Phalon Anton Alexander also known as
Jazze Pha ( ), is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, and
songwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
raised in Memphis, TN; son of James Alexander (bassist, member of the Bar-Kays).
Read more: Jazze Pha Biography http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608004797/Jazze-Pha.html#ixzz1XsrGRnzc
Career
His well known trademark is hollering "Ladies and Gentlemen!" at the beginning, and sometimes at the end of the tracks he has contributed to.
He made an early appearance on
Erick SermonErick Sermon , in Bay Shore, New York is an American rapper, musician, and producer.Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Islandia, New York.- Career :...
's 1995 album
Double or Nothing performing on a skit and collaborating with Sermon on "Man Above".
Jazze Pha's first hit was the club anthem from
TelaTela is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. A southern rap performer, Tela was associated with Eightball & MJG early in his career....
, "Sho Nuff", the label banner of the producer's company.
His first production was for
Gerald LevertGerald Levert was an American R&B singer. Gerald Levert sang with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon in the R&B trio LeVert. He was also a part of LSG, an R&B supergroup comprising Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Levert...
,
Keith SweatKeith Sweat is an American R&B/soul, singer-songwriter, record producer, radio personality and a major contributor to the new jack swing era.-Music career:...
, and
Johnny GillJohnny Gill is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic...
on supergroup
LSGLSG was an urban R&B musical supergroup, composed of R&B artists Gerald Levert from Cleveland, Ohio, Keith Sweat from Harlem, NY and Johnny Gill from Washington DC. The group's name "LSG" is derived from the first letter in the last name of each artist .In 1997, LSG released their début album...
's first album, with the fresh "Let A Playa Get His Freak On", in 1997.
Other artists he has collaborated with include Notorious B.I.G,
NellyCornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
,
LudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
,
T.I.Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, U.G.K.,
Lil WayneDwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
,
Nate DoggNathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
,
Ras KassJohn Austin IV, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is also a part of hip hop supergroup The HRSMN along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt...
,
Trick Daddy Maurice Young , better known by his stage name Trick Daddy, is a certified platinum American rapper and producer from Miami, Florida.-Music career:...
,
Petey PabloMoses Mortimer Barrett III , known by the stage name Petey Pablo, is an American rapper from Greenville, North Carolina.-Biography:...
, Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes,
Big BoiAntwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
,
CiaraCiara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
,
AaliyahAaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
,
GirliciousGirlicious is an American girl group originally formed by Robin Antin, creator of the Pussycat Dolls, from the CW reality TV show Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. The group was originally signed to Geffen Records and composed of members Natalie Mejia, Chrystina Sayers, Nichole Corvoda and...
and Eightball & MJG.
Pha also helped
CiaraCiara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
start out her career. He produced the hit single, which was titled "
1, 2 Step"1, 2 Step" is a R&B/dance/hip hop song recorded by Ciara and Missy Elliott for Ciara's debut album Goodies . Written by Ciara and Missy Elliott and produced by Jazze Pha, it was released as the album's second single in October 2004 in the United States and the second quarter of 2005 ...
", which featured
Missy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
, which was included on her debut album which was named
GoodiesGoodies is the debut studio album by American recording artist Ciara. It was released on September 28, 2004 via LaFace Records. After writing songs for several established acts, Ciara's talents were noticed by Jazze Pha, and she began to work on what became Goodies...
, which was released in 2004. He also produced the tracks which were called "Thug Style", "Pick Up the Phone", and "Lookin' at You". Two years later in 2006, he produced her hit single, which was called
"
Get Up"Get Up" is a song by American recording artist Ciara. Released on July 25, 2006, the song serves as the first single from the original soundtrack to the film Step Up , as well as the lead single for her second album, Ciara: The Evolution. It features American rapper Chamillionaire...
", the song featured
ChamillionaireHakeem Seriki , better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment. Chamillionaire is also the founder and an original member of The Color Changin' Click...
, and was included on her album named
Ciara: The EvolutionCiara: The Evolution is the second studio album by American recording artist Ciara. It was released on December 5, 2006, by LaFace Records. The album is separated into five sections, with each showcasing a different side of Ciara's artistry...
. The two have not worked since then,because Pha says they have not seen eye-to-eye.
Personal life
Born, raised and grew up and honed his talents in Memphis, Tennessee, His father is
Bar-KaysThe Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group...
bassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
,
James AlexanderJames Alexander is an American soul and R&B musician. He is a longtime member of the band The Bar-Kays, for which he plays bass guitar. He also is the father of noted hip-hop and R&B producer Phalon "Jazze Pha" Alexander, whom he named after his best friend and late Bar-Kays bandmate Phalon Jones...
one of the most influential groups of the Memphis soul scene in the 1960s.. He is named after the late
Phalon JonesPhalon Jones was an American Soul and R&B musician.Jones was a saxophonist for The Bar-Kays musical group, which recorded with and also played backup for Otis Redding. James Alexander has described Jones as "the ladies' man" of the group...
, a member of his father's group, who, along with most of the other Bar-Kays, was killed in a 1967 plane crash.. His mother is an experienced singer named Denise Williams, but contrary to widespread belief, she is
not chart-topping
R&BRhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and
gospelGospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer, Deniece "Niecy" Williams.
It has been reported that disco-era vocalist Deniece Williams is Pha's mother. But published biographies of Williams give only sons named Ken and Kevin from her first marriage, which took place around the time Pha would have been born. Pha himself has been vague on the subject, and others have claimed that his mother was a different Deniece Williams. His date of birth is also uncertain. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 1999 that he was 25, but that would have made him a very young 16 when he recorded his debut album in 1990.
Read more: Jazze Pha Biography http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608004797/Jazze-Pha.html#ixzz1XsrYVkKr
External links