L.E.S. (producer)
Encyclopedia
Leshan David Lewis, better known as L.E.S., is a hip hop producer commonly associated with Nas
. His first production credit was for Nas' popular song "Life's a Bitch" from the Illmatic
album in 1994. He soon produced a single, "Sugar Hill", for AZ
's album Doe Or Die
. In the next two years, he produced more songs for Nas as well as songs for Fat Joe
, Shyheim, LL Cool J
, Royal Flush and The Firm. In 1998, he started working with Poke & Tone and collaboratively produced Will Smith
's #1 hit single "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
". From 1998 to 2005, he produced more songs for Nas, Big Punisher, N.O.R.E.
, Nature
, Flipmode Squad
, Kool Savas
, Azad
and others.
Most recently, he produced three tracks for Nas's album Hip Hop Is Dead
, including "Black Republican," which features a verse from Nas's former rival Jay-Z
. He also produced a track called "Girl" by rapper Cormega
, which was included in his 2009 album Born and Raised
He has also opened a new recording studio named 64 in the Tidewater area of Virginia.
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
. His first production credit was for Nas' popular song "Life's a Bitch" from the Illmatic
Illmatic
Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording...
album in 1994. He soon produced a single, "Sugar Hill", for AZ
AZ (rapper)
Anthony Cruz , better known as AZ is a Grammy-nominated American rapper of Dominican & African American descent. He is known for being a long time and frequent rhyme partner of Nas, and also a member of hip-hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature.In a countdown of the 10...
's album Doe Or Die
Doe or Die
Doe or Die is the debut studio album by rapper AZ, released October 10, 1995 on EMI Records. The album features guest appearances by artists such as Nas and Miss Jones, and production from Pete Rock, L.E.S., and Buckwild, among others....
. In the next two years, he produced more songs for Nas as well as songs for Fat Joe
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, Shyheim, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, Royal Flush and The Firm. In 1998, he started working with Poke & Tone and collaboratively produced Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
's #1 hit single "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a single by Will Smith from his album Big Willie Style. Released in early 1998 and co-written by Nas, it was Smith's first hit produced by Poke & Tone, who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the...
". From 1998 to 2005, he produced more songs for Nas, Big Punisher, N.O.R.E.
N.O.R.E.
Victor Santiago, Jr., best known by his stage name N.O.R.E. or Noreaga , is an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
, Nature
Nature (rapper)
Jermain Baxter , better known as Nature, is an American rapper, best known for his association with fellow Queensbridge-born rapper Nas.-Career:...
, Flipmode Squad
Flipmode Squad
The Flipmode Squad is a production crew and musical group, founded and fronted by rapper Busta Rhymes. The first Flipmode album debuted in 1998 with The Imperial, Rampage and Rah Digga went on to record solo efforts...
, Kool Savas
Kool Savas
Savas Yurderi also known as Kool Savas , is a German rapper and hip hop artist. Savas is mostly referred to as "King of Rap" or "King of German Rap"."Savaş" is the Turkish word for "war"....
, Azad
Azad (rapper)
Azad Azadpour is a German rapper of Kurdish descent based in Frankfurt am Main.-Career:After having arrived in Germany from Iran as young as 10, he was into hip hop, rap, beatboxing and graffiti. In 1988 he joined D-Flame , A-Bomb, and Combad in Cold-N-Locco...
and others.
Most recently, he produced three tracks for Nas's album Hip Hop Is Dead
Hip Hop Is Dead
Hip Hop Is Dead is the eighth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 15, 2006 on Def Jam Recordings. His first album for the label, it was co-financed by Nas's previous label, Columbia Records, which once distributed for Def Jam...
, including "Black Republican," which features a verse from Nas's former rival Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. He also produced a track called "Girl" by rapper Cormega
Cormega
Cory Mckay , better known as Cormega, is an American emcee best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life.- Early life :...
, which was included in his 2009 album Born and Raised
He has also opened a new recording studio named 64 in the Tidewater area of Virginia.
Notable productions
- "Life's a Bitch" - off IllmaticIllmaticIllmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording...
(featuring NasNasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
& AZAZ (rapper)Anthony Cruz , better known as AZ is a Grammy-nominated American rapper of Dominican & African American descent. He is known for being a long time and frequent rhyme partner of Nas, and also a member of hip-hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature.In a countdown of the 10...
) - "Sugar Hill" - off Doe or DieDoe or DieDoe or Die is the debut studio album by rapper AZ, released October 10, 1995 on EMI Records. The album features guest appearances by artists such as Nas and Miss Jones, and production from Pete Rock, L.E.S., and Buckwild, among others....
(featuring AZ & Miss JonesMiss JonesTarsha Jones, better known as Miss Jones, is a former R&B artist and radio personality. Miss Jones is currently the host of the Power 99 morning show "Jonesy In The Morning" after previously working for Hot 97 until 2008.-Early life:...
) - "Shaolin Style" - off "The Lost Generation" (featuring Shyheim)
- "Envy" - off Jealous One's EnvyJealous One's EnvyJealous One's Envy is the second studio album by Fat Joe released in 1995. It fared well on the hip-hop charts.- Track listing :...
(featuring Fat JoeFat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
) - "Glamour Life" - off Capital PunishmentCapital Punishment (album)Capital Punishment is the solo debut album by rapper Big Pun, released on April 28, 1998. The album received critical acclaim, and Big Pun became the first solo Latino rapper to go Platinum. The album peaked at #5 on on the Billboard 200 charts and #1 on the Top R&B Albums chart for two weeks...
(featuring Big PunBig PunChristopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
) - "Firm Biz" - off Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ, and Nature Present The Firm: The AlbumThe Album (The Firm album)The Album, also known as The Firm: The Album, is the debut studio album of American hip hop supergroup The Firm, released October 21, 1997 on the Interscope-subsidiary label Aftermath Entertainment.-Background:...
(featuring The Firm) - "Favor for a Favor" - off I Am... (featuring Nas & ScarfaceScarface (rapper)Brad Terrence Jordan , better known by his stage name Scarface, is an American rapper, and recording artist from Houston, Texas and a member of the Geto Boys. He is originally from South Park, Houston.-Life and career:...
) - "NastradamusNastradamus (song)"Nastradamus" is the first single from Nas' fourth album Nastradamus. It was produced by L.E.S.. The song contains the lyrics "You wanna ball 'til you fall, I can help you with that" which were viewed as a jab at Rocafella artist Memphis Bleek, sparking the beef which would eventually involve Jay-Z...
" - off NastradamusNastradamusNastradamus is the fourth studio album by American rapper Nas, released November 23, 1999 on Columbia Records in the United States. It was originally scheduled to be released as a follow-up album composed of material from recording sessions for his third album, I Am… on October 26, 1999...
(featuring Nas) - "Gettin' Jiggy wit ItGettin' Jiggy Wit It"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a single by Will Smith from his album Big Willie Style. Released in early 1998 and co-written by Nas, it was Smith's first hit produced by Poke & Tone, who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the...
" - off Big Willie StyleBig Willie StyleBig Willie Style is the first solo studio album recorded by Will Smith, after spending most of his career as the latter half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince...
(featuring Will SmithWill SmithWillard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
) - "The Flyest" - off StillmaticStillmaticStillmatic received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 69, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
(featuring Nas & AZ) - "I'm Real" - off J.Lo
- "Just a MomentJust a Moment"Just a Moment" is the third and last single from Nas' Street's Disciple. It features his protégé Quan and is produced by L.E.S.. Its lyrics ask for moments of silence for many people worldwide who are going through different life struggles, from victims of violence in the ghetto to soldiers in...
" - off Street's DiscipleStreet's DiscipleStreet's Disciple is the seventh studio album by American rapper Nas, released November 30, 2004 on Columbia Records in the United States. It is a double album entitled after one of his rhymes from "Live at the Barbeque" by Main Source, which was the song marking his musical debut...
(featuring Nas & QuanQuan (rapper)Clifford Peacock, better known by his stage name Quan or Don Ferquan, is an American rapper, affiliated with Nas and Ill Will Records...
) - "Black Republican" - off Hip Hop Is DeadHip Hop Is DeadHip Hop Is Dead is the eighth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 15, 2006 on Def Jam Recordings. His first album for the label, it was co-financed by Nas's previous label, Columbia Records, which once distributed for Def Jam...
(featuring Nas & Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
) - "Bring It All To MeBring It All To Me"Bring It All to Me" is an R&B song with Pop influences. released in 1999 by American R&B Vocal trio, Blaque featuring JC Chasez. "Bring It All to Me" was released as the second single from Blaque's self-titled debut album Blaque...
" - off BlaqueBlaque (album)Blaque is self-titled debut album from American girl-group Blaque. The album debuted #53 on the Billboard 200 albums chart where it went platinum.Their third single "Bring It All to Me" featured JC Chasez , and reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album also featured a cover...
(featuring BlaqueBlaqueBlaque is an American Urban-R&B group that had a string of hits in the late 90’s. The group's name stands for Believing, Life, Achieving, Quest, Unity, Everything. Their debut album sold more than 1.5 million copies and was certified Platinum...
& JC Chasez of 'N Sync'N SyncN Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
) - "Corner Bodega" - off [Power Of The Dollar]] 50 Cent