Jeffrey Fortson (born September 27, 1966), better known by the stage name Def Jef, is an American alternative hip hop musician and rapper of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was born in Harlem, New York City.
His debut album was 1989's Just a Poet with a Soul, which won critical acclaim for sociopolitical lyrics and original beats. Additionally, he was a member of the West Coast Rap All-Stars, a collaboration of West Coast-based hip hop artists who released the anti-violence single "We're All in the Same Gang" in 1990. He performed on the television variety show In Living Color in 1990.
After his second album, Soul Food, was released, Def Jef moved into production full-time. Since the 1990s, he has produced, written, arranged and remixed artists including Nas, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kimberley Locke, Maxwell, Avant, Tupac Shakur, and Shaquille O'Neal. He has worked with Krayzie Bone and Thugline Records.
He produced the theme songs for the Disney sitcom That's So Raven and The Game.
Def Jef also appeared in the feature film Deep Cover in 1992.
Discography 1989: Just a Poet with Soul 1990: "We're All in the Same Gang" (single) (as part of the West Coast Rap All-Stars) 1991: Soul Food +Production CreditsYearSongArtistAlbum1989Hi Powered Body & SoulEn La CasaMellow Man AceEscape from Havana1991Mean GreenTone-LocCool Hand Lōc1992Good Things Don't Last; Let It Move You; Forward Bound; Best in MeThe PoetessSimply Poetry1993Deeper; Process of Elimination; 1800 BodiesBossBorn GangsterI Know I Got Skillz; I ate to BragShaquille O'Neal, Def JefShaq DieselI Know I Got Skillz Remix1994The Right Kinda Lover (Def Jef Remix)Patti LaBelleLife's a Bitch (Arsenal Mix)Nas, AZOut of ControlWellsNBA Jam SessionCherish This Love; Don't Let Me Catch You Slippin'Brigette McWilliamsTake Advantage of MeShaq-Fu: Stand and DeliverShaqShaq Fu: Da Return199680 WaysDef JefPhat Beach (soundtrack)"Gee, Officer Krupke"Salt-n-Pepa, Left Eye, Jerky BoyzThe Songs of West Side Story1997"I'm Loosin' It"2Pac, Big SkyeR U Still Down?Under Pressure NadanufWorldwide1999Betta DayzSnoop DoggNo Limit Top Dogg2000Tha Eastsidaz Tha EastsidazSnoop Dogg Presents: Tha Eastsidaz2001Late NightDuces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned WayShackled UpKrayzie BoneOz (soundtrack)A Thugga Level; I Don't Give a FuckThug on da Line
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