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DJ Eddie F | |
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 Ferrell in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edward Ferrell |
| Born | March 25, 1968 Mount Vernon, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | |
| Formerly of | Heavy D & The Boyz |
Edward Ferrell is an American record producer, DJ, songwriter, and record executive. With business partner Heavy D, he formed the hip hop group Heavy D and the Boyz in 1985, for which he served as the de facto producer and DJ.[1] The group signed with Uptown Records to release seven commercially successful studio albums. He served as Vice President of A&R of LaFace Records from to 1993 to 1995, Executive Vice President of Motown from 1995 to 1997, and Executive Consultant to chairman L.A. Reid of Def Jam Recordings from 2005 to 2007. He also founded the record label Untouchables Entertainment Group, through which he discovered and signed R&B singer Donell Jones.[2]
In his solo career, Ferrell has produced for artists including Mary J. Blige, Erick Sermon, Guy, LL Cool J, Angie Stone, and Al B. Sure! throughout the mid-1990s. Ferrell has served as the primary and executive producer for Donell Jones' first four studio albums, as well as his 1999 single "U Know What's Up", which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. A key figure in hip hop and R&B sampling, Ferrell is credited with creating the first "Featured artist remix", whereby a track was reworked with both a new instrumental and verse by a hip hop artist. The first project that did so was the 1990 remix of Johnny Gill's "Rub U The Right Way" remix, featuring C.L. Smooth. Ferrell also helped his high school buddy, Al B. Sure!, secure a deal by playing his demo for Uptown label boss Andre Harrell, who then took Sure's demo to Quincy Jones and Benny Medina, leading him to sign with Uptown and Warner Bros. Records.