Records at age 18, but his debut album, Night of the Bloody Apes, was never released.
Kejuan Waliek Muchita, better known by his stage name Havoc, is an American rapper and record producer. He was one half of the hip hop duo Mobb Deep with Prodigy.
Quality is the first studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on November 19, 2002, by Rawkus Records. It received wide critical acclaim and had some commercial appeal from the song "Get By", produced by Kanye West. Kludge magazine included it on their list of best albums of 2002.
The Beautiful Struggle is the second studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on September 28, 2004, by Rawkus Records and Geffen Records. The album features guest appearances such as Common, Faith Evans, Anthony Hamilton, Mary J. Blige and John Legend.
Soundbombing II is the second installment in Rawkus Records' Soundbombing compilation series, released by the label on May 18, 1999. Mixed by DJ Babu and J Rocc of Beat Junkies, the album included tracks from a variety of artists, both Rawkus' signees and popular artists from other labels.
Black Star is an American hip hop duo formed in 1996, from Brooklyn, New York City. The duo is composed of rappers Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli. The duo is named after The Black Star Line, a shipping company founded by Marcus Garvey. Their critically-acclaimed debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star was released on September 29, 1998. After decades of only releasing singles and appearing on compilations, Black Star released their sophomore studio album No Fear of Time May 3, 2022 on the podcasting platform Luminary.
The Soulquarians were a rotating collective of experimental Black music artists active during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Members of the collective included singer and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, drummer and producer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, producer J Dilla, singer-songwriter Erykah Badu, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, keyboardist James Poyser, singer Bilal, bassist Pino Palladino, rapper-producers Q-Tip and Mos Def, and rappers Talib Kweli and Common. Prior to its formation, Q-Tip, Common, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli were members of the Native Tongues collective, while Q-Tip's original group A Tribe Called Quest served as another inspiration behind the Soulquarians.
Train of Thought is the debut album of American hip hop duo Reflection Eternal, released October 17, 2000, on Rawkus Records. Collaborating as a duo, rapper Talib Kweli and DJ and hip hop producer Hi-Tek recorded the album during 1999 to 2000, following their individual musical work that gained notice in New York's underground scene during the late 1990s. Kweli had previously worked with rapper Mos Def as the duo Black Star, and Hi-Tek had served as producer on the duo's debut album.
Joell Christopher Ortiz is an American rapper and a former member of the group Slaughterhouse. Ortiz grew up in the Cooper Park Houses in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label. He was featured in the Unsigned Hype column of the March 2004 issue of The Source Magazine and was also selected as Chairman's Choice in XXL Magazine.
Slaughterhouse is the self-titled debut studio album by hip hop supergroup, Slaughterhouse, consisting of members Crooked I, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9". The album was released on August 11, 2009 on E1 Music and sold 18,600 copies in its first week.
Revolutions per Minute is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Reflection Eternal, released May 18, 2010, on Blacksmith Records and Rawkus Records. Composed of rapper Talib Kweli and DJ/hip hop producer Hi-Tek, it is the duo's follow-up to their collaborative debut Train of Thought (2000).
Gutter Rainbows is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Talib Kweli. The album was released on January 25, 2011, by Blacksmith Music and Javotti Media. The album was originally intended to be released in only a digital format. However, on November 16, 2010, it was announced that Duck Down Records would step in to see the album got a CD release. This included an import edition and a special edition with extras.
The discography of Joell Ortiz, an American rapper, consists of six studio albums, six singles and nine mixtapes.
Talib Kweli Greene is an American rapper. He earned recognition through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with solo success including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams. In 2011, Kweli founded his own record label, Javotti Media.