Jump to content

Drumma Boy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Billboarder22 (talk | contribs) at 07:21, 3 September 2013 (associated acts). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Drumma Boy
Drumma Boy at the 2011 BET Awards in Los Angeles
Drumma Boy at the 2011 BET Awards in Los Angeles
Background information
Birth nameChristopher James Gholson
OriginMemphis, Tennessee [1]
GenresHip hop, Southern hip hop, trap, R&B
Occupation(s)Record producer, rapper
Instrument(s)Roland TR-808, Akai MPC-4000, Apple GarageBand, Korg Triton, Propellerhead Reason, Clarinet, Sampler, Vocals
Years active2002–Present
LabelsDrum Squad
Websitedrum-squad.com

Christopher James Gholson, better known by his stage name Drumma Boy, is an American rapper and record producer.

Early life

Born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in Cordova, Tennessee, he was exposed to music at a young age. His mother was an accountant who worked as an part-time opera singer and his father, a professional clarinetist and music professor at the University of Memphis, was the first African-American male to hold the 1st chair position in the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, where he is still an active member.[2][3] The rest of his extended family including grandmothers and aunts were also musicians and taught music in the schools. Drumma Boy says he had a recorder in his hand at age 3 and a clarinet at age 5.[4] His father was instrumental in teaching him about traditional classical music but it was his mother that introduced him to Curtis Mayfield and 70’s oldies.

Mathematics was his favorite school subject growing up. Drumma Boy attended the University of Memphis as a Music Business Major. Taking his father's advice that a college degree would open more doors for career advancement and emphasis on the importance of financial savvy. It was also mainly to satisfy his father's belief that a college degree was a ticket to a solid and stable career. Following his father's advice and by his junior year, Drumma Boy established a name for himself and was quickly becoming the most sought-after producers in his home state of Tennessee. In between attending classes, he would shop his homemade beats to local Memphis rappers such as Gangsta Boo, as well as travel to Texas to work on musical projects for Scarface and Bun B of UGK. Following in the footsteps of Memphis native and super-producer Jazze Pha, Drumma Boy graduated from University of Memphis and later relocated to Atlanta in 2004. Within a two years of leaving his native city, Drumma Boy had fostered relationships with top notch hip hop groups and rappers such as Outkast, Trick Daddy, Slim Thug, Cash Money, Pastor Troy, and Killer Mike.[5]

Career and production style

Drumma Boy relocated to Atlanta in 2003 and became an entrepreneur. Citing his sense of business acumen from his mother, he founded Drum Squad, an umbrella music company that encompasses Drum Squad Productions which represents producers and songwriters, as well as Drum Squad Records.[6] Citing Quincy Jones, Raphael Saadiq and The Funk Brothers as production inspirations his musical influences range from German composers Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Sebastian Bach to Jazz icons Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis all the way to Academy Award winning hip hop group Three 6 Mafia and Houston rapper, Scarface. He is known to combine classical music chords with urban hip hop street sounds. He is notably known for his adherence to the Atlanta trap music sound. Nonetheless. his production style comprises a diverse array of styles that range from hip hop, rock, pop, classical, soul, and R&B.

Drumma Boy has worked with an array of hip hop acts that include Giggs, Juicy J, Young Buck, Young Jeezy, T.I., Kanye West, Lil' Wayne, Nelly, T-Pain, Usher, Ciara, Wiz Khalifa, Wale, Waka Flocka Flame, Gorilla Zoe, Tinie Tempah, Drake, Gucci Mane, Ludacris, Plies, Young Joc, Fabolous, Roscoe Dash, Rick Ross, E-40, Monica, Goapele, Stephen Marley, Damien Marley, Rocko, Paul Wall, Lil' Jon, Travis Porter, Chris Brown, Tech N9ne, and Starlito.[7]

In January 2009 he starred alongside Jazze Pha and Def Jam Recording Artist Vawn in BET's reality series "Welcome to Dreamland".[8] He appeared on a segment of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" while making beats for cast member Kandi Burruss as well as appearing in the studio during an episode of Monica’s BET reality series “Still Standing.” [9] In November 2009 Drumma Boy released his music video “Dis Girl” shot by Mr. Boomtown, the first single off his mixtape Welcome II My City, which went on to receive millions of hits on Worldstarhiphop.[10] He has appeared on FOX Good Day Atlanta, Good Morning Memphis, CBS News Channel 9, BET and MTV.[11][12][13]

In 2008, Vibe Magazine named him one of the Top 5 Producers "making noise" in the music industry and in December 2009 he was named by The New York Times as one of the 4 hottest producers “driving the city” in Atlanta, describing his sound as “a busy bee swarm of synths overlaid with brash bass injections that’s equal parts Memphis and Atlanta."[14] He was quoted in the January 2010 issue of Rolling Stone surrounding his production work for controversial recording artist Gucci Mane’s #1 Rap Album The State vs. Radric Davis.

Drumma Boy's signature drop on his beats is a voice saying "listen to the track, bitch". He is also known for the origination of extending sounds at the end of a verse. "Yeah Girl" or "Yeah Boy" is another signature. There is another signature before the beat drops, which is a voice saying "Drumma Boy".

Awards

Drumma Boy won “Best Indie Producer of the Year” consecutively at the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Southern Entertainment Awards.[15][16] He received a nomination for “Producer of the Year” at the 2008 Ozone Awards [17] and at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards# His beats assisted with two nominations during the 2009 Grammy Awards including his work on T.I.’s Paper trail #Best Rap Album# and “Put On” by Young Jeezy & Kanye West #Best Performance by a Rap Duo###[18] In 2011 his hit single “No Hands” wrote by welch for Waka Flocka, Roscoe Dash and Wale received a nomination for “Best Collaboration” at the 2011 BET Awards and picked up the accolade for “Best Club Banger” at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards.[19]

Discography

Production credits

Main article: Drumma Boy discography

References

  1. ^ Drumma Boy. last.fm.
  2. ^ #http://www.complexmag.ca/music/2013/03/interview-drumma-boy-respect-legacy-miley-cyrus Interview: Drumma Boy Talks Respect, His Legacy, and Wanting to Work With Miley Cyrus | Complex#
  3. ^ #http://www.theblackurbantimes.com/2009/12/new-yorjkgk;oviyficfjc,vk-times-na#es-atlantas-four.html Memphis Symphony Orchestra## tburbantimes.com#
  4. ^ #http://www.sixshot.com/articles/8788/ Interview: Drumma Boy## sixshot.com#
  5. ^ #http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/welcometodreamland/welcometodreamland_cast_drummaboy.htm Welcome to dreamland cast Drumma Boy## ##Black Entertainment Television|bet.com###
  6. ^ #http://drum-squad.com/go/ www.drum-squad.com#
  7. ^ #http://mvremix.com/urban_blogs/2008/07/17/atl-beat-maker-drumma-boy-nominated-for-%E2%80%9Cproducer-of-the-year%E2%80%9D-at-ozone-awards-2008-alongside-nominees-lil-wayne-rick-ross-ti-plies-kanye-west-lupe-fiasco-jeezy-soulja-boy-an/ Beat maker Drumma Boy nominated for producer of the year at Ozone awards 2008 alongside nominees Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, T.I., Plies, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Jeezy, and Soulja Boy## mvremix.com#
  8. ^ #http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Nxfl2_KLc Welcome To Dreamland## YouTube#
  9. ^ Rashaun Hall, #http://www.essence.com/entertainment/real_housewives_of_atlanta/kandi_burrus_to_open_atl_boutique.php Real Housewives of Atlanta: Kandi Burruss## November 16, 2009# essence.com#
  10. ^ #http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh18r49n9m7B5PrRtB Drum Squad #Feat# S# Fresh# - Dis Girl #Artist Submitted### ##WorldStarHipHop|worldstarhiphop.com###
  11. ^ #http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9023662908138427141&hl=en# Drumma Boy – CBS News Memphis Live @ 9## ##CBS News###
  12. ^ #http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3781636936185609703&hl=en Drumma Boy - FOX Good Morning Memphis## ##Fox News Channel###
  13. ^ #http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/entertainment/good_day/Drumma_Boy_Receives_Two_Grammy_Nominations_020309 Drumma Boy Receives Two Grammy Nominations## myfoxatlanta#com#
  14. ^ Jon Caramanica, #http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/arts/music/13gucci.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=drumma%20boy&st=cse Gucci Mane, No Holds Barred## ##The New York Times|nytimes.com### December 11, 2011#
  15. ^ #http://www.southernentawards.com/uploads/2009%20SEA%20Winners.pdf Official 2009 SEA Results## southernentawards.com#
  16. ^ #http://www.southernentawards.com/uploads/2010%20SEA%20Winners.pdf Official 2010 SEA Results## southernentawards.com#
  17. ^ #http://mvremix.com/urban_blogs/2008/07/17/atl-beat-maker-drumma-boy-nominated-for-%E2%80%9Cproducer-of-the-year%E2%80%9D-at-ozone-awards-2008-alongside-nominees-lil-wayne-rick-ross-ti-plies-kanye-west-lupe-fiasco-jeezy-soulja-boy-an/ ATL beat maker Drumma Boy nominated for “Producer of the Year” at Ozone Awards 2008 alongside nominees Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, T.I., Plies, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Jeezy, Soulja Boy & Andre 3000 as the classically trained musical prodigy holds chart topping singles “Put On” for Jeezy & Kanye West, “What’s Up” for T.I., “Tomorrow” for Rocko and upcoming tracks for Ludacris, Akon, Monica, Nelly, Brandy, Keyshia Cole, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Raheem Devaughn, Goapele, Dionne Farris, Keri Hilson and more## mvremix.com#
  18. ^ #http://www.yoraps.com/next2blowcontest.php Drumma Boy: Next2BlowContest## yoraps.com#
  19. ^ #http://www.kmel.com/pages/K2.html?article=9198106 BET Hip Hop Awards 2011: Big Winners## kmel.com#

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Drumma_Boy&oldid=571344605"