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Ayatollah (record producer)

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Lamont Dorrell, known as Ayatollah, is a hip-hop record producer from Queens, New York who has produced for predominantly New York-based rappers including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, R.A. The Rugged Man, Tragedy Khadafi, Wordsworth, Vast Aire, Afu-Ra, Guru, M.O.P., Inspectah Deck, Cormega, Ghostface Killah as well as many others. R.A. the Rugged Man had said in an interview that he was the first person to ever buy a beat from Ayatollah. Broadly speaking Ayatollah's production encompasses a soulful, authentic east coast hip-hop sound which has brought him steady success and acclaim since the late 1990s.

Biography

Ayatollah first received mainstream recognition after producing Rawkus rapper Mos Def's hit "Ms. Fat Booty", the first single off his Black on Both Sides album;[1] whilst subsequently receiving a gold plaque for probably his most well-known track to date, Styles P's hit "The Life", featuring Pharoahe Monch of Organized Konfusion, which appeared on the Rawkus Records compilation Soundbombing III.

Ayatollah is a favoured producer of many Queensbridge MCs in particular, and after working with Cormega on Rap's a Hustle on his debut The Realness, the latter spoke of working on a subsequent album produced solely by Ayatollah, an eagerly awaited project which has since failed to transpire.

He has released instrumental albums, 2003's unofficial debut So Many Reasons to Rhyme and since then in 2006, Listen, on Nomadic Wax, Now Playing on Nature Sounds, and The Quixotic. He worked with Rakim on "A Cold Feeling", an unreleased song for The Wash soundtrack.

Ayatollah's production has been featured on many releases. Brooklyn newcomer Okai's 2006 debut album Dekonstruktion of the Mind was entirely produced by Ayatollah. He became the producer for the group T.H.U.G. Angelz, with Wu-Tang Clan affiliates Hell Razah and Shabazz the Disciple.

In 2015, Ayatollah began working with the hip hop production team Widowmaker to form the trio COLOSSUS. Their debut instrumental album, Ayatollah Presents: COLOSSUS, was released digitally on June 7, 2015.[2] A limited vinyl pressing was released in mid-August, 2015.[3]

Discography

Albums

Production

References

  1. ^ Strock, Owen (2005) "Ayatollah Now Playing", CMJ New Music Monthly, Issue 137, 2005, p. 40, retrieved 2010-02-05
  2. ^ Bandcamp. "Ayatollah Presents: COLOSSUS". Bandcamp.com. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  3. ^ Fleamarketfunk. "Ayatollah Presents: COLOSSUSS". Fleamarketfunk.com. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
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