Elite (record producer)


Anthony Parrino, better known by his stage name Elite, is an American hip hop record producer and recording artist best known for his work with J. Cole, Dreamville Records, and the Ruff Ryders recording label in the early 2000s. Elite is from Byram, Connecticut and resides in Brooklyn, New York.

Career

In mid 2000, Elite started working as an intern for Ruff Ryders Entertainment and eventually caught the ear of rapper Drag-On, placing his first produced song on the Cradle 2 the Grave soundtrack in 2002. Working as an in-house producer for Ruff Ryders, Elite went on to produce "Shoot Outs" for Jadakiss featuring Styles P from Kiss of Death as well as the "Why Remix" featuring Anthony Hamilton, Styles P, Common, and Nas. In 2004 Elite graduated Cum Laude from SUNY Purchase music conservatory studying Studio Production. In 2006 Elite produced "Wrong or Right " for DMX from the album Year of the Dog... Again.
In 2009, Elite began working with longtime friend and Roc Nation recording artist J. Cole on his mixtape The Warm Up. Elite produced "Heartache" and a good portion of the mixtape was recorded at his home studio in New York. In 2010, Elite released his first mixtape entitled "The Groundwork" which was a collection of all of his production work up to that point. The mixtape featured an unreleased J. Cole song titled "Playground". Elite also produced "See World" for J. Cole off of his third mixtape, Friday Night Lights. Elite co-produced J. Cole's first single "Who Dat" which was featured as an iTunes bonus on .
In 2011, Elite released his first project as an artist entitled "Awaken" which featured J. Cole, Omen, Voli and Sean McVerry.
Elite worked on multiple songs on J. Cole's second album Born Sinner, co-producing the title track "Born Sinner", and adding additional production to "Run Away". Cole sampled the song "Do She Got a Friend Tho?" from Elite's mixtape "Level Up" on the standout "Let Nas Down". In June 2013, J. Cole released his second single from Born Sinner titled "Crooked Smile" which was co-produced by Elite and features TLC.
Elite worked together with J. Cole once more on the song "Folgers Crystals" from the 2015 work Revenge Of The Dreamers II, he also produced the song "48 Laws" by Omen feat. Donnie Trumpet from the same album.
In December 2016, J. Cole released his fourth studio album 4 Your Eyez Only, which was co-executive produced by Elite.
In April 2018, J. Cole released his fifth studio album KOD, which featured co-production from Elite on a majority of the album.
In May 2019, Ari Lennox released her debut studio album Shea Butter Baby, executive produced by Elite. Two of the album's lead singles were produced by Elite; Whipped Cream and the title track Shea Butter Baby, first appearing on the Creed II Soundtrack.

Discography

Mixtapes

List of songs as producer or co-producer, with performing artists and other credited producers, showing year released and album name.
TitleYearPerforming artistOther producerAlbum
Fireman2003Drag-OnCradle 2 the Grave OST
Peel Off2003Jin2 Fast 2 Furious OST
Let's Ride2003Diplomats AND 1 Mixtape
The Race2003Drag-OnB-Side Single
Shoot Outs2004Jadakiss Kiss of Death
Why Remix2004Jadakiss Single
Fight Muzik2005Joe BuddenMood Muzik 1
Gun Ho City2005Kool G Rap DJ Whoo Kid & Kool G Rap: Dead or Alive Mixtape
Penitentiary Chances2005Jim Jones
Wrong or Right2006DMX Year of the Dog... Again
Shots Fired2007Styles P
Heartache2009J. ColeThe Warm Up Mixtape
Playground2010J. ColeThe Groundwork Mixtape
Who Dat2011J. ColeJ. Cole
See World2011J. ColeJ. ColeFriday Night Lights Mixtape
Return of Simba2011J. ColeJ. Cole
Visionz of Home2012J. Cole
Let Nas Down 2013J. ColeJ. ColeBorn Sinner
Runaway *2013J. ColeJ. Cole, Ron GilmoreBorn Sinner
Born Sinner2013J. Cole J. ColeBorn Sinner
Crooked Smile2013J. Cole J. ColeBorn Sinner
The Coming2014King Mez
48 Laws2015Omen Revenge of the Dreamers II
Folgers Crystals2015J. ColeJ. ColeRevenge of the Dreamers II
Natalie2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 1
Kerosene2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 1
Marcy and the Apparition2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 1
Christina2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 1
Strangers2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 2
Tiger Lily2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 2
Motion Picture Films2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 2
Christina's Ringtone2016Sean McVerrySean McVerryHourglass Switchboard 2
Willow Tree2016Spillage Village Ron Gilmore, J. ColeBears Like Too Much
4 Your Eyez Only +2016J. ColeJ. Cole4 Your Eyez Only
Ville Mentality2016J. ColeRon Gilmore, J. Cole4 Your Eyez Only
She's Mine Pt. 1 *2016J. ColeJ. Cole, Deputy, Ron Gilmore, Chargaux4 Your Eyez Only
Change *2016J. ColeJ. Cole, Ron Gilmore4 Your Eyez Only
Neighbors *2016J. ColeJ. Cole4 Your Eyez Only
Foldin Clothes *2016J. ColeJ. Cole, Ron Gilmore4 Your Eyez Only
She's Mine Pt. 2 *2016J. ColeJ. Cole, Deputy, Ron Gilmore, Chargaux4 Your Eyez Only
4 Your Eyez Only2016J. ColeBLVK, J. Cole, Childish Major4 Your Eyez Only
High For Hours2017J. ColeCam O'bi, Ron Gilmore
Meditate2017EarthGang Childish MajorRags - EP
Ambitions2017LuteSean McVerryWest 1996 Pt. 2
Freaky 452018CozzRon GilmoreEffected
The Cut Off *2018J. Cole feat. Kill EdwardJ. Cole, BLVKKOD
Kevin's Heart *2018J. ColeT-Minus, Mark PellizzerKOD
Brackets *2018J. ColeJ. ColeKOD
Once An Addict *2018J. ColeJ. Cole, Ron GilmoreKOD
Friends *2018J. Cole feat. Kill EdwardJ. ColeKOD
Window Pain *2018J. ColeJ. ColeKOD
Whipped Cream2018Ari LennoxRon GilmoreSingle
Stuck2018EarthGang Malik, Ron GilmoreMirrorland
Grampa2018Ari LennoxSingle
Shea Butter Baby2018Ari Lennox & J. ColeShroomCreed II: The Album
Tiiied2018JID feat. 6lack & Ella MaiRon GilmoreDiCaprio 2
Shea Butter Baby +2019Ari LennoxShea Butter Baby
Chicago Boy2019Ari LennoxRon GilmoreShea Butter Baby
BMO *2019Ari LennoxOmenShea Butter Baby
Broke *2019Ari LennoxChristo, Ron Gilmore, DeputyShea Butter Baby
Speak To Me2019Ari LennoxRon GilmoreShea Butter Baby
New Apartment *2019Ari LennoxDJ GrumbleShea Butter Baby
Static2019Ari LennoxShea Butter Baby
19932019Dreamville, J. Cole, JID, Cozz, EARTHGANG, Smino, BuddyRevenge of the Dreamers III
Tequila2019EarthGang Mirrorland
End of Daze 2020Spillage VillageChristo, Mike Dean, Jay Card, Nicerec, OluSpilligion

* Indicates "Additional Production" credit
+ Indicates "Executive Production" credit

TV Scoring

NetworkYearSegment
CBS2003CSI: Miami, "The Best Defense"
ESPN2006NBA On ESPN
ABC2006NBA Finals