The Heavyweights
The Heavyweights recently launched a new MUST SEE website! Click here.
Remember this name, The Heavyweights. Like the pugilists they borrowed their name from, the production duo of Melvin “JoJo Beats” Sparkman and Marcus Allen, also known as The Allen Boy, are ready to knock out the competition with their signature sound.
The duo were born and bred to live, love and make music. Compound Entertainment’s head honcho Tango saw that and immediately gave them the moniker The Heavyweights. Although JoJo Beats thought Tango was taking a stab at their weights, he was actually complimenting their heavy beat making abilities.
Born in Minneapolis, into a military family, JoJo Beats, 25, absorbed the various cultures of the mainland as he moved from state to state and ended up settling with his family in New Hampshire. As a child, JoJo Beats acquired a passion for the piano that has never waned. By the early age of 12, he had already graduated from all the levels in classical piano and was a trained and accomplished pianist. His break into the music industry came when a teacher with close ties to the music industry recognized his talent and pushed him to take his music a step further.
Born and raised in Waterbury, Conn., The Allen Boy began his musical career like many other legends - in the church. Now, at the age of 24 he has been playing the piano for over 17 years. In high school, one of his teachers introduced him to creating and sequencing music on the computer and a career in music making was born.
In 2001, the tag team of Jo and Marcus met at the University of New Haven as students when they were introduced by mutual friends and the rest was history. Only after a brief introduction, the two were exchanging thoughts on music and sharing their backgrounds, Joe, who had been introduced to the hip-hop genre was able to impart knowledge to Marcus who was mainly rooted in gospel music. Since that meeting, the two have worked alongside the best the music industry has to offer. The two have produced tracks on gold and platinum albums for notables such as Heather Headley, Christina Milian, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo. Their über talent can be heard on the track, “Do You,” on Ne-Yo's sophomore effort, Because of You, as well as the catchy tune, “Just Be Happy,” performed by Rihanna for the Clinique® Happy fragrance campaign. They site their main musical influences as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, jazz great Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, and Mozart to name a few.
When asked to describe their sound, The Heavyweights say "Our sound is musical and complete. Like an orchestra, it is comprised of many parts that ultimately create a harmony. It's musical.” And with this recipe for creating such timeless music, it's safe to say that at this rate, 20 years from now, The Heavyweights will still be as relevant then as they are today. The Heavyweights are definitely ready to rumble.
The Heavyweights credits include:
Ne-Yo "Do You"
Ne-Yo "Spotlight"
Corbin Bleu "I Get Lonely"
Full of Harmony "Brand New Day" (First Single) Japan
Paula Deanda "Back Up Off Me" International
Christina Milian "Y'all ain't Nothing" So Amazin'
Heather Headley "The Letter" In My Mind
Nicole Scherzinger "Save Me"
COMPILATION
Ne-Yo "Home" Now That's What I Call Christmas
INDIE
Maylyn Murphy "Be Free"
Maylyn Murphy "Crazy"
FILM/TV/RADIO
Rihanna Clinique "Just Be Happy"
Julie Roberts (country singer) Clinique "Just Be Happy"
Joe "It's On You" Save The Last Dance 2 Soundtrack
Chi Chi Glacierz "Top Models"
Equipment Used
Purchased MiKo LX (Gen3)
Artist Links