Diamond D

Diamond D started out as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in the late 1980's and was at the same time perfecting his skills in beat making and turntablism, and, together with rhyme partner Master Rob, he was one half of the group Ultimate Force. The group signed with Jazzy Jay's Strong City Records, and Diamond and Rob started recording their debut album, I'm Not Playin', in 1988 and released the 12-inch single with the same title, which spawned a buzz in the underground. The album was completed in 1990, but it got caught up in label politics, such as the shutdown of Strong City distributor Uni Records, and was shelved until 2007 when it was released through Traffic Entertainment. One of the last songs recorded for the album was a Diamond D solo song in which he actually picked up the mike for the first time. The song was called "The Best-Kept Secret."

As Ultimate Force dissolved, record executives had their eyes on the Bronx phenomenon, which eventually resulted in the 1992 release of Diamond's debut album "Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop" (released under the moniker Diamond & the Psychotic Neurotics). The album is considered to be one of the finest D.I.T.C. solo LPs and features early appearances from Big L and Fat Joe. "Represent”Fat Joe’s 1993 debut album was mainly produced by Diamond D, followed by producing for multiple hip hop and R&B artists listed below in the discography. In 1996, Diamond D won a GRAMMY® Award for his production contribution on the Fugees LP "The Score" which won for Best Rap Album. The same year he appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD "America is Dying Slowly" alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan, and Fat Joe and many other prominent hip hop artists. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as a masterpiece by The Source magazine.

Diamond's second album "Hatred, Passions and Infidelity", was released in 1997 to mixed, but mostly positive reviews. Following the release, Diamond established his name as a sought-after producer after providing impressive beats for hip hop legends such as Busta Rhymes, Fugees, KRS-One, Queen Latifah, the Pharcyde, and Brand Nubian, among others. Diamond D is regarded as one of the first hip hop producers to work with artists on both the east and west coasts.

Since then, he has released the independent street album "Grown-Man Talk", the official mixtape compilation "The Diamond Mine", and provided contributions to his D.I.T.C. cohorts' projects including the crew's self-titled debut album on Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records in 2000.

Diamond D was nominated a second time for a GRAMMY® Award in 2008 for co-production on Natalie Cole's cover of Aretha Franklin's "Day Dreaming". That same year he signed with Babygrande Records and released his fourth album, titled "The Huge Hefner Chronicles". Unlike previous efforts, the LP showed Diamond’s focus on his rhymes, and production was handled by other respected underground beat makers such as Nottz, DJ Scratch, IllMind, Def Jef, and Jesse West. In 2010, he produced “Shine,” the first single from Pharoahe Monch's LP "W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)".

Diamond is preparing to release a new album called "The Diam Piece" featuring appearances from Pharo Monch, AG, Sadat X, Pete Rock, Skyzoo, Camp Lo, Smif-n-Wesson and others. Awards, Nominations, Honors, Credits 1996 - GRAMMY® Award-Winner Producer and Emcee for the Fugees "The Score" (Best Rap Album) 1998 - The Source Magazine's Top 100 Hip Hop LPs of all time: "Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop" 2007 - GRAMMY® Award-Nominated Producer for Natalie Cole's "Day Dreaming" 2010 - XXL Magazine Top 10 list of producers who rhyme: Oct issue 2011 - The Source Magazine Top 10 list of producers who rhyme: Feb issue 2013 - The iStandard Producers "Living Legend" Award.