From the left: Balewa Muhammad, Keri Lynn Hilson, Ezekiel Lewis, J. Que & Candice Nelson
You may not think they’re familiar, but you know who they are, because you know their music. So I’d like to formally introduce you to them. Meet The Clutch. This fearsome five-some consists of song-writing and producing fools Keri Hilson, J. Que, Ezekiel Lewis, Candice Nelson & Balewa Muhammad. You still don’t know who I’m talking about? Well, maybe the songs “Take Me As I Am” by Mary J. Blige, “She Don’t” by LeToya Luckett, “Young Love” by Chris Brown, “4 Minutes” by Avant and “Red Light” by Usher will trigger your memory. And not to mention, they’ve also knocked out hits recently for Danity Kane, Ludacris, the Pussycat Dolls, Omarion and Beyonce. I just wanted to get you guys familiar with the faces of the people who are putting out heat. Make sure you go show them love and support on their MySpace page and be on the look out for an exclusive interview with The Clutch!
LOVE keri hilson
thanks so much for focusing on people behind the cameras. they usually have longest careers in music anyway.
Once again Brian the superstar keeps us in the know…I will be sure to check their page out!!!
WOW! HOLLA BACK! I HEAR THAT & I AM IMPRESSED. So THATS WHY THEY HAVE NOTEBOOKS & LOOK A LITTLE “PREPPY”. LOL!
I LOVE WRITING MYSELF, & AS A TEENAGER LOVED WRITING SONGS, & SHORT STORIES.
I SHOULD HAVE STUCK TO DOING THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THE MONEY IS AT (alot of the time).
I WISH THEM ALL CONTINUED SUCCESS
That’s good they’re getting props for their writing skills. They have to get some shine too! Without the writers, what would the artists songs sound like? It would probably sound like hot ga’bige.lol
Nice, its great to see the REAL people behind the music.
ditto @ #1
UM OK…
YEA, THE ACTUAL PPL WHO DO THE MAJORITY OF THE WRITING DON’T GET MUCH CREDIT. IT’S FUNNY THOUGH HOW THESE GUYS ARE LIKE AN OFFICIAL TEAM.
I DONT KNOW ABOUT SINGING, BUT SUPPOSEDLY RAP GHOSTWRITERS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY…AND EVERYONE FROM RICK ROSS, SMITTY, TO PHAROAH MONCH AND SKILLZ HAVE ALL HAD THEIR SHARE OF GHOST WRITING.
http://www.ohword.com/blo...haraohe-monch-james-brown
This is kool…and those songs you mentioned are nice IMO
I recognise Keri Hilson from the “Promiscuous Girl” video with Nelly Furtado and Timbaland!!! I was like “who is that old ass lady in the video LOL? I’m a writter so I have respect for them, but why should it take 5 people to write 1 song?
We don’t know them because they haven’t written any HITS and of the songs listed above, only 2 were even singles (not that all songs written have to be or are expected to be hits but 5 people? Come on!?
But best of luck to them.
FYI songwritters are ONE OF THE ONLY ones to get paid off of a song (besides the producer(s) arranger(s) and the record company it’s self). There is NO SUCH THING as a PERFORMANCE royalty(ie just singing a song), so all of the potential artists out there MUST learn how to co-write a song and or have a manager such as Mathiew Knowles who can convince people into giving you some writting credits on the song like he has done for Beyonce and Destiney’s child or else you will end up BROKE like Nippy LOL!!!
@11 I think they do have a such thing as a PERFORMANCE royalty HOLD ON let me look it up.
I agree with SOME of the things you said.
there is definitely such a thing as a performance royalty.good for them esp. for the sistahs involved. more power to the women getting paid behind the scenes.
5 people to write one song….yeah I see it. cause if you had artist writing thier own songs by themselves, It usually sounds like boo boo. Get that damn money…Shit if it take 10 people to write a song so be it, with all the trash out here today we need all the help we can get music wise.
they are some talented writers
LOVE YA by Keri stays on repeat in my home.
NO SUCH THING AS A PERFORMANCE ROYALTY!!! SORRY!!! I thought so too, but found out otherwise. Now as for Musicals and Brodway plays…I’m not sure if the rule still applies, but that is the reason Mathiew Knowles as so respected and feared in the industry, because he KNOWS how to CUT A DEAL ( I definatly need a manager like him LOL).
Anywhoo….It took 12 people to write “I’m still Jenny From The Block” for Jennifer Lopez and that song sucks and the beat was a sample from the BEATNUTS!!! Trust me, if I don’t know anything else, I KNOW MUSIC LOL!!! Ask me a song and I will tell you who performed it and more than likely who wrote it (Ha Ha!!) I get teased by my friends all the time LOL!!!
#14, it’s not always all of them writing on one song. they do a lot of individual work too.
#11 They all don’t write every song together. They are more like a crew.
Candice Nelson Co-wrote the majority of Brandy last album. She also wrote Resentment on B’day
Keri Hilson is going to do big things. Her music is so good.
I think it’s a good look, that ya’ll showcasing new talent and not just the performers. I’m looking forward to the interview.
Thanks #19, I was just about to write that they don’t all write the songs together.
Sorry if I have confused you all about Performance Royalties but what I MEANT to say is the ARTIST doesn’t get the royalties IF they didn’t have anything to do with writting the song (ie Brandy, Whitney Houston and Boys 2 MEN to name a few) because performance royalies are paid ONLY to 2 entities; #1. The songwritter and #2. The publisher…THAT’s IT!!! No one else!!! That is why there is ASCAP BMI SESAC and PRO (Performance Rights ORganization).
It’s all REALLY complicated which is the reason to hire an Entertainment Lawyer to look over ANY contract before signing it and to visit these sites because big businesess make BUCU MONEY off of our ignorance.
But most importantly put ALL of your trust in GOD because even a lawyer will dick you if you let em’ LOL!!!
didnt keri hilson come out as a solo artist?
#22 Not yet but she’s on her way, I can’t wait for that album.
keri hilson is a very good artist.I luv her songs
Keri Lynn Hilson is the most famous, I haven’t heard about the others but more power to them all. No wait, Candice, I think I’ve seen her name before. Can’t wait to get KERI’D AWAY.
O/T : I’m on Brian’s myspace listening to that Amerie joint, dude your page is so colorful and fresh, do your thing. And I love your locs (and no I’m not flirting lol).
everyone of them songs listed they wrote sucks. sorry but they’re boring.
I loved “Young Love” and “She Don’t”.
@26 that was funny at least you had the balls to say that. LOL but they are talented
IceBox isn’t playing for me
. I heard it though, I need it now Brian!
Keri Ann “happy juice” is respectable. Check out her myspace. They probably are going to play this nonstop in atlanta soon.
my bad her name is keri lynn lol.
@29 go to omarion myspace page cuz he sings the song
@30 that was funny when I read KERI ANN I thought of some country fat woman sitting down eating some cornbread and fried chicken
“icebox” is hot. but I’m not allowed to share yet.
I got this IceBox where my heart used to be!
yea the clutch is the truth….i really like that j.que guy…o yea he my brother….support the movement…o yea…iforgottosignindammit,,,YOUR A F’N HATER!!!
First & foremost I want to thank Brian for recognizing one of the hottest writing “powerhouses” in the game!!!!! As I read the comments, it is evident that there are individuals that are ignorant to the process of making a smash record……..& others that just hate, ya dig? For “Pleeze”….. there are other “hits” that have come out of the camp. j.Que wote two others on the “Confessions” album…….. “Yeah” & “Throwback”. Truth Is (from Fantasia’s debut) was also written by j.Que. Balewa is the “beast” behind the majority of Jahiem’s latest project. And for those who are “eagerly anticipating” Keri Lynn’s project……I’m in line with you!!!! At the end of the day, “The Clutch!” is not on a quest to be “famous”……….because if you’re purchasing Usher, MJB, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Tyrese (look out for “Lights On”), LeToya, Kelly Rowland, Omarion (look out for “Ice Box”; the 2nd single written/produced by The Clutch!), & a plethora of new/upcoming artists…….then they are already “famous” as evidenced by nice cribs nice whips, & nice bank accounts.
In closing, Kat Williams said it best….Haters are supposed to “hate”. That’s their “muth@fu*#n” job…..to hate. If there were no haters in the world, it would be difficult for the prosperous to be motivated……
BTW…What the hell has “PLEEZE!!!” written (besides these lame a** comments) that we have in our CD/iPod rotation?????
@37 THANK YOU THANK YOU I agree with you 100%. now IF i could only TELL YOU MR.Gregory Smith what I think of that person that Is a HATER.
I heard the icebox on thier page once before it stopped playing, song is alright.
Oh, wow! The five of them are doing their thing and doing it well! I love Keri Hilson, can’t wait for her album to come out! Writing and producing music is really where all the money is at. Good for them!
@big fat and sloppy ass chris, i’m a hater because i don’t like something? wow okay i’ll be that. thanks for noticing.
SMOOCHES
PLEEZE!!! ( Number 11) is an IDIOT! You know, one of those people that drive slow in the “passing lane”, right?
Anyway, I see the vision! Oh, didn’t some of you guys write on “YEAH”? Crazy record! Lil white kids are STILL jammin’ to it. I saw a TOY Plush FROG playin’ the song, too.
Keep makin’ it do what it do, CLUTCH!
These guys are pretty much the faces behindsome of the better RnB music today…I’m a huge fan of their work and someday strive to be doin big thangs like em…
nonetheless, speaking on the comments regarding the songs they write not being hits….Its not always about hitting a home run!!! Writing great music to enhance an album as a whole is sufficient enough because at the end of the day, if you bought any one of the artists mentioned above albums’…The Clutch are in one way or another…getting their’s regardless!
@ dope dilla I just viewed your pictures on MYSPACE and as I though…U ARE UGLY!!!! Just another case of THE ANGRY INCH!!!!!
(4 Pleeze) I may be ugly, but is Steve from Aerosmith, KC from Jodeci, Biz Markie, Mick Jagger, Bernie Mack, Flavor Flav… ya momma, and we’ve ALL managed to get laid. But tahnks anyway for the comment.
They did a song for Kelly Rowland as well, called “Wrong, When You’re Gone”…
Y’ALL, And You KNOW who you are, are TOO DAMN FUNNY !!! This was a very good post… ALOT of good info and on-point comments
And SOME FUNNY-ASS Comments… Dope Dilla, You’re killing me over here!!!
(To Something Fierce): Yeah, it’s interresting to see cats (Pleeze!!!) talk about people who are actually DOING what they want to do (The Clutch) and are actually getting CHECKS… SEVERAL OF THEM!
To THE CLUTCH: “ICEBOX” is that SCHIZZNITT! Thought about remixing it, but that’s a hard one to improve. Holla back!
wassup brian,
tha blog was funny dope dilla you crack me up Dope Dilla said:
——————————————————————————–
(4 Pleeze) I may be ugly, but is Steve from Aerosmith, KC from Jodeci, Biz Markie, Mick Jagger, Bernie Mack, Flavor Flav… ya momma, and we’ve ALL managed to get laid. But tahnks anyway for the comment.
but for real..whens the interview comin?!
Ahhhh! I’ve wondered who The Clutch were after Ciara shouts ‘em out in “Like a boy”.
They are a talented group of people, that’s for sure. Their lyrics are always pretty cool. They did their thing for Katharine McPhee’s “Open toes” and Ciara’s “Like a boy”.
As for Keri Hilson, I think she pens better songs for others than she does herself. I’m not feeling any of her solo material, but love the songs she’s penned for others.
If you can get in contact with Balewa, I’d appreciate if you’d have him give me a call. Let him know it’s his ole friend from Detroit and that I have some hot talent for him.
(313) 477-1420
They are also a production team. They do not just write. Most of the teamwork is probably on the production side of things.
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I love the Clutch and I ABSOLUTLY LOVE J QUE!!!!
hey you guys i cant believe how many great songs you created together as a group and as a young writter/singer i was wondering if i could send you some thing to listen to because i know i have a whole lot of talent that people just dont know about yet and i want to become a successful artists someday so if you get this message please do not hesitate to return a comment because i dont have anything recorded as yet but i really would like to hear some feedback and if your interested i can find a way to get it published and post it on my page i have been writting since i was seven.
my email is ntrapp1@gmail.com my home phone number is 323 2937450 ive heard so many good things about you i know it would an honor to talk to one of you.
What good Zeke this you cuzz just wanted to let you know I got A Blues artist that making good Music his name is P.Love And I know you like it when you hear it so be on the Look out . Coming at you real soon.