Joell Christopher Ortiz (born July 6, 1980) is an American rapper and a former member of the group Slaughterhouse. Ortiz grew up in the Cooper Park Houses in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label. He was featured in the Unsigned Hype column of the March 2004 issue of The Source Magazine and was also selected as Chairman's Choice in XXL Magazine.

Joell Ortiz
Ortiz performing in Amager, Denmark in October 2007
Ortiz performing in Amager, Denmark in October 2007
Background information
Birth nameJoell Christopher Ortiz
Born (1980-07-06) July 6, 1980 (age 43)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active1998-present
Labels
Formerly ofSlaughterhouse
Websitewww.joellortiz.com

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. The same year he was offered a contract to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label. He released his debut album The Brick: Bodega Chronicles in 2007. Since then, he has released Free Agent (2011), House Slippers (2014) and Monday (2019).[1] He is currently one half of the rap duo Crook and Joell with his former Slaughterhouse bandmate, Crooked I. Together, they released three studio albums.[2]

Biography edit

Joell Christopher Ortiz[3] was born to Puerto Rican parents in Brooklyn, New York on July 6, 1980, where he grew up in East Williamsburg. He was formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label.[4][5]

He was featured in the Unsigned Hype column of the March 2004 issue of The Source Magazine and was also selected as Chairman's Choice in XXL 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 to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label. The deal quickly went sour which caused Joell to start beef with Jermaine. Joell has since collaborated with KRS-One and Kool G. Rap.[8]

Joell released his street album called The Brick: Bodega Chronicles April 24, 2007, on Koch 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 of M.O.P., Novel, and Moss, among others.[5] Guest spots include Big Daddy Kane, Styles P, Big Noyd, M.O.P, Akon, Immortal Technique, Grafh, Ras Kass, Stimuli, and Novel.[5]

Ortiz is one quarter of the supergroup Slaughterhouse who released their highly anticipated Slaughterhouse EP on February 8, 2011.[10] The group released their second studio album, Welcome to: Our House, on August 28, 2012.[11]

Music career edit

Ortiz first appeared on Kool G Rap's 2002 album The Giancana Story on the track "It's Nothing".

2007–2010: The Brick: Bodega Chronicles and joining Slaughterhouse edit

Although signed to Aftermath Records, Ortiz released an album titled The Brick: Bodega Chronicles April 24, 2007 on Koch Records (which would subsequently rebrand to E1).[12] The Brick features production by Showbiz, Street Radio, and The Alchemist, among others. Guest artists include rappers Big Daddy Kane, Styles P, Big Noyd, Akon, Immortal Technique, Grafh, and Ras Kass.[13] Ortiz parted ways with Aftermath 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 the Road Kill mixtape.[15] Among these was "Stressful" a song that remixed Drake's "Successful."[16]

In 2008, fellow East Coast rapper Joe Budden reached out Ortiz, as well as Crooked 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 their self-titled album which was released through E1 on August 11, 2009.[18] The album features production from Alchemist, DJ Khalil and Mr. Porter, plus guest appearances from Pharoahe Monch, K-Young, and The New Royales.[19] In January 2011, the group signed to Shady Records and left E1 Entertainment.[20]

2010–2014: Free Agent and House Slippers edit

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 with Steve Rifkind's label SRC Records. However the deal was never finished.[22]

In an October 31, 2010, interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Ortiz discussed his relationship with Eminem and the flood of record labels that have flocked to sign him after his Free Agent album was released. He also spoke of Eminem's excitement at working with him.[23]

During Slaughterhouse 2012 tour, the group stopped in Las Vegas, Nevada at Bootleg Kev's radio show, where they talked about their album Welcome to: Our House, and their work with Eminem. It was revealed that Ortiz signed with Shady Records as a solo act.[24] In 2012, Joell as part of the group Slaughterhouse released their second album Welcome To Our House on August 28, 2012.[25]

On September 16, 2014, Ortiz released his third studio album House Slippers. The album features guest appearances from, among others, B.o.B, Royce da 5'9", Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Maino. The album was supported by the singles "House Slippers" and "Music Saved My Life".[26]

In early 2019, before the release of his Monday album, Ortiz was featured in the song "Revenge"[27] (along with fellow Slaughterhouse member Crooked I) on Cryptik Soul’s album Killer's Blood.[28] Among the other artists on whose songs he has appeared as a featured guest are Brother Ali, Mega Ran, Mr. Capone-E, Playboy Tre and Chan Hays.

Controversy edit

Following the release of his 2011 song "Big Pun Back", Ortiz received criticism from Liza Rios (Pun's widow), along with former Terror Squad members Cuban Link and Tony 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 Pun Fat Joe spoke up in his defense.[29]

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Collaborative albums edit

References edit

  1. ^ Montes, Patrick (June 26, 2019). "Joell Ortiz Taps Big K.R.I.T. for "Learn You" & Announces New Album 'Monday'". hypebeast.
  2. ^ "KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz Are Fielding Suggestions for the Name of Their Duo". HNHH. September 7, 2022.
  3. ^ "ACE Repertory: JOELL CHRISTOPHER ORTIZ". ASCAP. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "Puerto Rican Slaughterhouse Rapper Joell Ortiz Incorporates Healthy, Sober Lifestyle Into 'House Slippers' Album : Entertainment". Latin Post. September 17, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d ahale (January 30, 2008). "Joell Ortiz No Longer With Aftermath | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  6. ^ "Happy Birthday, Joell Ortiz!". Theboombox.com. July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  7. ^ Chalifoux, Jordan (January 29, 2007). "Joell Ortiz". Formatmag.com. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  8. ^ "Joell Ortiz on Signing with Violator, Writing and More". Thestateofhiphop.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  9. ^ Staff (February 27, 2007). "The Brick: Bodega Chronicles - Joell Ortiz". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  10. ^ "Slaughterhouse - EP by Slaughterhouse". Itunes.apple.com. February 8, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  11. ^ "iTunes - Music - Welcome To: Our House (Deluxe Version) by Slaughterhouse". Itunes.apple.com. August 28, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  12. ^ XXL Magazine. Joell Ortiz: A Hip-Hop Happy Ending by Brandon Edwards. November 2007
  13. ^ "The Brick: Bodega Chronicles". AllMusic. February 27, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  14. ^ "Joell Ortiz Speaks On Leaving Aftermath". Defsounds.com. January 31, 2008. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  15. ^ "Joell Ortiz & Frequency – Road Kill (Mixtape)". Nah Right. December 15, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  16. ^ Leps, Jeanne. "Joell Ortiz & Novel – "Stressful"". Uproxx.com. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  17. ^ a b "FEATURE: Crooked I, The Freestyler[Definitive Dozen". Xxlmag.com. August 14, 2009. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
  18. ^ Jeffries, David (August 11, 2009). "Slaughterhouse". AllMusic. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  19. ^ Kuperstein, Slava (August 10, 2009). "Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 23, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  20. ^ mtv (January 12, 2011). "Eminem Signs Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf To Shady Records". MTV. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  21. ^ Langhorne, Cyrus (March 23, 2010). "Joell Ortiz Disses Slaughterhouse's Record Label, "E1 Is F*cking C*ckblocking Us From Doing Something Monumental"". Sohh.Com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  22. ^ ajacobs (August 31, 2010). "Steve Rifkind Hints At Joell Ortiz Signing To SRC Records". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  23. ^ "Joell Ortiz discusses Eminem Oct 31st Uncensored Radio Interview". Conspiracyworldwide.podomatic.com. October 30, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  24. ^ "Bootleg Kev Interviews Slaughterhouse - Rap Radar". Rap Radar. April 18, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  25. ^ HipHopDX (July 1, 2012). "Eminem Reveals Slaughterhouse Album Release Date & Talks Beastie Boys". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  26. ^ "Joell Ortiz - House Slippers". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  27. ^ "Cryptik Soul - Revenge ft. Slaughterhouse & the Styles of L (Lyric Video)". YouTube.
  28. ^ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvnW_f0MjqeIkxZhnI7LJaM0vbGPtodN7&si=x___u3dBJcK7rVbZ
  29. ^ Horowitz, Stephen. "Joell Ortiz Addresses "Big Pun's Back" Controversy". Blog Article. Hip Hop Dx. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  30. ^ "That's Hip Hop by Joell Ortiz on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  31. ^ Patrick, Montes (June 26, 2019). "Joell Ortiz Taps Big K.R.I.T. for "Learn You" & Announces New Album 'Monday'". hypebeast.
  32. ^ "KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz - Rise & Fall of Slaughterhouse". Apple Music. Retrieved March 11, 2022.

External links edit