Jerry Duplessis
Jerry 'Wonda' Duplessis is a Grammy Award-winning Haitian-born musical composer and record producer. His first major success was as producer for The Fugees' 1996 album The Score. He also played the bass guitar with The Fugees, and band member Wyclef Jean is his cousin.
Music career
Early life
Jerry 'Wonda' Duplessis was born and raised in a suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At 14, he began playing the bass. Early influences at this time included Aston Barrett, and James Jamerson. At 16, he was sent to the US and was raised by his father and his aunt who was also Wyclef's mother. The basement of their family home soon became their home studio.
From church to some time at the Institute of Audio Research, and gigs wherever he could play, their home studio "Booga Basement" was opened serving artists near New Jersey. Wyclef, Samuel Pras Michel, and Lauryn Hill would then unite to create a new Caribbean style group ultimately known as The Fugees. Wonda and Wyclef would align to provide production for the group which would be signed by Ruffhouse/Columbia. Label mates at the time would include Cypress Hill and Kris Kross.
Jerry Wonda/Wyclef Jean years
Jerry Wonda and Wyclef Jean's producing would take off with The Fugees. Their cover of the Roberta Flack classic, "Killing Me Softly" sung by lead vocalist Lauryn Hill reached No. 2 on the Pop charts and No. 1 on the R&B charts. Co-produced by Wonda, their album The Score would become one of the best-selling hip hop albums of all time gaining worldwide recognition.
Wonda would divide his time touring as a bassist and musical director with The Fugees and producing for upcoming artists such as Destiny's Child with a remix of "No No No." He attributes his musical success to tailoring each of his productions specifically tailored to a particular artist. “When we are on stage every song is different, every show is different, and when working with other artists, I make the beat for the specific artist,” Wonda explained. “I find out what fits each artist before delivering the song.” Several productions ranging from hip hop, pop, r&b, rock, soul, and reggae would follow.
Wonda and Wyclef would make history in 2000. Santana's Supernatural single "Maria Maria," which Wonda co-produced, held the No. 1 chart position for 10 weeks. In 2006, the duo produced Shakira's worldwide hit "Hips Don't Lie" from album Oral Fixation Vol. 2. It became the top selling song of the 21st century and reached No. 1 in more than 50 countries, leading Shakira to be the 1st female Colombian singer to top Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Film scoring
In 1996, Wonda would co-produce The Fugees All-Star Ali tribute "Rumble In The Jungle" featuring A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes for the Muhammad Ali documentary "When We Were Kings." The Warren Beatty film Bulworth includes Wonda's "Ghetto Superstar (That Is What You Are)" performed by Pras Michel, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mýa and "How Come" by Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour & Canibus.
Alongside Wyclef and Andrea Guerra, Wonda wrote and produced the theme song "Million Voices" for the movie Hotel Rwanda, which was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2005. The same song was later nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006.[1] Other film credits include The Manchurian Candidate, Dave Chappelle's "Block Party," and "50 First Dates."
In 2001, Wonda built Platinum Sound Recording Studios in Times Square, NYC.
Yéle Haiti
Wonda and Wyclef co-founded non-profit Yéle Haiti providing assistance to Haiti in education, health, environment and community development. “We created Yele Haiti because we are from Haiti,” said Wonda. “We want to give people from the impoverished nation equal access to education and opportunity and equip them with the necessary tools to be self reliant.” Wonda has hosted several diplomats and activists to the country including former President Bill Clinton, Angelina Jolie, and Petra Nemcova.
2009 - present
In 2009, Wonda began producing music on his own, founding a production company called Wonda Music and placing his first major record with teen sensation, Justin Bieber for "U Smile." He has since followed up several placements to include artists Mary J. Blige, Musiq Soulchild, Keri Hilson, Estelle, Busta Rhymes, Miguel and Lupe Fiasco. Wonda began signing artists, producers, and songwriters to his Wonda Music imprint.
Artists currently on the Wonda Music roster include Famey, Viviane Ndour (Viviane), Alex Boyé, and Destiny Moriah. Producers include Arden 'Keyz' Altino, Klase '1st Klase' Gonzalez, 'Murk da Mic', and Hardy Indigo.
Wonda also is part of the new touring band with Melissa Etheridge playing bass guitar.
Producer and co-producer
| Song title | Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| "League of My Own" | Samantha J feat. Dej Loaf | League of My Own | 2015 |
| "Come Over" | Ne-Yo | Non-Fiction | 2015 |
| "Fool For You" | Curtis Fields | N/A | 2015 |
| "Come Around" | Slightly Stoopid | Meanwhile...Back at the Lab | 2015 |
| "Party Done" | Machel Montano feat. Angela Hunte | N/A | 2015 |
| "The Hustler" | LL Cool J feat. Mavado | GOAT 2 | 2014 |
| "Lemonade" | Alex Boye | N/A | 2014 |
| "God I Get It" | K. Michelle | Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? | 2014 |
| "I Got U" | Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones | I Got U | 2014 |
| "Do It Again" | Melissa Etheridge | This Is M.E. | 2014 |
| "Monster" | |||
| "Soundboy Kill It" | Raekwon feat. Melanie Fiona | Fly International Luxurious Art (F.I.L.A) | 2014 |
| "Dance With Me" | Tank | Stronger | 2014 |
| "I Gotta Have It" | |||
| "Missing You" | |||
| "Thanking You" | |||
| "Automatic" | Claudette Ortiz | TBD | 2014 |
| "Bring Back The Music" | Jennifer Hudson | JHUD | 2014 |
| "Say It" | |||
| "Ready Aim" | Mali Music | Mali Is... | 2014 |
| "No Fun Alone" | |||
| "Beautiful" | |||
| "One" | |||
| "Make It" | |||
| "All About You" | Raekwon feat. Estelle | All About You (Single) | 2013 |
| "One Shot" | Angela Hunte | Reggae Gold | 2013 |
| "Wonderland" | Keyshia Cole featuring Elijah Blake | Woman to Woman | 2012 |
| "Blame" | K'La featuring Nas | TBD | 2012 |
| "Fade Away" | Selah Sue | Selah Sue | 2012 |
| "Make It Shake" | Machel Montano featuring Busta Rhymes, Olivia, and Fatman Scoop | Wonda Music | 2012 |
| "Do You..." | Miguel | Kaleidoscope Dream | 2012 |
| "Freedom Ride" | Keri Hilson | Think Like a Man (Soundtrack) | 2012 |
| "Soldier Girl ft. Mavado" | Olivia | Album Title TBD | 2012 |
| "Hurt Somebody ft. French Montana" | Akon | Stadium/Konkrete Jungle | 2012 |
| "Survivor ft. Mavado" | Album Title TBD | 2012 | |
| "The Woman You Love ft. Busta Rhymes" | Ashanti | Braveheart | 2012 |
| "Back to Love" | Estelle | All of Me | 2012 |
| "Wonderful Life" | |||
| "Thank You" | |||
| "Never Let Go ft. Keri Hilson" | Anthony Hamilton | Back to Love | 2011 |
| "Feel Inside ft. Nas" | Mary J. Blige | My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) | 2011 |
| "Don't Mind" | |||
| "Over Love" | |||
| "Someone to Love Me (Naked)" | Mary J. Blige featuring Diddy & Lil Wayne | ||
| "Never Forget You" | Lupe Fiasco featuring John Legend | Lasers | 2011 |
| "Out of My Head" | Lupe Fiasco featuring Trey Songz | ||
| "Rough Boy" | Wyclef Jean | ZZ Top – A Tribute From Friends | 2011 |
| "Anything" | Musiq Soulchild featuring Swizz Beatz | MusiqInTheMagiq | 2011 |
| "Say I Do" | Musiq Soulchild | ||
| "Silver & Gold" | |||
| "Back to Where" | |||
| "Waiting Still" | |||
| "Southern Hospitality" | Hal Linton | 2010 | |
| "All the Boys" | Keri Hilson | No Boys Allowed | 2010 |
| "U Smile" | Justin Bieber | My World 2.0 | 2010 |
| "You've Got a Friend" | Ron Isley featuring Aretha Franklin | Mr. I | 2010 |
| "Someone to Love Me" | Diddy Dirty Money | Last Train to Paris | 2010 |
| "Grown Man" | Gucci Mane featuring Estelle | The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted | 2010 |
| "Dollar Sign" | Gucci Mane | 2010 | |
| "Ice Cream Girl" | Sean Kingston | 2010 | |
| "Bedtime Story" | Buju Banton | Rasta Got Soul | 2010 |
| "Ballin" | Haitian Fresh featuring Wyclef | NBA Live 2010 | 2010 |
| "Spanish Fly" | Aventura | The Last | 2009 |
| "Spy" | Shakira | She Wolf | 2009 |
| "You Think You Got It Bad" | Lyfe Jennings | Lyfe Change | 2008 |
| "Wild Wild Wild" | 2008 | ||
| Various | Wyclef Jean | Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant | 2008 |
| "Rollout" | Labelle | Back To Now | 2008 |
| "So Much Out the Way" | Estelle | Shine | 2008 |
| "No Substitute Love" | |||
| "My Swag" | T.I. | T.I. vs. T.I.P. | 2008 |
| "You Know What It Is" | |||
| "Coqui" | Omarion | Feel the Noise Soundtrack | 2007 |
| "I'm Coming Home" | Lionel Richie | Coming Home | 2006 |
| "I Apologize" | |||
| "Hips Don't Lie" | Shakira | Oral Fixation Vol. 2 | 2006 |
| "Dangerous" | Ying Yang Twins | Chemically Imbalanced | 2006 |
| "Million Voices" | Hotel Rwanda | Hotel Rwanda Soundtrack | 2004 |
| Various | Wyclef Jean | Creole 101 | 2004 |
| The Preacher's Son | 2003 | ||
| Tom Jones | Mr. Jones | 2003 | |
| Wyclef Jean | Masquerade | 2002 | |
| Jimmy Cozier | Jimmy Cozier | 2001 | |
| Loving You (Ole Ole Ole) | Brian Harvey | Solo | 2001 |
| Hit Them With It | |||
| Various | City High | City High | 2001 |
| Wyclef Jean | The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book | 2000 | |
| "Loving Your Best" | Eric Benet | A Day in the Life | 1999 |
| Various | Destiny's Child | The Writing's on the Wall | 1999 |
| "My Love is Your Love" | Whitney Houston | My Love is Your Love | 1998 |
| Various | Pras | Ghetto Supastar | 1998 |
| Canibus | Can-I-Bus | 1998 | |
| 98 Degrees | 98 Degrees and Rising | 1998 | |
| Wyclef Jean | The Carnival | 1997 | |
| The Fugees | The Score | 1997 | |
References
- ↑ The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards Roundup: Film/TV/Visual Media Field Grammy.com, January 24, 2006
External links
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