Producer Says He & Meagan Good Discovered Keyshia Cole
It could just be a disgruntled producer’s sour grapes, but producer Damon Elliot says Keyshia Cole has virtually wiped him from her musical history, even excluding him from Grammy nominations he says he deserves. Elliot, who is legendary singer Dionne Warwick’s son, says that he was instrumental to Cole’s discovery and success through his Confidential Records label, which Cole is still signed to. In a press release, Elliot claims that he discovered the Bay area singer via actress Meagan Good, who invited him to hear Cole sing on the Los Angeles set of “Biker Boyz,” the movie she was filming at the time. Elliot says once he heard Cole sing, he then introduced her to songwriter/producer Greg Curtis. Cole’s hit song “Love” was a result of that meeting. Elliot says he played “Love” for a recording executive, which led directly to Keyshia being signed by Interscope. Elliot even included the aspiring singer in several interviews he was doing for projects he was working on with Mya, Destiny’s Child, Pink and Jessica Simpson. A 2002 ASCAP.com profile of him talks about his work with those artists and more as well as his debut in film scoring with the Jaime Kennedy vehicle “Malibu’s Most Wanted.”
Elliot says that his contributions being virtually ignored in the midst of Cole’s recent Grammy nominations spurred him to come forward. He was successful in getting NARAS, who oversees the Grammys, to change Cole’s nominations to include Confidential Records, not just Geffen, Cole’s parent label. Elliott says his songwriting contributions to three songs on Cole’s first CD The Way It Is (2005) were downplayed and that he appears in the album credits as ‘D. Elliot’ while co-writers were credited with their full names.
“I still stand behind Keyshia 100%, but I’ve always wanted the opportunity to make the truth known,” Elliot says. “I knew in time people would learn the truth. Those who were there and know what I did (for Keyshia) call me all the time to congratulate me on her successes. They know she’s my artist and I’m proud that she was the first one signed to my label. But I’m also excited about the many new projects I’m working on in music, movies and fashion.”
Elliot is working with his mom on a new gospel project, Spice Girl Mel B. on her solo project and with Chinese actress Bai Ling on her musical debut. He’s got a new act, Hopspin, signed to Confidential Records, and is scoring a documentary on the Negro Leagues called, ironically enough, “The Untold Truth.”
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Cree said,
What is he complaining about exactly? She is still signed to his label and he was credited for his work and is/was being paid. What is his gripe and how much darn credit does he think he deserves? I mean dang, Diddy got writers and producers, people who are suppose to be in the background wanting to be in the foreground. Once upon a time folks like him knew their place.
Des said,
Alrightee :confused:
You may need to correct the spelling in the title, though
Stephanie said,
[quote comment="19208"]Alrightee :confused:
You may need to correct the spelling in the title, though :smile:[/quote]
I’m glad I read this before I went to bed tonight
Dana said,
Mel B. is trying to make a comeback :confused:
JBL said,
Well at least he is not suing her like Jeff Redd did Mary J. Blige.
iris said,
this is nonsense, the only purpose for this is to get a name for himself and that is not her job. her job is to make good music and take care of her mother, her mother’s kids, her sister and her sister’s kids. oh and to let us all watch it on BET.
Liyah said,
:confused: remains to be seen.
Salty said,
The man feels his work and been downplayed and has every right to set the record straight. This happens to new songwriters and producers all the time. This is how Diddy built himself up, pretending to write and produce music other artists actually wrote and produced. Writers and producers make a name for themselves when they create music that becomes a hit, that is how they become top notch and sought after. That’s also why Ne-Yo took to the airwaves last year to let the public know that he and not Beyonce really wrote Irreplaceable. That song was a monster hit and the reason why he says he was asked to work with Britney Spears, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson.
Brianna said,
Dana said,
If he wrote and produced her music and she is still signed to his label, he probably has all the money.
cassandre aka alicia said,
i feel like song writers really need to comes out of the closet and speak out too many people have this beautiful talent and are exploited by gready untalented money hungry folks [not you keyshia honey] but im just saying if he is in his right to complain then be it
? said,
It’s a writers strike for tv, now its going to be one for song writers too! I don’t blame him alot of ppl behind the scenes don’t get the credit or the fame and fortune, and they should because without them we have nothing! :banana:
OFFICIAL STAND UP GIRL said,
SOUNDS LIKE BS TO ME
rain said,
that’ can’t be true because she was already singing for Tupac and MC Hammer. :dance2: