James Poyser

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James Poyser
Poyser at the Black Lily Film & Music Festival 2007
Background information
Birth name	James Jason Poyser[1]
Also known as	Soul Glo I Don't Want Any Trouble, I Just Want to Get Paid I Gotta Eat Make Sure I Get Credit For This Y'all Goin to Pay Me, Right? Downtown Jimmy Brown Jimmy Baseball [2]
Born	Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Neo soul progressive soul[3] hip hop soul gospel[4]
Occupation(s)	Multi-instrumentalist songwriter record producer
Instruments	Piano organ keyboards synthesizer bass guitar drums percussion guitar flute oboe vocals
Years active	1993–present
Associated acts	The Roots Soulquarians The Soultronics The Randy Watson Experience Raphael Saadiq No I.D. Salaam Remi

James Jason Poyser (born 30 January in Sheffield, Yorkshire) is an English–American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and current member of the hip hop band The Roots.^[5][6]

Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists such as Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Rihanna, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo, The Roots, Jill Scott, and Big Sean. During his career, Poyser has toured and played live with distinctive artists such DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Cece Peniston, Jay-Z, Usher, Queen Latifah, Elvis Costello, Aretha Franklin, and Hezekiah Walker. An active session musician, he has contributed to the works of Adele, Norah Jones, Eric Clapton, Al Green, Nas, Ziggy Marley, Citizen Cope, Yebba, Snoh Aalegra, and Femi Kuti among many others.

His work in film and television include composing theme songs for shows such as , Hawthorne, The Break with Michelle Wolf, contributing music to the TV shows The Chappelle Show, Black-ish and the movies Fame, Dave Chappelle's Block Party, and Totally Awesome among many others.

Poyser received a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2003 for co-writing/producing Erykah Badu and Common's hit "Love of My Life."^[7] He was also the executive producer on Badu's highly celebrated albums, Mama's Gun and Worldwide Underground. He also received 2 Grammys, including Best R&B album, for producing John Legend's Wake Up! album in 2010.

A collaborator with the band dating back to Things Fall Apart, Poyser officially joined The Roots in 2009, composing and performing live as the house band for NBC's Late Show with Jimmy Fallon, and subsequently The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He is sometimes used as comic foil, especially for his use of deadpan facial expressions, and is frequently used as the pianist for Fallon's "thank-you notes" after the monologue ends. Poyser also tours with the band and regularly performs at the band's live shows.

Production and songwriting[]

• Erykah Badu – "On & On", "Other Side of the Game", "Afro", "Sometimes", "Penitentiary Philosophy", "My Life", "Cleva", "Kiss Me on My Neck", "Green Eyes", "Bump It", "Back in the Day (Puff)", "I Want You", "Danger", "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)", "Master Teacher", "Window Seat", "Out My Mind, Just in Time"
• Estelle – "Maybe","Wonderful Life"
• Mariah Carey – "I Wish You Well", "Mine Again", "When Christmas Comes"
• John Legend – Wake Up!
• Jill Scott – "Cant Explain", "Talk to Me", "Exclusively", "Try"
• Sy Smith – "Deep Sleep", "Do Things", "Bruise", "Drop That"
• Esthero – "Melancholy Melody"
• Keyshia Cole – "No Other"
• The Roots – "The Lesson Part III"
• Common – "*69", "Aquarius", "Between Me, You & Liberation", "Common Free Style", "Electric Wire Hustle Flower", "Ghetto Heaven Part 2", "Heaven Somewhere", "Jimi Was a Rock Star", "New Wave", "Soul Power", "The Questions", "Time Travelin"
• Anthony Hamilton – "Amen", "Corn Bread, Fish and Collard Greens", "I Tried", "Don't Get Me to Lying"
• Corinne Bailey Rae – "The Blackest Lilly"
• Bilal – "Sometimes", "Bring 2"
• D'Angelo – "Chicken Grease"
• Eric Benet – "Love of My Own", "When You Think of Me", "Spanish Fly"
• Lauryn Hill – "Superstar"
• Musiq Soulchild – "Someone", "Mother Father", "Real Love"
• Tye Tribbett – Life
• Al Green – Lay It Down
• Jaheim – "In My Hands"
• Ruben Studdard – "Our Story"
• Nao Yoshioka - "Make the Change (James Poyser Remix)”
• Stacy Barthe - "Angel"

Sessions[]

• Eric Clapton
• Adele – 21
• Norah Jones – The Fall
• Ziggy Marley – Family Time
• Citizen Cope – The Rainwater LP
• Roy Hargrove – Strength
• Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Film and television[]

• theme music composer (HBO)
• Hawthorne theme music composer (TV)
• Chappelle's Show original sketch music (TV)
• Fame writer and producer of songs on soundtrack (movie)
• The Wash writer of a song on soundtrack (movie)
• The Fighting Temptations writer of a song on soundtrack (movie)
• Baby Boy writer and producer of song on soundtrack (movie)
• The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard writer and/or performer of songs on soundtrack (movie)
• Totally Awesome music (TV movie)

References[]