Sahpreem A. King
Encyclopedia
Sahpreem A. King is an American
author, rapper, producer, writer, consultant and public speaker who resides in south Florida
. He contributed as writer and producer to the multi-platinum album It's About Time (SWV Album)
.
King is also the author of the best-selling book Gotta Get Signed: How to Become a Hip-Hop Producer along with Surviving the Game: How to Succeed in the Music Business and Dude, Face It You Need a Day Job. As an author his articles and commentary have been featured in music trade publications including DJ Times Magazine, The Source magazine, Play Magazine, Urban America, Beat Talk Magazine, Blackbeat Magazine, MIX Magazine, Remix Magazine, and Music Connection.
He has been a panelist, keynote speaker, clinician, and consultant for music industry conventions and conferences including the SXSW, Winter Music Conference, DJ Times Convention, How Can I Be Down?, Atlantis Music Conference, Midem Music Conference, DJ Laz Music Conference, and Ultra Music Festival. Sahpreem has also served as a product clinician for Akai Professional and Numark conducting seminars and training sessions for professional audio production & recording equipment.
Sahpreem holds a Master of Education
(Media Design & Technology) degree from Full Sail University, a Bachelor of Information Technology (New Media & Internet Marketing) degree from Kaplan University
, an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management degree from Kaplan University and a professional certificate in Audio and Video Production from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
, Sahpreem grew up in Wyandanch, New York and got his first taste of hip-hop in the mid-eighties breaking dancing and carrying record crates for the Mangum Force M.C.s. Sahpreem and his high school friends Dennis “Denone” Bertty and Curtis “Cool Curt” Johnson released their first record together called the “Ultimate Get Down.” King then moved to Atlanta, Georgia
to attend Morris Brown College
. While in Atlanta, he honed his skills as a DJ, rapper, producer, promoter, and engineer. Soon after, Sahpreem and classmate Rick Green (Jam House Live/Butta Sopht Ent.) started the rap group the Restless Natives. The group caught the attention of music executives including Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, and Ian Burke, and performed as the opening act for groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, Big Daddy Kane
, and KRS-ONE.
In the early 1990s, King got his first big break as a producer, writer, and rapper at RCA
/BMG
Records. He worked with newly signed female act SWV
(Sisters With Voices). After collaborating with Tamara “Taj” Johnson, Sahpreem adapted his song “Blak Pudd’n” into a duet between him and Taj. The single appeared on SWV’s premiere release, It’s About Time, and the album went on to becoming a smash hit, selling millions worldwide and earning the Recording Industry Association of America
's (RIAA) certified multi-platinum status.
The next year, Sahpreem reunited with Denone (AlterNative, Funk Master Flex), and former high school buddy Eddie "Goalfingaz” Berkeley (of Brothers Grym
) and formed Sewer Ratz Records. The label’s first commercial release was with rapper Chad “Kaleber” Mohammed, “Game from the Truth,” b/w “This is How it Runs,” produced by Sahpreem King, Denone, and Goalfingaz.
Producing tracks for artists such as SWV, Wyclef, Beenie Man and Eric Bene’t, along with the Latin flavors laid down for artists including DJ Laz, Paulina Rubio, Ivy Queen, Tono Rosario and Fat Joe, and A.B. Quintanilla
y Los Kumbia Kings
, King and his production partner Anthony “Vitaman” Saint Amand have not only elevated their productions to RIAA multi-platinum status, but their music has earned a number Top 5 position on Billboard
’s Latin 50.
His influences are Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, Eric B & Rakim, EPMD, Treacherous Three, Fab 5 Freddy, Spoonie Gee, Sugar Hill Gang, Cold Crush Brothers, Run-D.M.C, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Heavy D, and Groove B Chill.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author, rapper, producer, writer, consultant and public speaker who resides in south Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He contributed as writer and producer to the multi-platinum album It's About Time (SWV Album)
It's About Time (SWV album)
*Initially issued without track 15, but was added to all subsequent CDs in April 1993*Copies of the album with the catalog number BMG 66074 contain "Right Here " , as the final track-Credits and personnel:* Coko...
.
King is also the author of the best-selling book Gotta Get Signed: How to Become a Hip-Hop Producer along with Surviving the Game: How to Succeed in the Music Business and Dude, Face It You Need a Day Job. As an author his articles and commentary have been featured in music trade publications including DJ Times Magazine, The Source magazine, Play Magazine, Urban America, Beat Talk Magazine, Blackbeat Magazine, MIX Magazine, Remix Magazine, and Music Connection.
He has been a panelist, keynote speaker, clinician, and consultant for music industry conventions and conferences including the SXSW, Winter Music Conference, DJ Times Convention, How Can I Be Down?, Atlantis Music Conference, Midem Music Conference, DJ Laz Music Conference, and Ultra Music Festival. Sahpreem has also served as a product clinician for Akai Professional and Numark conducting seminars and training sessions for professional audio production & recording equipment.
Sahpreem holds a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
(Media Design & Technology) degree from Full Sail University, a Bachelor of Information Technology (New Media & Internet Marketing) degree from Kaplan University
Kaplan University
Kaplan University is the "doing business as" name of the Iowa College Acquisition Corporation, a company that owns and operates for-profit colleges...
, an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management degree from Kaplan University and a professional certificate in Audio and Video Production from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
Career
Born in Amityville, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Sahpreem grew up in Wyandanch, New York and got his first taste of hip-hop in the mid-eighties breaking dancing and carrying record crates for the Mangum Force M.C.s. Sahpreem and his high school friends Dennis “Denone” Bertty and Curtis “Cool Curt” Johnson released their first record together called the “Ultimate Get Down.” King then moved to Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
to attend Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
. While in Atlanta, he honed his skills as a DJ, rapper, producer, promoter, and engineer. Soon after, Sahpreem and classmate Rick Green (Jam House Live/Butta Sopht Ent.) started the rap group the Restless Natives. The group caught the attention of music executives including Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, and Ian Burke, and performed as the opening act for groups such as A Tribe Called Quest, Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
, and KRS-ONE.
In the early 1990s, King got his first big break as a producer, writer, and rapper at RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
/BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
Records. He worked with newly signed female act SWV
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
(Sisters With Voices). After collaborating with Tamara “Taj” Johnson, Sahpreem adapted his song “Blak Pudd’n” into a duet between him and Taj. The single appeared on SWV’s premiere release, It’s About Time, and the album went on to becoming a smash hit, selling millions worldwide and earning the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
's (RIAA) certified multi-platinum status.
The next year, Sahpreem reunited with Denone (AlterNative, Funk Master Flex), and former high school buddy Eddie "Goalfingaz” Berkeley (of Brothers Grym
Brothers Grym
Brothers Grym was a New York hip-hop group formed by Too Poetic and his two younger brothers, lyricists Brainstorm and R&B hip-hop producer E# .-Early years:The...
) and formed Sewer Ratz Records. The label’s first commercial release was with rapper Chad “Kaleber” Mohammed, “Game from the Truth,” b/w “This is How it Runs,” produced by Sahpreem King, Denone, and Goalfingaz.
Producing tracks for artists such as SWV, Wyclef, Beenie Man and Eric Bene’t, along with the Latin flavors laid down for artists including DJ Laz, Paulina Rubio, Ivy Queen, Tono Rosario and Fat Joe, and A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
y Los Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings was a Latin Grammy-winning Mexican cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia , hip hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III...
, King and his production partner Anthony “Vitaman” Saint Amand have not only elevated their productions to RIAA multi-platinum status, but their music has earned a number Top 5 position on Billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
’s Latin 50.
His influences are Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, Eric B & Rakim, EPMD, Treacherous Three, Fab 5 Freddy, Spoonie Gee, Sugar Hill Gang, Cold Crush Brothers, Run-D.M.C, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Heavy D, and Groove B Chill.
Discography
- A.B. QuintanillaA.B. QuintanillaAbraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
Y Los Kumbia KingsKumbia KingsKumbia Kings was a Latin Grammy-winning Mexican cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia , hip hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III...
- "Shhh!Shhh!-Credits:This information from Allmusic.Personnel*A.B. Quintanilla III: Arranger, vocals, producer, executive producer, mixing*Cruz Martínez: Arranger, programming, producer, engineer, mixing...
" (2x platinum) "In the Zone", "Need Your Love", "Break Me Off"; EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
Latin - AdassaAdassaAdassa is an American reggaetón singer-songwriter also known as the "Reggaetón Princess".-Early life:Adassa was born in Miami, Florida but raised in St...
- "Dime Mamacita" (from KamasutraKamasutra (Adassa album)Kamasutra is the second studio album by Colombian-American reggaeton singer-songwriter Adassa, released on March 15, 2005, by Universal Music Latino. It is her first commercially successful album.- Album details :...
); Universal Latino - Beenie ManBeenie ManAnthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
-"Foundation" Remix; V.P. Records - Booty Girlz - "Booty Girlz" Album; Pandisc Music Corp./SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
Red - DJ LazDJ LazLazaro Mendez, better known by his stage name DJ Laz is a Cuban-American rapper and DJ from Miami, Florida.He is best known for his albums DJ Laz and Category 6, which charted on U.S. Billboard album charts...
- "Ki Ki Ri Bu", "Negra Chula" Remix; Pandisc Music Corp. - DJ Sahpreem Featuring Rob Wright - "My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend"; Pandisc Music Corp.
- DJ Twitch -"Jump On It"; Pandisc Music Corp./Sony Red
- DJ Vic - "All Out of Love"; Sewer Ratz Records/Pandisc Music Corp/Sony Red
- Eric BenetEric BenétEric Benét, is an American singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on the US Billboard R&B chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000....
- "You Follow Me" Latin Mix; Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies... - Halusanation - "Celebrate", "Bounce"; Limp-A-Lot Records
- Ivy QueenIvy QueenIvy Queen is a Puerto Rican Latin Grammy nominated reggaeton composer and singer. She is most commonly known as "La Reina del Reggaeton" . She is also known as the Queen of Rivalries.-Early years:...
Featuring Wyclef JeanWyclef JeanWyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
- "In the Zone" Remix (from The Original Rude GirlThe Original Rude Girl-Track listing:# Intro# Muchas Vienen# Cuando Escuches Reggae# Interlude In The Zone# In The Zone # Uuy...Queena# La Realidad # Interlude Flash Back# Flash Black# The King And The Queen...
); Sony Latino - Kaleber - "This is How it Runs", "Game From the Truth"; Sewer Ratz Records
- Latin Mix USA 2 - (Platinum) "In the Zone" Remix; Sony Latino
- Paulina Rubio - "Y Yo Sigo Aqui" Tropical Mix; Universal Latino/ "Real Latin Mix" (2002); Prisoner of Dance Recordings
- SWVSWVSisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
-It's About Time (SWV Album)It's About Time (SWV album)*Initially issued without track 15, but was added to all subsequent CDs in April 1993*Copies of the album with the catalog number BMG 66074 contain "Right Here " , as the final track-Credits and personnel:* Coko...
(3x platinum) "Blak Pudd’n", "Right Here" Remix (Single) (Gold), "Sahpreem’s Funk Rap Show Mix"; RCA/BMG Records - Thalia - "Amor La Mexicana" Remix; Sony Music
- Tono Rosario Featuring Fat Joe - "Sueltame Remix"; `WEA Latino
- Viva Latino - Sony Music