Rick Rock

Last updated

Rick Rock
Birth nameRicardo Thomas
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s) Record producer
Formerly of Cosmic Slop Shop

Ricardo Thomas, also known as Rick Rock, is an American record producer originally from Montgomery, Alabama and based in Fairfield, California. [1] He is a founding member of the former rap group Cosmic Slop Shop and the Federation with fellow rapper Doonie Baby, and is regarded as a pioneer of the hip-hop subgenre Hyphy.

Contents

Late 1990s

Rick Rock began to make a name for himself in 1996 when well known Vallejo Producer Mike Mosley invited him to come to the studio to meet E-40. E-40 had originally planned on using a beat produced by Mike Mosley, however due to Mosley's tardiness, Rick Rock used that time as an opportunity to showcase his talents. He went on to produce two tracks featured on E-40's Tha Hall of Game including the song "Record Haters" a diss track directed to NYC rapper AZ and basketball player Rasheed Wallace. E-40 then introduced Rick Rock to 2pac where he and Mike Mosley co-produced two additional tracks "Tradin War Stories" and "Ain't Hard to Find" from the album All Eyez on Me . Around that time Rick Rock also contributed heavily to fellow bay area artist Spice 1's Immortalized album.

Early 2000s

Rick Rock's popularity grew in the early 2000s after Jay-Z released the hit single "Change the Game". From there, Rick Rock went on to produce "Can't Deny It" for Fabolous, and "I Don't Do Much" by Beanie Sigel. In 2002 Rick Rock reunited with Vallejo producer Mike Mosely and produced the songs "Godzilla" featuring E-40 and Pizzo and "The Sickness" by Federation. Both songs were featured on Mike Mosely's compilation album Major Work The Soundtrack. In Spring of 2002, Rick Rock produced "Automatic" featuring Fabolous, which became the lead single for E-40's album Grit & Grind . In 2003 Rick Rock gained more commercial success working with New York-based artists, producing hits "Make It Clap" for Busta Rhymes, "If I Could Go" for Angie Martinez and "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" for Mase. Following his commercial success, Rick Rock became a sought after producer on the West Coast producing underground tracks like Keak Da Sneak's "T-Shirt, Blue Jeans, & Nike's", "Back it Up" by Ras Kass, "Whip Appeal" by Bambino Brown and producing over half of the songs featured on B-Legit's fourth album Hard 2 B-Legit . In 2003 Rick Rock founded his own label Southwest Federation and signed the Federation featuring fellow Cosmic Slop Shop alumn, Doonie Baby and additional rappers San Diego Native Battle Locco and Harlem native El Dorado Red. El Dorado Red is the only rapper other than the Federation to release an album on Rick Rock's label with the release of East Side Rydah Vol. 1.

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US US R&B/HH
US Rap
Rocket
  • Released: December 4, 2015
  • Label: Southwest Federation Records
  • Format: CD, digital download
Rick Rock Beats
  • Released: March 1, 2019
  • Label: Southwest Federation Records
  • Format: CD, digital download
Grind Grind Grind Then Shine / The Forward Movement Project
  • Released: January 27, 2023
  • Label: Southwest Federation Records
  • Format: CD, digital download

Albums with Rick Rock production

Related Research Articles

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tha Dogg Pound</span> American hip hop duo

Tha Dogg Pound is an American hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E-40</span> American rapper (born 1967)

Earl Tywone Stevens Sr., better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, appeared on numerous movie soundtracks, and has also done guest appearances on a host of other rap albums. Initially an underground artist, his 1995 solo album In a Major Way opened him up to a wider audience. Beginning in 1998, he began collaborating with mainstream rappers outside the San Francisco Bay Area. He rose to higher mainstream popularity in 2006 with his single "Tell Me When to Go", which was produced by Lil Jon.

Dejuan Walker, better known by his stage name Suga Free, is an American rapper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hip Hop Honors</span> Annual event that airs on VH1

The Hip Hop Honors is an annual event that airs on VH1. The television special honors old school and golden age hip hop rappers and contributors for their long-term influence and importance in the history of hip hop culture. It features live performances by most of the honorees along with new artists who have been influenced by them in tribute. The show is taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fredwreck</span> Musical artist

Farid Karam Nassar, better known by his stage name Fredwreck, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop recording artist, DJ and record producer. He got his big break when he became a producer for Dr. Dre's newly founded record label Aftermath Entertainment, and then went on to work with Snoop Dogg's record label Dogghouse Records and became a known producer on Tha Dogg Pound-affiliated material. During this time he also was a producer for Snoop Doggs track: Riders on the storm Ft The Doors on EA's Need for Speed Underground 2. He has produced tracks from Kurupt's Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha and most of his next release, Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey; both released during the period the rapper had left Death Row Records. He has also produced for other hip-hop and pop artists such as Eminem, Britney Spears, Ice Cube, Westside Connection, Lil' Kim, Hilary Duff, Xzibit, The Game, Nate Dogg, Everlast, Cypress Hill, 50 Cent, Mobb Deep, as well as non-US acts such as Dizzie Rascal, Tamer Hosny, Qusai Kheder and Karl Wolf.

<i>Ghetto Fabolous</i> 2001 studio album by Fabolous

Ghetto Fabolous is the debut studio album by American rapper Fabolous. The album was released on September 11, 2001 through Desert Storm Records and Elektra Records. The production on the album was handled by DJ Clue, The Neptunes, Rockwilder, Timbaland, Rick Rock and Just Blaze, among others.

<i>Tha Blue Carpet Treatment</i> 2006 studio album by Snoop Dogg

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment is the eighth studio album by West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 21, 2006, by Doggystyle Records and Geffen Records. Recording sessions took place from November 2005 to September 2006 in several recording studios and artists such as Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, DJ Battlecat, DJ Pooh, Timbaland, Danja, Mark Batson, Terrace Martin, and Mr. Porter appear on the album, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted</span> 1996 song by 2Pac featuring Snoop Dogg

"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me (1996). The song features fellow West Coast rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and was produced by Dat Nigga Daz. The song was released as a promotional single for the album on May 7, 1996 and later as the B-side to the album's second major and third overall single, How Do U Want It. The song peaked at number 46 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The song contains interpolations of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five's song "The Message" and "Radio Activity Rap " by MC Frosty and Lovin' C.

Brandt Jones, better known by his stage name B-Legit, is an American rapper from Vallejo, California.

The following is a discography of production by the Neptunes, a production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo.

The following list is a discography of production by Scott Storch, an American music producer. It includes songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title.

Danny Elliott Means II, better known by his stage name Butch Cassidy, is an American singer from Long Beach, California. He has worked with numerous West Coast hip hop musicians, including Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Ice Cube, Xzibit, Warren G, Mack-10, Tray Deee, E-40, WC, DJ Quik, DJ Battlecat, Tha Eastsidaz and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nate Dogg discography</span>

The discography of American recording artist Nate Dogg consists of three studio albums, one compilation album, one collaboration album, 5 singles as the main artist, and 35 singles as a featured artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dr. Dre production discography</span>

The following list is a discography of production by American rapper and hip hop producer Dr. Dre. It includes a list of singles produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swizz Beatz production discography</span>

The following list is a discography of production by Swizz Beatz, an American record producer and recording artist from The Bronx, New York. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title. With a career spanning three decades, Swizz Beatz has contributed production on over 160 albums, including studio projects, compilations, soundtracks and mixtapes. Beatz has also produced 81 singles, a number of them have received gold certification or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xzibit</span> American rapper and actor

Alvin Nathaniel Joiner, better known by his stage name Xzibit, is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and radio personality. He began his musical career in 1992, and signed with Loud Records, an imprint of RCA Records to release his debut studio album, At the Speed of Life (1996). The album saw positive critical reception, modestly entered the Billboard 200, and spawned the single "Paparazzi," which peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. His second album, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998) was met with similar reception and spawned the single "What U See Is What U Get."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Focus...</span> American songwriter

Bernard Edwards Jr., professionally known as Focus..., is an American music producer from New York City. He gained major recognition in the music industry when he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, in 2002. Since then he has produced tracks for several prominent artists, including Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, John Legend, The Game, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, 50 Cent, Schoolboy Q, Joe, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, Ameriie, Christina Millian, Mac Dre, Marsha Ambrosius among others.

<i>The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 3</i> 2012 studio album by E-40

The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 3 is the seventeenth studio album by the American rapper E-40. It was released on March 26, 2012, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment and EMI. The album is the third part of The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil series, along with other parts, including The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1 and The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 2. E-40 has released four albums into each pairs, including Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift (2010), Revenue Retrievin': Night Shift (2010), Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift (2011) and Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift (2011). The album features guest appearances from the comedian Katt Williams and the American singer-songwriter Raheem DeVaughn, with the rappers Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Kokane, Kendrick Lamar, Droop-E, Too Short, Kaveo, Stressmatic, B-Legit, Willy Will and Hieroglyphics, among others.

"Imagine" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg, featuring guest vocals from rapper Dr. Dre and singer D'Angelo, taken from Snoop Dogg's eighth studio album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006). The song was written by Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Mark Batson, with production handled by Dr. Dre and Mark Batson.

References