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User:Atlantic306/Fingazz

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Fingazz
Birth nameJohn Stary
OriginCalifornia, United States
Genres
Occupations
Instruments
  • Keyboard
  • talkbox
  • drums
  • guitar
  • vocals
Years active1997–present
Labels
Websitewww.fingadelic.com

John Stary, better known by his stage names Fingazz and Fingadelic, is an American record producer, writer and musician based in Los Angeles, CA.

Early life

[edit]

Stary was born in Pomona, CA. He played trombone in the Newport Harbor High School Band before switching to drums. One year for his birthday, his parents gave him a keyboard at the suggestion of one of his friends and he taught himself to play it, Stary played for years in funk bands opening for artists like P-Funk All-Stars, Zapp and Roger, The Time, The Gap Band, and The Commodores. He was given the nickname "Fingazz", when a fellow band member noticed his keyboard skills. He learned the Roger inspired effect called "talk box", allowing one to sing with a synthesizer. He was also recruited to play keys and talkbox live on tour with the multi-platinum group En Vogue on the EV3 tour, performing nationwide for crowds of 30,000. After this Stary started playing drums professionally for live bands while being in the studio during his free time to produce music.[1]

Career

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While performing with the funk band Slapbak at the House of Blues in Hollywood, his talkbox skills were noticed by Baby Bash and Kid Frost. He was approached after the show to feature on a record for Frost's album and B-side single. "Get Down" became Stary's first official album release credit. In 2000, Stary finally broke into the industry with the success of the West Coast classic "I Love Cali (in the summertime)" by Young Roscoe of the Dogg Pound , that charted on Billboard. This song was also used as the opening/closing theme for the Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett film "Hollywood Homicide". Stary has produced for Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Bad Azz, Nate Dogg, Kokane, Mack 10, Suga Free, Kam, and Too Short. Stary's style includes Chicano rap.

Brown Boy's "Superman" features Stary singing with the Auto-Tune effect before T-Pain was on the scene. This record reached #22 on the Billboard Rap chart. Then Stary paired up with Lil Rob on the hit "Summer Nights" which was the #4 most played rhythmic radio record in the US. MediaBase reported spins of nearly 6,000 a week in the summer of 2005 which took this record to #13 on the Billboard Rap Chart. Stary teamed with Down aka Kilo on "Lean Like a Cholo" which reached #15 on the Billboard Rap, #34 on the Hot 100, #32 on the Hot Digital Songs, and #14 on the Ringtones charts. This single has been certified Platinum with over 2.5 million ringtones, and nearly 2 million digital single sales.

Stary is also an artist and has performed internationally with his custom talkbox instrument called the "Talkstar". His talkbox has been heard on features with ,us artists including: Flo Rida, Mike Posner, Just Blaze, Tyga, and Fareast Movement. He has released 3 of his own albums which pay tribute to some of his influences called "Classics For The O.G.'s Pt 1 & 2" and "Classics 3". His first all original talkbox album released in 2016 called "VI$IONZ". Stary has toured and collaborated with Japanese artists, producing and writing for K-Pop group Wonder Girls with "Be My Baby", "Dear Boy", and "Best Christmas Ever". Later he co-wrote and co-produced the #1 K-Pop hit from 2PM "Go Crazy". In China, Stary was behind the writing and production of The Voice of China superstar Jike Junyi aka Summer's debut album, including her first Western collaboration with Snoop Dogg. Credits also include film scores, TV theme songs, and commercial syncs.

Discography

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  • 2005: Classics For The O.G.s Vol. 1
  • 2009: Classics For The O.G.s Vol. 2 (Apple iTunes exclusive)
  • 2012: "Classics 3"
  • 2016: "VI$IONZ"

Production credits

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Miscellaneous productions

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  • 40 Glocc - "Damn" (featuring Ray J)
  • 40 Glocc - "Electric Lady" (featuring Cee-Lo)
  • Big Ron - "Stay By My Side" (with Jamosa featuring Fingazz)
  • Brown Boy - "Livin' Shady"
  • Brown Boy - "Nike Cortez" (featuring Nino Brown, Don Won & Big Gemini)
  • Brown Boy - "Please Don't Go" (featuring Melissa Lujan)
  • Brown Boy - "Superman" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Bizzy Bone - "When We Ride" (featuring Mr. Criminal) (Also known as "We Ride")
  • Beyoncé - "Diva (Dance Version)" (Co-producer with DJ Jeff Barringer)
  • Califa Thugs - "Califa Bone (Tentivate Title)" (featuring Mr. Sancho & Bizzy Bone)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Cruizin'" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Do It Daddy" (featuring Don Cisco & Baby Bash)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Don't Want None" (featuring Sal Capone & Slow Pain)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "I Got Your Back" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "In Da Club" (featuring Sal Capone)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Queen Of The Car Shows"
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Reasons" (featuring Slow Pain & Fingazz)
  • Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Rollers Only" (featuring Slow Pain)
  • Doll-E Girl - "It's The Mami"
  • Doll-E Girl - "Shot Caller" (featuring Sal Capone)
  • Doll-E Girl - "Soldier Boy" (featuring Mister One)
  • Don Cisco - "In My Low Low (If You Want It)" (featuring Krook & Frost)
  • Donnie Wahlberg - "I Got It" (featuring Aubrey O'Day)
  • Donnie Wahlberg - "Rise and Grind" (featuring Roscoe Umali and Swagga Boy)
  • Don Won - "Waiting" (featuring Jah-Free)
  • Don Won - "In My Caddy"
  • Frankie J. - "When You Look Me In The Eyes" (Jonas Brothers cover)
  • Frost - "Baby Girl" (featuring Fingazz, Mr. Sancho & Baby Bash)
  • Frost - "City of Angels" (featuring Scoop DeVille and Fingazz)
  • Frost - "Back of My Low Low"
  • Gwen Stefani - "Hollaback Girl (Fingazz Remix)" (featuring Diamonique)
  • Heidi Montag - "My Parade"
  • Hit 5 (Chinese boyband)- "Shine On Me"
  • Jae E - FAST MONEY (featuring Nate Dogg)
  • Jah-Free - "The One" (featuring Young Berg)
  • JMG - "We Came To Party" (featuring Diamonique & Nom Cognac)
  • Keke Palmer - "Keep It Movin'" (featuring Meech)
  • Klientel - "Nothin' 2 It"
  • Klientel - Ridin Dem Blades (featuring Diamonique)
  • Kurupt - "The Life I Live" (featuring Krook)
  • LaLa - "Drop It"
  • LaLa - "Homegurlz"
  • LaLa - "Sprung On A Thug (Original Version)"
  • LaLa - "Sprung On A Thug (Remix)" (featuring The Game)
  • L-boy - "I'm a Rida" (featuring Jah-Free, G. Malone, Jay Rock)
  • Lil Cuete - "No Jealousy" (featuring Bizzy Bone)
  • Lil Cuete - "Real Love" (featuring Fingazz & Ange Rodriguez)[c]
  • Lil Menace - "Luv Dem Girls" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Lil Uno - "So Addicted" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Lil Uno - "High As The Sun" (featuring Jah-Free)
  • Lil Uno - "Love Like Magic" (featuring Cisco Adler)
  • Lil Uno - "Back It Up"
  • Lil Uno - "S.I.C.K.O."
  • Lil Uno - "Slow Motion" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Lil Uno - "Slow Motion (Alternate Version)" (featuring Iyaz)
  • Lunch - "Get Em Girl (Original Version)" (featuring Fingazz)[c]
  • Lunch - "Get Em Girl (Remix)" (featuring Ray J)
  • Lunch - "Most Anticipated" (featuring Styles P.)
  • Kevin Celik- "SMH" (featuring Twon & Fingazz)
  • Mack 10 - "Hood Famous" (featuring J. Holiday)
  • Mack 10 - "We Got It Like That" (featuring G. Malone and Fingazz)
  • Meech - "Thicka Than a Snicka"
  • Monteloco - "Hot Mami" (featuring Lina Santiago)
  • Mister One - "I'm Everything"
  • Mister One - "Welcome To California" (featuring Roscoe)
  • Mr. Criminal - "Dedicated 2 You" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Mr. Criminal - "We Ride" (featuring Bizzy Bone)
  • Mr. Criminal - "Mami Mira" (featuring Nate Dogg & Mr. Capone-E)
  • Mr. Criminal - "Drop It And Rock It" (featuring Fingazz & Fat Joe)
  • Mr. Criminal - "Jump" (featuring Twista & Fingazz)
  • Mr. Shadow - "Haters"
  • Mr. Shadow - "Watch Your Back" (featuring Fingazz & Mr. Lil' One)
  • Mr. Shadow - "West Coast Party"
  • Roscoe Umali - "Never Fallin'" (featuring Marty James of One Block Radius & 1st Place)
  • Roscoe Umali - "Never Fallin'" (Alternate Version) (featuring Aubrey O'Day)
  • Secret Service - "Club Made Me Do It" (featuring Tommy Redding)
  • Sophia Maria - "U Made Me This Way"
  • Steelo - "Let It Roll"
  • The Majors - "Wassup Wit It" (featuring Fingazz)
  • The Notorious B.I.G. - "Going Back To Cali (Remix)" (featuring LaLa & Lil' Rob)[r]
  • Veze Skante - "Back To You" (featuring Myra)
  • Voltio - "El Bumper (Original Remix Promo)" (featuring Lil' Rob with Khool-Aid from Pocos Pero Locos) (Co-producer with Luny Tunes)[c]
  • Voltio - "El Bumper (West Coast Version)" (featuring Lil' Rob with Khool-Aid from Pocos Pero Locos)[c]
  • Young Keno - "Hood Famous" (featuring Jah-Free)
  • Young Roscoe - "5 Seconds"
  • Young Roscoe - "I Love Cali (in the summertime)" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Young Roscoe - "Summertime Again" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Young Roscoe - "Sex Buddy" (featuring Fingazz)
  • Young Roscoe - "Chain Bang"
  • Young Roscoe - "Easy Come Easy Go"
  • Young Roscoe - "She's On My Mind"
  • Young Roscoe - "Rain Or Shine" (featuring Diamonique)
  • Young Roscoe - "That's Wassup"
  • Young Roscoe - "You Don't Know Me" (featuring Blaqtoven)
  • Young Roscoe - "Flip Flop" (featuring Blaqtoven)
  • Bossolo - "Play on the West Coast" (featuringStephanie Norris)
  • Bossolo - "Mama Don't Cry" (featuringBig Boss Solo)
  • Bossolo - "Summertime n The I.E" (featuringTerrence Brooks)
  • Bossolo - "Clowin" (featuring Mr.O.D)

Diamonique

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Diamond In Da Ruff
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(Entire album)

  • "Back 2 Reality"
  • "Boom Bap"
  • "Chain Reaction"
  • "Da Get Back" (featuring Dirty Birdy & Sly Boogy)
  • "Diamond in Da' Ruff (intro)
  • "Don't Give a F*@&" (featuring J-Walq, Dr. Stank, Seefor)
  • "Get It On"
  • "Grind" (featuring Gambit)
  • "Hey, Hey, Hey" (featuring Dirty Birdy, Seefor, Brgrtyme)
  • "Mind Do Ya"
  • "Nanana" (featuring ODM)
  • "Nasty Nique"
  • "Shake Da' Rump"
  • "Taboo" (Original Version)
  • "Trust"
  • "Xtacy"

Singles

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  • "Boom Bap 2004(Remix)" (featuring Xzibit)
  • "Get Away" (Down for Life soundtrack)
  • "I'm Bumpin'"
  • "Taboo" (Alternate Version)[c]
  • "The Countdown"

Down AKA Kilo

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  • "40 Oz." (featuring Don Cisco, Fingazz & Screamer of Eastside Clique)
  • "Be About It" (featuring Nikki Diaz)
  • "Bosses (Original and Alternate Version)" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
  • "Cholo Skate"
  • "Definition Of An Ese" (featuring Diamonique)
  • "Don't Be Jealouz" (featuring Nikki Diaz & Fingazz)
  • "Everlasting Nightz" (featuring Dey and Nite)
  • "F**k The System" (featuring Fingazz & Roscoe)
  • "G's Need Love Too" (featuring Nikki Diaz)
  • "Gangsta Gamez (Original Version)" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Gangsta Gamez (Video Version)" (featuring Eastside Clique & Fingazz)
  • "Gangsta Summer" (featuring Daz Dillinger)
  • "Got To Hustle" (featuring Butch Cassidy & Flakiss)
  • "I Love Jenni" (Theme song for the Jenni Rivera show on Mundos)
  • "I'm Coming Home To You" (featuring Nate Dogg)
  • "Lean Like A Cholo"
  • "My Eses" (featuring Rose Gold)
  • "Put Your Locs On" (featuring Jah-Free)
  • "So Sexy" (featuring Snoop Dogg & Fingazz)
  • "The G Way" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
  • "You Ain't Gettin' Nothing" (featuring Fingazz)

Lil Rob

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  • "Bang Bang Boogie"
  • "Bringing It Back"
  • "Brown Side"
  • "Cinco De Mayo" (with Jimmy Castro & Danny Ronda)
  • "Cortez Shoez"
  • "Do It"
  • "Get Back" (featuring T-Weaponz)
  • "Get High"
  • "I Who Have Nothing (But Respect)"
  • "Let Me Come Back" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Let's Go" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Make You Say"
  • "My Turn"
  • "No Future"
  • "Out Of My Mind"
  • "West Coast Ridaz" (featuring Frost & Diamonique)
  • "Summer Nights"
  • "Superbad"
  • "What Am I Saying"

Mr. Capone-E

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  • "You Should Be A Model" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Came 2 Me In A Dream" (featuring Nate Dogg)
  • "Don't Get It Twisted" (featuring Fingazz & Twista)
  • "Drop Top Chevy" (featuring Lil Flip & Mr. Criminal)
  • "I Got U" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "I Like It" (featuring Nate Dogg)
  • "King of the Streets" (featuring Lil Flip)
  • "Last Call" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Lady Lady" (featuring J. Ochoa)
  • "Let Me Luv You Girl" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Light My Fire" (featuring Fingazz & Snoop Dogg)
  • "Party Over Here" (featuring Diamonique)
  • "Pimp In Me" (featuring Fingazz & ODM of A Lighter Shade Of Brown)
  • "Stilettos (featuring Fingazz)"
  • "Summertime Anthem" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "The New West Coast" (featuring Fingazz & Lil' Eazy E)
  • "Three Of The Best From The West" (featuring The Game & Snoop Dogg)

T-Weaponz

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  • "Bounce (The New Shit)"
  • "Dem Boyz (Fingazz Remix)" (featuring Fingazz & Shamrock)
  • "Mama Said" (featuring Diamonique)
  • "Roll With Me"
  • "The Jungle" (featuring Fingazz)
  • "Xtraordinary" (featuring Diamonique)

[r] Remake of the original version. Original artist may or may not be present.
[c] Pre-censored prior to its release, only the radio edit/clean version exist.

Guest appearances

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(All songs listed below feature Fingazz only as a guest artist)

  • Big Ron - "Ghetto Luv" (featuring Fingazz & Mr. Oz of Phobia Of Thug)
  • Big Ron - "Rag Top Down" (featuring Slow Pain, Fingazz & Richee of Ghetto Inc.)
  • Butch Cassidy & Spirit - "Who Got The Girls"
  • DJ PMX - "My Baby Girl" (with El Latino)
  • Ese Daz of Spanish F.L.Y. - "Play On"
  • Far East Movement - "Melody" (with Play-N-Skillz)
  • Flo Rida - "Me & U" (with Bosko)
  • Kid Frost - "Get Down"
  • JMG - "WestCoast Thing" (featuring Roscoe)
  • JMG - "She's With Me" (featuring Nom Cognac)
  • JMG - "Rap Game" (featuring Nom Cognac)
  • Kurupt - "At It Again"
  • Lil Rob - "Stuck With You"
  • Mike Posner - "Déjà Vu" (with Boyz II Men)
  • Monteloco - "Gurl Don't U Kno"
  • Monteloco - "U Won't Regret It"
  • Shade Sheist - "X The Club Up" (with The Goodfellas)
  • Tyga - "It Neva Rains" (featuring The Game)

Radio singles

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Year Song Artist Hot 100 US Pop US Rap Rhythmic US Latin US Ringtones
2000 "I Love Cali (in the summertime)" Roscoe 90
2005 "Summer Nights" Lil Rob 36 30 13 5
2006 "Superman" Brown Boy 99 22
2006 "Don't Get It Twisted" Mr. Capone-E featuring Twista 40 39
2007 "You Should Be a Model" Mr. Capone-E featuring Fingazz 32
2007 "Summertime Anthem" Mr. Capone-E featuring Fingazz 29
2007 "Mami Mira" Mr. Criminal featuring Nate Dogg and Mr. Capone-E 26
2007 "Lean Like a Cholo" Down aka Kilo 34 15 42 14
2008 "Light My Fire" Mr. Capone-E featuring Snoop Dogg and Fingazz 26

References

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  1. ^ "Fingazz: The Indie Artists' Choice". BallerStatus.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.