Fingazz
Fingazz
| Fingazz | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Stary |
| Origin | California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop, R&B, Pop, Rock, Chicano rap, Latin hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | producer, writer, musician, artist |
| Instruments | keyboard, talkbox, drums, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1997 – present |
| Labels | Fingadelic Music Universal D (Japan) |
| Website | Fingadelic Music,Facebook,Twitter,YouTube |
Fingazz is a producer, writer, musician, and artist in Los Angeles, CA.
| Fingazz | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Stary |
| Origin | California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop, R&B, Pop, Rock, Chicano rap, Latin hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | producer, writer, musician, artist |
| Instruments | keyboard, talkbox, drums, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1997 – present |
| Labels | Fingadelic Music Universal D (Japan) |
| Website | Fingadelic Music,Facebook,Twitter,YouTube |
Biography
John Stary was born in Pomona, CA and has dedicated most of his life to playing and creating music.
He played trombone in the Newport Harbor High School Band before switching to the drums when the drum line needed some help.
Growing up appreciating all genres of music gave him the ability to write and produce any style.
One year for his birthday his parents got him a keyboard at the suggestion of one of his friends and he became a self-taught keyboardist, Fingazz played for years in funk bands opening for old school legends like P-Funk All-Stars, Zapp and Roger, The Time, The Gap Band, and The Commodores.
This is where he was given the nickname "Fingazz", when a fellow band member noticed his fingers flying over the keyboards.
During these years he mastered 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 Fingazz started playing drums professionally for live bands, all the while locking himself in the studio in all his free time to master his ultimate calling—producing. [1]
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 Fingazz first official album release credit.
In 2000 Fingazz 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.
This was the first Billboard charting song that started it all.
This song was also used as the opening/closing theme for the Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett movie "Hollywood Homicide".
This G-funk style production with signature talkbox hook made Fingazz a sought-after producer for many of the West Coast's biggest MC's.
Fingazz productions have been blessed by legends like Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, Bad Azz, Nate Dogg, Kokane, Mack 10, Suga Free, Kam, and Too Short to name a few.
Fingazz style also complimented the sound of Chicano rap, with his experience performing funk and oldies music, and he became an integral part of the movement.
Having already worked with the legend Kid Frost, he later created monumental Chicano rap records with artists like Lil Rob, Baby Bash, Down aka Kilo, Capone-E, Lighter Shade of Brown, Lil One, Mr. Sancho, Ms. Sancha, Brown Boy, Knightowl, and Mr. Shadow to name a few.
Over the years Fingazz has created independently released hits that were making marks in the charts that typically only major label machines could make, such as Brown Boy's "Superman" which featured Fingazz singing with the Auto-Tune effect before T-Pain was on the scene.
This record reached #22 on the Billboard Rap chart.
Then Fingazz paired up with Lil Rob on the smash "Summer Nights" which was the #4 most played rhythmic radio record in the country.
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.
The next milestone from Fingazz was hit with the pop culture phenomenon from Down aka Kilo called "Lean Like a Cholo" which had the country buzzing.
In 2007 this record 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.
Fingazz is also an artist and has performed around the world with his custom talkbox instrument called the "Talkstar".
Talkbox players and fans have recognized Fingazz as one of the most notable players of the instrument.
His talkbox has been heard on features with mega stars like Flo Rida, Mike Posner, and Just Blaze & DJ A-Trak.
He has even released 2 of his own albums which pay tribute to some of his major influences called "Classics For The O.G.'s Pt 1 & 2".
Fingazz has production and writing credits on projects worldwide.
Numerous credits also include film scores and TV theme songs.
Discography
2005: Classics For The O.G.s Vol. 1
2009: Classics For The O.G.s Vol. 2 (Apple iTunes exclusive)
Production credits
Miscellaneous productions
40 Glocc - "Damn" (feat. Ray J)
40 Glocc - "Electric Lady" (feat. Cee-Lo)
Big Ron - "Stay By My Side" (duet with Jamosa, feat. Fingazz)
Brown Boy - "Livin' Shady"
Brown Boy - "Nike Cortez" (feat. Nino Brown, Don Won & Big Gemini)
Brown Boy - "Please Don't Go" (feat. Melissa Lujan)
Brown Boy - "Superman" (feat. Fingazz)
Bizzy Bone- "When We Ride" (feat. Mr. Criminal) (Also known as "We Ride")
Beyoncé- "Diva (Dance Version)" (Co-producer with DJ Jeff Barringer)
Califa Thugs - "Califa Bone (Tentivate Title)" (feat. Mr. Sancho & Bizzy Bone)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Cruizin'" (feat. Fingazz)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Do It Daddy" (feat. Don Cisco & Baby Bash)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Don't Want None" (feat. Sal Capone & Slow Pain)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "I Got Your Back" (feat. Fingazz)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "In Da Club" (feat. Sal Capone)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Queen Of The Car Shows"
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Reasons" (feat. Slow Pain & Fingazz)
Doll-E Girl & Mister One - "Rollers Only" (feat. Slow Pain)
Doll-E Girl - "It's The Mami"
Doll-E Girl - "Shot Caller" (feat. Sal Capone)
Doll-E Girl - "Soldier Boy" (feat. Mister One)
Don Cisco - "In My Low Low (If You Want It)" (feat. Krook & Frost)
Donnie Wahlberg - "I Got It" (feat. Aubrey O'Day)
Donnie Wahlberg - "Rise and Grind" (feat. Roscoe Umali and Swagga Boy)
Don Won - "Waiting" (feat. Jah-Free)
Don Won - "In My Caddy"
Frankie J. - "When You Look Me In The Eyes" (Jonas Brothers cover)
Frost - "Baby Girl" (feat. Fingazz, Mr. Sancho & Baby Bash)
Frost - "City of Angels" (feat. Scoop DeVille and Fingazz)
Frost - "Back of My Low Low"
Gwen Stefani- "Hollaback Girl (Fingazz Remix)" (feat. Diamonique)
Heidi Montag- "My Parade"
Hit 5 (Chinese boyband)- "Shine On Me"
Jae E - (feat. Nate Dogg)
Jah-Free - "The One" (feat. Young Berg)
JMG - "We Came To Party" (feat. Diamonique & Nom Cognac)
Keke Palmer- "Keep It Movin'" (feat. Meech)
Klientel - "Nothin' 2 It"
Klientel - Ridin Dem Blades (feat. Diamonique)
Kurupt - "The Life I Live" (feat. Krook)
LaLa - "Drop It"
LaLa - "Homegurlz"
LaLa - "Sprung On A Thug (Original Version)"
LaLa - "Sprung On A Thug (Remix)" (feat. The Game)
L-boy - "I'm a Rida" (feat. Jah-Free, G. Malone, Jay Rock)
Lil Cuete - "No Jealousy" (feat. Bizzy Bone)
Lil Cuete - "Real Love" (feat. Fingazz & Ange Rodriguez) [c]
Lil Menace - "Luv Dem Girls" (feat. Fingazz)
Lil Uno - "So Addicted" (feat. Fingazz)
Lil Uno - "High As The Sun" (feat. Jah-Free)
Lil Uno - "Love Like Magic" (feat. Cisco Adler)
Lil Uno - "Back It Up"
Lil Uno - "S.I.C.K.O."
Lil Uno - "Slow Motion" (feat. Fingazz)
Lil Uno - "Slow Motion (Alternate Version)" (feat. Iyaz)
Lunch - "Get Em Girl (Original Version)" (feat. Fingazz) [c]
Lunch - "Get Em Girl (Remix)" (feat. Ray J)
Lunch - "Most Anticipated" (feat. Styles P.)
Kevin Celik- "SMH" (feat. Twon & Fingazz)
Mack 10 - "Hood Famous" (feat. J. Hoilday)
Mack 10 - "We Got It Like That" (feat. G. Malone and Fingazz)
Meech - "Thicka Than a Snicka"
Monteloco - "Hot Mami" (feat. Lina Santiago)
Mister One - "I'm Everything"
Mister One - "Welcome To California" (feat. Roscoe)
Mr. Criminal - "Dedicated 2 You" (feat. Fingazz)
Mr. Criminal - "We Ride" (feat. Bizzy Bone)
Mr. Criminal - "Mami Mira" (feat. Nate Dogg & Mr. Capone-E)
Mr. Criminal - "Drop It And Rock It" (feat. Fingazz & Fat Joe)
Mr. Criminal - "Jump" (feat. Twista & Fingazz)
Mr. Shadow - "Haters"
Mr. Shadow - "Watch Your Back" (feat. Fingazz & Mr. Lil' One)
Mr. Shadow - "West Coast Party"
Roscoe Umali - "Never Fallin'" (feat. Marty James of One Block Radius & 1st Place)
Roscoe Umali - "Never Fallin'" (Alternate Version) (feat. Aubrey O'Day)
Secret Service - "Club Made Me Do It" (feat. Tommy Redding)
Sophia Maria - "U Made Me This Way"
Steelo - "Let It Roll"
The Majors - "Wassup Wit It" (feat. Fingazz)
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Going Back To Cali (Remix)" (feat. LaLa & Lil' Rob) [r]
Veze Skante - "Back To You" (feat. Myra)
Voltio - "El Bumper (Original Remix Promo)" (feat. Lil' Rob with Khool-Aid from Pocos Pero Locos) (Co-producer with Luny Tunes) [c]
Voltio - "El Bumper (West Coast Version)" (feat. Lil' Rob with Khool-Aid from Pocos Pero Locos) [c]
Young Keno - "Hood Famous" (feat. Jah-Free)
Young Roscoe- "5 Seconds"
Young Roscoe- "I Love Cali (in the summertime)" (feat. Fingazz)
Young Roscoe- "Summertime Again" (feat. Fingazz)
Young Roscoe- "Sex Buddy" (feat. Fingazz)
Young Roscoe- "Chain Bang"
Young Roscoe- "Easy Come Easy Go"
Young Roscoe- "She's On My Mind"
Young Roscoe- "Rain Or Shine" (feat. Diamonique)
Young Roscoe- "That's Wassup"
Young Roscoe- "You Don't Know Me" (feat. Blaqtoven)
Young Roscoe- "Flip Flop" (feat. Blaqtoven)
Bossolo - "Play on the West Coast" (feat.Stephanie Norris)
Bossolo - "Mama Don't Cry" (feat.Big Boss Solo)
Bossolo - "Summertime n The I.E" (feat.Terrence Brooks)
Bossolo - "Clowin" (feat.Mr.O.D)
Diamonique
Diamond In Da Ruff
(Entire album)
"Back 2 Reality"
"Boom Bap"
"Chain Reaction"
"Da Get Back" (feat. Dirty Birdy & Sly Boogy)
"Diamond in Da' Ruff (intro)
"Don't Give a F*@&" (feat. J-Walq, Dr. Stank, Seefor)
"Get It On"
"Grind" (feat. Gambit)
"Hey, Hey, Hey" (feat. Dirty Birdy, Seefor, Brgrtyme)
"Mind Do Ya"
"Nanana" (feat. ODM)
"Nasty Nique"
"Shake Da' Rump"
"Taboo" (Original Version)
"Trust"
"Xtacy"
Singles
"Boom Bap 2004(Remix)" (feat. Xzibit)
"Get Away" (Down for Life soundtrack)
"I'm Bumpin'"
"Taboo" (Alternate Version) [c]
"The Countdown"
Down AKA Kilo
"40 Oz." (feat. Don Cisco, Fingazz & Screamer of Eastside Clique)
"Be About It" (feat. Nikki Diaz)
"Bosses (Original and Alternate Version)" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
"Cholo Skate"
"Definition Of An Ese" (feat. Diamonique)
"Don't Be Jealouz" (feat. Nikki Diaz & Fingazz)
"Everlasting Nightz" (feat. Dey and Nite)
"F**k The System" (feat. Fingazz & Roscoe)
"G's Need Love Too" (feat. Nikki Diaz)
"Gangsta Gamez (Original Version)" (feat. Fingazz)
"Gangsta Gamez (Video Version)" (feat. Eastside Clique & Fingazz)
"Gangsta Summer" (feat. Daz Dillinger)
"Got To Hustle" (feat. Butch Cassidy & Flakiss)
"I Love Jenni" (Theme song for the Jenni Rivera show on Mundos)
"I'm Coming Home To You" (feat. Nate Dogg)
"Lean Like A Cholo"
"My Eses" (feat. Rose Gold)
"Put Your Locs On" (feat. Jah-Free)
"So Sexy" (feat. Snoop Dogg & Fingazz)
"The G Way" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
"You Ain't Gettin' Nothing" (feat. Fingazz)
Lil Rob
"Bang Bang Boogie"
"Bringing It Back"
"Brown Side"
"Cinco De Mayo" (with Jimmy Castro & Danny Ronda)
"Cortez Shoez"
"Do It"
"Get Back" (feat. T-Weaponz)
"Get High"
"I Who Have Nothing (But Respect)"
"Let Me Come Back" (feat. Fingazz)
"Let's Go" (feat. Fingazz)
"Make You Say"
"My Turn"
"No Future"
"Out Of My Mind"
"West Coast Ridaz" (feat. Frost & Diamonique)
"Summer Nights"
"Superbad"
"What Am I Saying"
Mr. Capone-E
"You Should Be A Model" (feat. Fingazz)
"Came 2 Me In A Dream" (feat. Nate Dogg)
"Don't Get It Twisted" (feat. Fingazz & Twista)
"Drop Top Chevy" (feat. Lil Flip & Mr. Criminal)
"I Got U" (feat. Fingazz)
"I Like It" (feat. Nate Dogg)
"King of the Streets" (feat. Lil Flip)
"Last Call" (feat. Fingazz)
"Lady Lady" (feat. J. Ochoa)
"Let Me Luv You Girl" (feat. Fingazz)
"Light My Fire" (feat. Fingazz & Snoop Dogg)
"Party Over Here" (feat. Diamonique)
"Pimp In Me" (feat. Fingazz & ODM of A Lighter Shade Of Brown)
"Stilettos (feat. Fingazz)"
"Summertime Anthem" (feat. Fingazz)
"The New West Coast" (feat. Fingazz & Lil' Eazy E)
"Three Of The Best From The West" (feat. The Game & Snoop Dogg)
T-Weaponz
"Bounce (The New Shit)"
"Dem Boyz (Fingazz Remix)" (feat. Fingazz & Shamrock)
"Mama Said" (feat. Diamonique)
"Roll With Me"
"The Jungle" (feat. Fingazz)
"Xtraordinary" (feat. 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.
Talkbox/Auto-tune Contributions
(All songs listed below feature Fingazz only as a guest artist)
Big Ron - "Ghetto Luv" (feat. Fingazz & Mr. Oz of Phobia Of Thug)
Big Ron - "Rag Top Down" (feat. 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"
Flo Rida- "Me & U" (with Bosko)
Kid Frost - "Get Down"
JMG - "WestCoast Thing" (feat. Roscoe)
JMG - "She's With Me" (feat. Nom Cognac)
JMG - "Rap Game" (feat. 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)
Radio Singles
| 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 feat. Twista | - | - | - | 40 | 39 | - |
| 2007 | "You Should Be a Model" | Mr. Capone-E feat. Fingazz | - | - | - | - | 32 | - |
| 2007 | "Summertime Anthem" | Mr. Capone-E feat. Fingazz | - | - | - | - | 29 | - |
| 2007 | "Mami Mira" | Mr. Criminal feat. 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 feat. Snoop Dogg and Fingazz | - | - | - | - | 26 | - |