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Diamond D

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Diamond D
Diamond D at A3C in Atlanta
Diamond D at A3C in Atlanta
Background information
Birth nameJoseph Kirkland
Born (1968-04-05) April 5, 1968 (age 56)
Bronx, New York City, United States[1]
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)Record producer, rapper
Instrument(s)Keyboard
Sampler
Drum machine
Turntable
Years active1987–present
LabelsChemistry/Mercury/PolyGram Records
Diamond Mine Records
Babygrande Records

Joseph Kirkland (born April 5, 1968), also known as Diamond D, is an American hip hop MC and record producer from The Bronx, New York City,[1] and one of the founding members of the Diggin' in the Crates Crew, abbreviated as D.I.T.C.[2]

Early Years

Growing up in Forest Houses in The Bronx, Diamond D was influenced by local DJs, DJ Hutch and DJ Supreme. During his youth the two DJs would let him perform on their turntables.[3] At the beginning of his career as a producer, Diamond spent many hours at Jazzy Jay's studio on Allerton Avenue in The Bronx. He credits Jay for inspiring him to buy a sampler and teaching him various production techniques.[3] In a 2017 interview he said, "I learned about 95% of my production skills from him. And he was ahead of his time."[4]

Recording Career

In addition to Jazzy Jay's teachings, Diamond credited Brand Nubian member Grand Puba as his inspiration to start rapping.[5] An early guest appearance on A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory track "Show Business" helped make people more aware of him as an artist.[3]

The following year he released his debut record Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop. In a 2017 interview Diamond described the album as, "just a collection of beats and records I was just setting aside. It was more about, 'One day I want to do something with this' ideas. And about 80% of that album I got from those records."

Diamond's favorite experience from making Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop was recording the vocals for the song "Check One, Two."[4] He credits producer The 45 King with clearing the samples for that beat.[4] It took him 30 minutes to construct the beat one of the album's best-known tracks, "Sally Got A One Track Mind".

In 1996 Diamond won a Grammy Award for his production on the title track from The Fugees' The Score album. He later described the experience as "just a bad memory" and declined to talk about it in an interview.[6]

To promote his 1997 sophomore record Hatred, Passions and Infidelity, Mercury Records compiled a promotional vinyl called Diamond Jewels that included the Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop songs "Best Kept Secret', "*!*! What U Heard", and "Sally Got A One Track Mind".[7]

Discography

Main article: Diamond D production discography

Albums

Album information
Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop
  • Released: September 22, 1992
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #47
  • Singles: "Best Kept Secret"/"Freestyle (Yo, That's That Shit)," "Sally Got a One Track Mind"/"Check One, Two," "Fuck What U Heard"/"I'm Outta Here"
Hatred, Passions and Infidelity
  • Released: August 26, 1997
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #40
  • Singles: "The Hiatus"/"No Wonduh (The Projects)," "J.D.'s Revenge"/"This One"
Grown Man Talk
  • Released: 2003
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles:
I'm Not Playin' (with Master Rob as Ultimate Force)
  • Released: June, 2007
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles: "I'm Not Playing", "Girls/I'm in Effect/Supreme Diamond D"
The Huge Hefner Chronicles
  • Released: 2008
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles:
The Diam Piece
  • Released: September 30, 2014
  • Billboard 200 chart position: -
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
  • Singles: "Rap Life"
The Diam Piece 2
  • Released: May 10, 2019
List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US US
R&B 		US
Rap
"One for the Money"
(Royce da 5'9" featuring Skillz and Diamond D) 		2012 — — — Non-album single

References

  1. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 121/2. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  2. ^ John Bush. "Diamond D | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  3. ^ a b c Isenberg, Daniel (July 14, 2011). "Diamond D Tells All: The Stories Behind His Classic Records". Retrieved August 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b c Ducker, Jesse (December 29, 2017). "INTERVIEW: The Enduring Duality & Dynamism of Hip-Hop Legend Diamond D". Albumism. Retrieved August 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Garcia, Bobbito (June–July 1995). "Sound Check: Bobbito Garcia plays the tracks; Diamond D states the facts". Vibe: 35 – via Google Books.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  6. ^ Ettelson, Robbie (February 12, 2014). "Diamond D – The Unkut Interview". Unkut. Retrieved August 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Nelson, Havelock (August 2, 1997). "Diamond D's Hip-Hop 'Hiatus' Ends with 'Hatred' on Mercury". Billboard: 27 and 32 – via Google Books.
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