Needlz
Birth nameKhari Cain
Born (1978-04-19) April 19, 1978
Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
Years active2001–present
LabelsDry Rain Entertainment

Khari Cain (born April 19, 1978), professionally known as Needlz, is an American record producer and songwriter.

Early life and career

Cain was born on April 19, 1978, in Lansing, Michigan.[1] He began to DJ while an undergraduate in Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Florida State University. He majored in the graduate music business program at New York University's Steinhardt School and originally intended to pursue a career in artist and repertoire (A&R).[1] After attaining an internship with Bad Boy Records, he was inspired to begin a career in record production.[2] With the help of A&R Folayan Knight, Needlz associated with Black Entertainment Television (BET) and MTV and created theme songs for Rap City and Suckafree Sundays, respectively.[1] Fellow record producer Swizz Beatz assisted Needlz to "exposure" by collaborating in album production, including Cassidy's I'm a Hustla and Swizz Beatz One Man Band Man.[3]

Production style

Needlz chiefly produces songs in the hip hop genre. He describes his style as "an oxymoron: clean and dirty at the same time".[1] He uses Akai MPC2000XL and Pro Tools to produce beats and utilizes Kurzweil K2661 and the Roland MKS-80 for synthesizers.[2] He has endorsed the Native Instruments Maschine.[4]

Production discography

Year Title Artist Album
2001 "We Don't Give a Fuck"
"Gonna Be Sumthin'"
Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Vol. 3: In the "R" We Trust
2002 "Miss You" Afu-Ra Life Force Radio
2003 "Gangsta Shit" G-Unit Beg for Mercy
"Keep It Hot" Mic Geronimo Long Road Back
"Think Y'all Know" Fabolous More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape
Various artists Sequence Mixtape, Vol. 1
"Good God Almighty" Nappy Roots Wooden Leather
2004 "Put Your Drinks Down" Drag-On Hell and Back
"Pass Out" Ludacris The Red Light District
"Mein Song" Max Herre Max Herre
"Bang Bang"
"Let Me In"
Young Buck Straight Outta Cashville
2005 "No Need for Conversation" Fabolous Coach Carter soundtrack
"Beauty Queen" Czar*Nok
"Special" The Game The Documentary
"Piggy Bank"
"God Gave Me Style"
50 Cent The Massacre
"Crack" Cassidy I'm a Hustla
"Throw It Back" Trina Glamorest Life
"No No No" Kool Savas & Azad One
"Drugs, Basket Ball, & Rap" Talib Kweli Right About Now: The Official Sucka Free Mix CD
"Put Ya Hands Up" Norfclk Ludacris Presents: Disturbing tha Peace
Young Buck Let Me In EP
"Stopp die Party"
"Zähl mein Geld"
Afrob Hammer
2006 "The Pen and the Needlz" Lupe Fiasco Fahrenheit 1/15, Part I (The Truth Is Among Us) (Mixtape)
"Tilted" Kick Push CD Single
"Hurt Me Soul" Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
"Floating" Megan Rochell You, Me and the Radio (Unreleased)
"Serius"
"Life In The City"
"Ride Out"
Serius Jones King Me (Mixtape)
"Grind Mode" Non-Album Track
"Get Clapped" Lloyd Banks Rotten Apple
"Here We Go Again"
"Shake the Room"
Jaley Jaley
"Born and Raised" Dave Chappelle Dave Chappelle's Block Party soundtrack
"Hey Babe (Give Me Ya Lovin')" Shareefa Point of No Return
"Grind Boy" Smitty The Voice Of The Ghetto
"Turnt Out" Diego Redd Gettin Money. Gettin Paid. a Hustler's Story (Mixtape)
"Raised In The Mitten" P.L. Without Warning Vol.2 (Mixtape)
2007 "Get Away" Ria "R. Kive" 1996–2006
"Gangsta (Interlude)" Rich Boy Rich Boy
"Bust Ya Gunz" Swizz Beatz One Man Band Man
"Slow Down" Tage The Jerk Vol 0 (Mixtape)
"Nuttin' On Me" Freeway Free at Last
"My Life" Joe Budden Mood Muzik 3.5
2009 "Diesel" Freeway Month of Madness (Mixtape)
"One 4 The Treble"
"Get Dirty"
Ralph Dogg Reckless
"How You Like Me Now"
"What Money Sounds Like"
"Gangsta Shit (Evasocold Mix)"
"Tear It Up"
Archie Eversole Back Like I Never Left (Mixtape)
"We Miss You" Busta Rhymes Back on My B.S.
"Intro" Serius Jones Why So Serius (Mixtape)
"The Necessary Evils" Skyzoo The Salvation
"Walk These Streets" Rakim The Seventh Seal
"Help! (I Been Robbed)" Serius Jones Life Is Serius (TBR)
"Letter to B.I.G." Jadakiss The Last Kiss
"I'm Goin' In" Drake So Far Gone
"Hands 2 Myself" Russell Taylor Confessional
"Gone" Donnis 10.Deep Presents: Diary of an ATL Brave
"Baggage Claim" 88-Keys non-album track
"Why Would She? (Needlz Remix)" Stack Bundles GuessWhyld Presents: Out The Vault
2010 "One 4 The Treble"
"Get Dirty"
Ralph Dog Reckless
"Dome Shotz" Minacci featuring Young Buck 5 Mics
"Maybe Baby" Donnis The Invitation (Mixtape)
"OD" Fashionably Late (Sampler)
"Greatest Trapper Alive" Young Jeezy Trap or Die 2: By All Means Necessary
"Yup"
"Eat You Alive"
"Lighting" (co-produced)
"For The Kill" (co-produced)
Donnis Fashionably Late (Mixtape)
"The Overdose"
"On Da Korner"
Pill 1140: The Overdose (Mixtape)
"The Beginning" (co-producer) Stat Quo Statlanta
"Just The Way You Are" (keyboard and drum programming, strings by Needlz) Bruno Mars Doo-Wops & Hooligans
"She & H.E.R.", "Suicide ediciuS", "Stars" (co-produced) John Regan Sorry I'm Late
"Reflections" Pill The Medicine
"Right To Say" Emilio Rojas Life Without Shame (Mixtape)
2011 "Till I Get There" Lupe Fiasco Lasers
"Oh No" Big Perm Reign Delay (Mixtape)
2012 "It's All On Me" Pill The Epidemic
2013 "YOLO" The Lonely Island The Wack Album
2015 "Oui" (keyboard programming) Jeremih Late Nights
2016 "Selfish (PnB Rock song)" (keyboard and drum programming, bass by Needlz) PnB Rock GTTM: Going Thru the Motions
2017 "Jussa Lil Bih" Musiq Soulchild Feel the Real
2018 "Ring"
(featuring Kehlani)
Cardi B Invasion of Privacy
"You" Nicole Bus TBA

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cordor, Cyril. "Needlz – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Warren, Tamara (February 1, 2005). "Needlz". Remix Magazine. Penton Media. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  3. Reid, Shaheem (June 28, 2005). "Cassidy Comes Out Swinging On I'm A Hustla". MTV News. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  4. "Native Instruments – Software and Hardware for Music Production and Djing".


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