Birth name Darwin Cordale Quinn Instruments Keyboards, drums | Also known as C-Gutta Years active 2001–present | |
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Occupation(s) Record producer, songwriter, rapper Albums I Ain't Takin No Loss 2, Connected and Respected Vol. 1 Genres Hip hop music, Contemporary R&B, Pop music Similar TI, Big Pokey, Lil' Keke, Lil' O, Young Dro | ||
Darwin Cordale Quinn (born October 7, 1987), professionally known as Lil' C (also known as C-Gutta), is an American hip hop record producer, songwriter and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is perhaps best known for producing Atlanta-based rapper Young Dro's 2006 debut single, "Shoulder Lean", which led to a deal with Grand Hustle Records. Quinn is also part of the record production team Smash Factory, alongside frequent collaborator Mars and Grand Hustle label-boss T.I..
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Musical career
Quinn began producing hip hop beats as a means to make money and pay his bills. He embarked on this path at a young age, selling beats to classmates at the high school he attended. At fifteen, he was working in a studio that was housed under Hot 97.6 in Jackson, Mississippi, which is how he made a lot of connections in the music industry early on. In 2003, at the age of 16, Quinn made his first rap appearance on a song called "The Game", with Young Jeezy and Sunny Spoon on the album, Come Shop wit Me. He would later meet Jason Geter, the chief executive officer (CEO) of American rapper T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records. Geter flew Quinn out to Atlanta, Georgia on the day of the "I'm A King", music video shoot. Quinn took his keyboard with and went on to impress Geter with his skills.
At the age 17, Quinn produced the song "My Hood", for Young Jeezy, which was the third single from his debut album Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005). He gained major recognition in 2006, after producing "Shoulder Lean", from Grand Hustle artist Young Dro’s debut album Best Thang Smokin' (2006). It sold over 2 million ringtones, which led him to his first co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music and Grand Hustle at the age of 18. In 2007, Quinn and T.I. formed a record production and songwriting team called The Smash Factory, alongside Lamar "Mars" Edwards of 1500 or Nothin'.
In late 2014, Quinn produced the remix of "Heaven Knows" for the fifth season winner of The Voice, Tessanne Chin. "Heaven Knows (Remix)" was released as a single by Republic Records in November 2014. In early 2015, Quinn signed with Kobalt Music Group on a new Administration deal. Also in 2015, Quinn produced "Offset" for T.I. and Young Thug, which is included on the soundtrack to the film Furious 7.
Singles
Songs
Bang ScrewPurple Drank · 2012
Purple SodaH-Town Chronic 14 · 2015
Feds2015