Birth name Jon Wells Role Record producer Also known as J Roc Genres Hip hop music | Years active 1999–present Music group Likwit Crew Name J. Wells | |
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Origin Los Angeles, California Occupation(s) Producer, rapper, record producer, record executive, businessman Associated acts Kurupt, Roscoe, Snoop Dogg, The Dogg Pound, Keyshia Cole, Goodie Mob, DJ Quik, Tha Alkaholiks, King Tee, Dungeon Family, Wu-Tang Clan, Xzibit, Lil' Scrappy Albums Digital Smoke, Digital Master Record labels Warner Bros., Fontana Distribution, Universal Records Similar People J‑Ro, Gail Gotti, Kurupt, Bishop Lamont, Butch Cassidy Profiles | ||
J. Wells (born Jon Wells; 1983 in Chicago) is an American record producer, record executive, and rapper. He is a member of the Likwit Crew.
Contents
- Biography
- Establishing Bonzi Records
- Productions discography
- Discography
- Filmography
- Commercials music composed by
- References
Biography
Wells was born and raised in Chicago but moved to California, then later to Atlanta, Georgia when he was young. He took the alias "J Roc" when he began rapping in local clubs. A high school friend introduced him to K-Boogs, Young and DJ7 with whom he later formed the group Rocswell, as well as a production company under the same name - Rocswell Entertainment. The group recorded its first album Chilahyork in 1997 which sold 5,000 copies. A second album, Tha Classiks, was released in 1999 and sold 8,000 copies.
In 2000 Wells began managing a Dallas-based hip hop group called Virus and they briefly signed with Warner Brothers in 2001, before being dropped from the label. As a result, the group's first album Outbreak was never released and shelved indefinitely.
In 2001 Wells was invited to join the group Likwit Crew, which includes: Tha Alkaholiks, (E-Swift, J Ro, Tash), King Tee, LootPack, Phil Da Agony, and Defari , who in 2002 toured with Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass tour, where he met Kurupt from the Dogg Pound (with whom he later formed a duo and released an album). He went on to work on the Wolfpac's Roger Troutman Project and put together his own Wolf Pac Mix tape Volume One which features artists such as Shyheim and Sun of Man of the Wu-Tang Clan. It sold 25,000 copies.
In 2005, after creative differences with Wolfpac Records, Wells launched another record label, Bonzi Records, before releasing his debut album, Digital Master which featured: Bishop Lamont, Method Man, Mitchy Slick, Goodie Mob, Tha Liks, Jayo Felony, Kurupt, Roscoe, and Planet Asia. The same year Wells produced the Goodie Mob single, "Play Yo Flutes", featuring Sleepy Brown
Wells produced Work It Out on Keyshia Cole's album Just like You in 2007. He also produced songs for Snoop Dogg's EP and animated DVD The Adventures of The Blue Carpet Treatment, as well as music used on TV shows such as, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, and for the film Be Cool directed by F. Gary Gray.
His songs are also feature in the video games: EA Sports 2004 Tiger Woods Golf, and EA Sports 2006 Fight Night, as well as commercials for major corporations including McDonald's, Smirnoff, Starbucks, and Coors Light. He released his collaboration album with Kurupt, Digital Smoke under his own label Bonzi Records / Fontana Distribution.
He went on to release Digital Master Vol. 2.1 in 2009 which featured: Snoop Dogg, Estelle, Rah Digga, WC, Mack 10, and Da Brat. The single "Already Famous" featuring Da Brat and Kurupt was released on Bonzi Records in March 2009. The video was released without Da Brat due to her incarceration in the Georgia state prison. His first solo studio album will be Inebriated and is under construction.
Establishing Bonzi Records
Bonzi Records is an American record label founded by Wells. Fontana Distribution is the distributor for Bonzi. In 2005 after leaving Wolfpac Records, Wells established Bonzi Records and began to release a series of rap music compilations to establish the new brand. In 2006 the label went on to sign a distribution deal with Fontana Distribution, and in 2007 released a Kurupt collaboration album Digital Smoke. Wells then began signing more acts to Bonzi like Q Parker of 112, D. Woods, Kokane, Slimm Calhoun, and Lil' Scrappy .