Terrace Martin | |
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![]() Martin performing in 2017 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Terrace Jamahl Martin |
Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | December 28, 1978
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Years active | 2004–present |
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Member of | West Coast Get Down |
Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, the Game, Busta Rhymes, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq and YG, among others. Martin is a multi-instrumentalist whose music production embodies funk, jazz, classical and soul. Martin released his sixth studio album, Velvet Portraits , on his label, Sounds of Crenshaw Records, through Ropeadope Records. [1]
Martin's father, Ernest "Curly" Martin, was a jazz drummer and Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame member, and his mother is a singer. He grew up listening to a broad range of music, including John Coltrane and Parliament and began playing the piano at age six. At 13, producing his first tracks on his Casio CZ-101 Keyboard and an E-mu SP-1200, Martin was encouraged to take up the saxophone and learned to play it by himself before enrolling into Santa Monica High School, to sharpen his musical skills. He transferred to Locke High School, to study under Reggie Andrews, where he became first chair of the All-State Jazz Band. As a child prodigy, Martin gained the interest of talk show host Jay Leno, who presented him with a scholarship and later purchased his first professional horn. [2] After high school, Martin attended CalArts but decided school wasn't for him, and began touring with Puff Daddy and the gospel choir God's Property.
Martin is cousins with Ronald Bruner, Jr. and his brother Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, with whom he has collaborated since childhood. [3] [4] Alongside the Bruner brothers, he was a founding member of the West Coast Get Down jazz collective, who began playing together in high school. [5]
Martin was recognized by Hollywood and music industry elites and found favor in the jazz world, where he played as a member of Billy Higgins' World Stage All-Stars. Martin's big break came when he produced a Power 106 radio drop with Snoop Dogg. He scored a minor hit with 213's "Joysticc" and went on to become one of Snoop Dogg's sought after producers, placing credits on R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece and Ego Trippin albums. In 2007, he signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records. [6]
The Demo, Martin's 2010 debut album, features him as a rapper and producer. The album includes beats and guest verses from artists including Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Pete Rock, DJ Quik and Kurupt. [7] On September 28, 2010, Terrace Martin and radio personality Devi Dev released the extended play (EP) Here, My Dear. The first single from the EP is "Roll Up Another One", featuring Wiz Khalifa and Overdoz. The EP features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Kendrick Lamar, U-n-i, James Fauntleroy II and pianist Kenneth Croutch. [8] The EP is inspired by Marvin Gaye's 1978 album of the same name. [9] On December 21, 2010, Terrace Martin and Devi Dev launched their online music series #DeviTerraceTuesday. On February 22, 2011, they released their second project together, The SEX EP.
In 2013, Martin released 3ChordFold, a fusion studio album project. [10] 3ChordFold was followed up with 3ChordFold: Remixed in December 2013, and 3ChordFold: Pulse in Spring 2014, which featured many live performances with guest appearances from Robert Glasper and Thundercat, among others. In 2015, Martin was heavily involved in the development of Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed album, To Pimp a Butterfly . [11] [12] On April 1, 2016, Martin released his long-awaited, sixth studio album, Velvet Portraits on his Sound of Crenshaw label through Ropeadope. [13] His latest release features appearances from his To Pimp A Butterfly cohorts, Kamasi Washington, Lalah Hathaway, Robert Glasper and Thundercat. Recorded in Los Angeles and Omaha, Nebraska, the highly anticipated Velvet Portraits also taps into his roots, featuring his father Curly Martin on drums and legendary soul group, The Emotions. Velvet Portraits was nominated in the "Best R&B Album" category of the 59th Grammy Awards.
In addition to releasing personal projects, Martin is currently producing albums for Herbie Hancock, YG, SZA and Fergie.[ citation needed ]
On June 25, 2020, Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, and 9th Wonder announced the formation of a supergroup, Dinner Party. They released a single, "Freeze Tag". Their debut album was released on July 10, 2020. [14]
Martin's role models include Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Stitt, Grover Washington, Jr., Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, Battlecat, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and 1580 K-Day. Martin has said, "I started producing hip-hop tracks because it was the music of my time, but I never lost my love for jazz." [15]
Patrick Denard Douthit, better known as 9th Wonder, is an American hip hop producer, record executive, and DJ from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who is also teaching faculty at North Carolina Central University and Duke University, where he collaborates with Professor Mark Anthony Neal.
Robert Andre Glasper is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger. His music embodies numerous musical genres, primarily centered around jazz. To date, Glasper has won five Grammy Awards and received eleven nominations across eight categories.
Ronald Ray Bruner Jr. is an American jazz drummer, composer and producer. He has played with hardcore punk/crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies. Bruner was part of the band that received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2010 for The Stanley Clarke Band.
Miles Mosley is an American musician, producer and composer from Hollywood, California. He is known for his vocal and bass skills, as well as his abilities as a composer, arranger and music producer. He is also a founding member of the West Coast Get Down, a jazz collective that includes prominent musicians such as Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, and Thundercat. Mosley was named after the famous jazz musician Miles Davis.
The following is a discography of production by Terrace Martin.
"I'm On" is a song by American rapper Trae tha Truth featuring fellow American rappers Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco, Big Boi, & Wale and American singer Poo Bear, also known as MDMA. The song was released as a digital download on December 6, 2011. "I'm On" originally appeared on Trae's album Street King, only featuring Lupe Fiasco, Big Boi, Wale and MDMA. The song was later released as a single adding Wiz Khalifa on December 6, 2011. On February 3, 2012, a remix entitled "I'm On 2.0" was released, replacing the featured artists with British singer Mark Morrison and American rappers Big K.R.I.T., Jadakiss, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, B.o.B, Tyga, Gudda Gudda, and Bun B.
"Young, Wild & Free" is a song by American rappers Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa featuring American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released on October 11, 2011, by Atlantic Records as the lead single from the soundtrack of the film, Mac & Devin Go to High School, in which the rappers star in. The track was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Brody Brown, Snoop Dogg, and Wiz Khalifa. The track samples two other songs, "Toot It & Boot It" (2010) and "Sneakin' in the Back" (1974), songwriting credits were added for a total of seventeen. Produced by the Smeezingtons during a freestyle studio session and never meant to be heard; Aaron Bay-Shuck considered it a potential hit and asked the trio to finish it. After the song was finished, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa were added.
Mac & Devin Go to High School is the collaborative soundtrack to the film of the same name, by American rappers and film stars Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. It was released on December 13, 2011, by Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Bruno Mars, Juicy J, Curren$y and Mike Posner. The album is supported by the lone hit single, "Young, Wild & Free". The album received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Snoop's and Khalifa's technical rapping abilities and production choices. The soundtrack debuted at number 29 on the US Billboard 200, and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Stephen Lee Bruner, better known by his stage name Thundercat, is an American musician, singer, record producer, and songwriter from Los Angeles. First coming to prominence as a member of crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, he has since released four solo studio albums and is noted for his work with producer Flying Lotus and his appearances on Kendrick Lamar's 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly. In 2016, Thundercat won a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance for his work on the track "These Walls" from To Pimp a Butterfly. In 2020, Thundercat released his fourth studio album, It Is What It Is, which earned him a Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album.
Jason L. Martin, formerly known by his stage name Problem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. His debut extended play (EP), Understand Me was released in December 2013. He is best known for his 2013 single "Like Whaaat", as well as his guest appearances on E-40's 2012 single "Function," and Childish Gambino's 2013 single "Sweatpants."
3ChordFold is the debut studio album by American producer Terrace Martin. The album was released on August 13, 2013, by AKAI Music and Empire Distribution. The album features guest appearances from Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Problem, Musiq Soulchild, Robert Glasper, James Fauntleroy, Focus..., Wiz Khalifa, Brevi, Ty Dolla Sign, Snoop Dogg and Lalah Hathaway.
Kamasi Washington is an American jazz saxophonist. He is a founding member of the jazz collective West Coast Get Down.
To Pimp a Butterfly is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the United States, with production from Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Taz "Tisa" Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1da, Knxwledge, and several other high-profile hip hop producers, as well as executive production from Dr. Dre and Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Guest appearances include Thundercat, George Clinton, Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, and Rapsody.
"The Blacker the Berry" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar. It was included as the thirteenth song on the track-listing of his third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). "The Blacker the Berry" was released as the second single from the album on February 9, 2015. The song shares its title with the novel The Blacker the Berry by American author Wallace Thurman. The track was produced by Boi-1da, Terrace Martin, and KOZ. It has a chorus that features Jamaican artist Assassin. The album version also contains additional vocals provided by neo soul singer Lalah Hathaway. Upon its release, "The Blacker the Berry'" received rave reviews from contemporary music critics. However, its also elicited controversy due to Kendrick Lamar's commentary on the death of Trayvon Martin. In the United States, it peaked at number sixty-six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single has since been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Velvet Portraits is an album by producer and musician Terrace Martin, released on April 1, 2016. In December of that year, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
Josef Leimberg is a producer, lyricist, and trumpet player from Los Angeles. He contributed to Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy Award-winning album, To Pimp a Butterfly, and is currently signed with World Galaxy, the jazz imprint of Alpha Pup Records.
Marlon Williams is a hip-hop guitarist and producer from Los Angeles. He is best known for his work as musical director for Snoop Dogg. He helped launch the careers of Terrace Martin and Kamasi Washington by inviting them to tour and record with Snoop. He has also recorded with Nate Dogg, Warren G, Kendrick Lamar and The Pollyseeds, and was an early member of Fishbone.
Dinner Party is a self titled EP by American jazz supergroup Dinner Party. It was released on July 10, 2020, via Sounds Of Crenshaw and Empire. The group, consisting of musicians Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, and 9th Wonder recorded the project at Chalice Recording Studios in Los Angeles at the end of 2019. It features guest appearances from Chicago-based musician Phoelix. On April 14, 2023 a follow-up LP titled Enigmatic Society was made available to stream on all major platforms.
The West Coast Get Down is an American jazz collective formed in Los Angeles in 2006. Its members include saxophonist Kamasi Washington, bassists Miles Mosley and Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, drummers Ronald Bruner Jr. and Tony Austin, pianists Cameron Graves and Brandon Coleman, trombonist Ryan Porter, and multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin. Most of the members of the group gained prominence for their contributions to Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015).
Ryan Porter is an American jazz trombonist. Based in Los Angeles, he is a founding member of the West Coast Get Down jazz collective. A longtime collaborator of West Coast Get Down saxophonist Kamasi Washington, he has also toured with Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.