Joell Ortiz | |
|---|---|
 Ortiz performing inAmager, Denmark in October 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Joell Christopher Ortiz |
| Born | (1980-07-06)July 6, 1980 (age 44) Brooklyn,New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop |
| Occupations |
|
| Discography | Joell Ortiz discography |
| Years active | 1998-present |
| Labels | |
| Formerly of | Slaughterhouse |
| Website | www |
Joell Christopher Ortiz (born July 6, 1980) is an Americanrapper and former member of the groupSlaughterhouse. Raised inEast Williamsburg, Brooklyn'sCooper Park Houses, he first gained recognition after appearing in the Unsigned Hype column ofThe Source Magazine, as well as on the Chairman's Choice list onXXL Magazine.
During this time, Ortiz also competed in and won the 2004 EA Sports Battle, which earned his song "Mean Business" a spot on theNBA Live 2005 soundtrack. He was offered a recording contract toJermaine Dupri'sSo So Def Recordings, but signed withDr. Dre'sAftermath Entertainment, an imprint ofInterscope Records in 2006. Despite this, his debut studio album,The Brick: Bodega Chronicles (2007), was released independently, along with his subsequent albumsFree Agent (2011),House Slippers (2014) andMonday (2019).[1] In 2022, he formed the rap duo Crook and Joell with former Slaughterhouse bandmateKxng Crooked; they have released three studio albums.[2]
Joell Christopher Ortiz[3] was born to Puerto Rican parents inBrooklyn, New York on July 6, 1980, where he grew up inEast Williamsburg. He was formerly signed toDr. Dre'sAftermath Entertainment record label.[4][5]
He was featured in the Unsigned Hype column of the March 2004 issue ofThe Source Magazine and was also selected as Chairman's Choice inXXL Magazine.[6] During the same time Joell also went on to win the 2004 EA Sports Battle which earned his song "Mean Business" a spot on the NBA Live 2005 soundtrack.[7]
The same year he was offered a contract toJermaine Dupri'sSo So Def label. The deal quickly went sour which caused Joell to start beef with Jermaine. Joell has since collaborated withKRS-One andKool G. Rap.[8]
Joell released his street album calledThe Brick: Bodega Chronicles April 24, 2007, onKoch Records. The album was recorded while Joell was trying to get signed and going through some tough times personally.[9]
Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, Dr. Dre allowed him to release the street album on Koch Records.[5]The Brick features production by Showbiz,The Alchemist,Domingo, Ho Chi from Killahertz Productions, Lil' Fame ofM.O.P.,Novel, and Moss, among others.[5] Guest spots includeBig Daddy Kane,Styles P,Big Noyd,M.O.P,Akon,Immortal Technique,Grafh,Ras Kass, Stimuli, and Novel.[5]
Ortiz is one quarter of thesupergroup Slaughterhouse who released their highly anticipatedSlaughterhouse EP on February 8, 2011.[10] The group released their second studio album,Welcome to: Our House, on August 28, 2012.[11]
Ortiz first appeared onKool G Rap's 2002 albumThe Giancana Story on the track "It's Nothing".
Although signed toAftermath Records, Ortiz released an album titledThe Brick: Bodega Chronicles April 24, 2007 onKoch Records (which would subsequently rebrand to E1).[12]The Brick features production byShowbiz, Street Radio, andThe Alchemist, among others. Guest artists include rappersBig Daddy Kane,Styles P,Big Noyd,Akon,Immortal Technique,Grafh, andRas Kass.[13] Ortiz parted ways withAftermath Entertainment on April 15, 2008.[14]
2009 was an eventful year for Ortiz, as he released a number of freestyles and remixes leading up to theRoad Kill mixtape.[15] Among these was "Stressful" a song that remixedDrake's "Successful."[16]
In 2008, fellow East Coast rapperJoe Budden reached out Ortiz, as well asCrooked I,Royce da 5'9", and Nino Bless for a track titled "Slaughterhouse" on his digital release,Halfway House.[17] Based on the positive reception of the track, they decided to form a supergroup, minus Nino Bless, and named it after this song.[17] They released numerous songs throughout early 2009, building a buzz for theirself-titled album which was released throughE1 on August 11, 2009.[18] The album features production fromAlchemist,DJ Khalil andMr. Porter, plus guest appearances fromPharoahe Monch, K-Young, and The New Royales.[19] In January 2011, the group signed toShady Records and leftE1 Entertainment.[20]
Conflict soon arose between Ortiz and his label,E1 Entertainment, and after almost a year, Ortiz left the label on November 5, 2010.[21] In August 2010, Ortiz was in talks, about signing a deal withSteve Rifkind's labelSRC Records. However the deal was never finished.[22]
In an October 31, 2010, interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Ortiz discussed his relationship withEminem and the flood of record labels that have flocked to sign him after hisFree Agent album was released. He also spoke ofEminem's excitement at working with him.[23]
DuringSlaughterhouse 2012 tour, the group stopped inLas Vegas, Nevada at Bootleg Kev's radio show, where they talked about their albumWelcome to: Our House, and their work withEminem. It was revealed that Ortiz signed withShady Records as a solo act.[24] In 2012, Joell as part of the group Slaughterhouse released their second albumWelcome To Our House on August 28, 2012.[25]
On September 16, 2014, Ortiz released his third studio albumHouse Slippers. The album featuresguest appearances from, among others,B.o.B,Royce da 5'9",Joe Budden,Crooked I, andMaino. The album was supported by the singles "House Slippers" and "Music Saved My Life".[26]
In early 2019, before the release of hisMonday album, Ortiz was featured in the song "Revenge"[27] (along with fellowSlaughterhouse memberCrooked I) on Cryptik Soul’s albumKiller's Blood.[28] Among the other artists on whose songs he has appeared as a featured guest areBrother Ali,Mega Ran,Mr. Capone-E, Playboy Tre and Chan Hays.
Following the release of his 2011 song "Big Pun Back", Ortiz received criticism from Liza Rios (Pun's widow), along with formerTerror Squad membersCuban Link andTony Sunshine, claiming that the song was "disrespectful" to the late rapper's memory. Ortiz claims the song was meant to be a tribute, and later, rapper and friend of Big PunFat Joe spoke up in his defense.[29]
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