Amaire Johnson
{{Short description|American musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Amaire Johnson
|birth_place = Chester, Pennsylvania, United States
|alma mater = Musicians Institute
| module = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes
|genre = {{hlist|R&B|soul|hip hop}}
|label = {{hlist|Don Life|FF to Def}}
|occupation = {{Hlist | Songwriter | producer | keyboardist | music director| instrumentalist}}
|background = person
}}
}}
Amaire Johnson is an American producer, songwriter, music director, and multi-instrumentalist who primarily collaborates with rapper Big Sean, and is best known for co-writing and producing Big Sean singles "Moves", "Single Again", "Bounce Back", and "One Man Can Change the World".{{Cite web|url=https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/best-songs-2017-555592/|title=Debate Us: 34 Hip-Hop and R&B Hits We Loved In 2017|date=December 26, 2017|access-date=December 28, 2024|archive-date=July 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705165539/https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/best-songs-2017-555592/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2019-03-14/95921/studio-sessions-smash-david-talks-tory-lanezs-freestyles-creative-ways-producers-make-more-money|title=Studio Sessions 124; Smash David talks Tory Lanez's freestyles & creative ways producers make more money|first=Keith Nelson|last=Jr|website=REVOLT|access-date=December 28, 2024|archive-date=March 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326011645/https://www.revolt.tv/article/2019-03-14/95921/studio-sessions-smash-david-talks-tory-lanezs-freestyles-creative-ways-producers-make-more-money|url-status=live}} Johnson has contributed to the following Big Sean projects in various capacities: Dark Sky Paradise (2015), Twenty88 (2016), I Decided (2017), Detroit (2019), Detroit II (2020), and Better Me Than You (2024).{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/edwin-ortiz/big-sean-halfway-off-the-balcony-new-song|title=Big Sean Shares New Song "Halfway Off the Balcony"|website=Complex|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=December 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208085134/https://www.complex.com/music/a/edwin-ortiz/big-sean-halfway-off-the-balcony-new-song|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/frazier-tharpe/artists-missing-in-action-2018|title=Missing in Action: Our Favorite Artists Who Went Silent i...|website=Complex|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=December 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206132620/https://www.complex.com/music/a/frazier-tharpe/artists-missing-in-action-2018|url-status=live}} Johnson has also contributed to projects from Schoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad, Nipsey Hussle, and Jhené Aiko, among others.{{Cite web|url=https://visionaryartistrymag.com/2020/09/amaire-johnson-keyboards-open-doors/|title=Amaire Johnson: Keyboards Open Doors|first=Visionary Artistry|last=Magazine|date=September 14, 2020|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=May 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507000622/https://visionaryartistrymag.com/2020/09/amaire-johnson-keyboards-open-doors/|url-status=live}} In December 2024, XXL recognized his contribution to Ab-soul's studio album Soul Burger (album cut "Peace") as the "best produced track" on the project.{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/kodak-black-nle-choppa-redman-new-hip-hop-projects/|title=Kodak Black, NLE Choppa, Redman and More - New Hip-Hop Projects|first=C. Vernon|last=Coleman II|date=December 27, 2024|website=XXL Mag|access-date=December 27, 2024|archive-date=December 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241227100636/https://www.xxlmag.com/kodak-black-nle-choppa-redman-new-hip-hop-projects/|url-status=live}}
Influenced by "Motown, early hip-hop, and neo-soul", Johnson is signed to Don Life, Big Sean's production company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/my-mom-is-the-first-person-i-rapped-for-big-sean-1.4019100|title=My Mom Is The First Person I Rapped For|first=Del|last=Cowie|website=CBC|date=March 10, 2017|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=March 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326045451/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/my-mom-is-the-first-person-i-rapped-for-big-sean-1.4019100|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://stockx.com/news/thats-five-with-amaire-johnson/|title=That's 5 | Amaire Johnson - StockX Exclusive Profile|date=December 5, 2018|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517151434/https://stockx.com/news/thats-five-with-amaire-johnson/|url-status=live}} Johnson also acted as music director and/or performed keyboards alongside Ab-soul and Big Sean during their respective NPR Tiny Desk performances.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2023/02/23/1151374272/ab-soul-tiny-desk-concert|title=Ab-Soul: Tiny Desk Concert|website=NPR|first=Bobby|last=Carter|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=August 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811011959/https://www.npr.org/2023/02/23/1151374272/ab-soul-tiny-desk-concert|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2024/03/27/1240624890/big-sean-tiny-desk-concert|title=Big Sean: Tiny Desk Concert|website=NPR|first=Bobby|last=Carter|access-date=December 24, 2024|archive-date=June 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240624043628/https://www.npr.org/2024/03/27/1240624890/big-sean-tiny-desk-concert|url-status=live}}
Early career
Johnson started playing keyboards in church at 15 years old, and moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to attend the Musicians Institute. Upon graduation, he became a musician on the Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson-helmed 12th Annual Honda Civic Tour. He next joined Big Sean's touring band as a keyboardist.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4swKYQJXSf8|title=Keyboard Magazine presents: Amaire Johnson (Big Sean)|website=YouTube |date=February 9, 2015}}
Selected songwriting and production credits
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:36em;"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Artist ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"|"One Man Can Change the World" (featuring Kanye West & John Legend)
|2015 |
|---|
| scope="row"|"On the Way"
|rowspan="4"|2016 |rowspan="2"|Twenty88 |rowspan="2"|Twenty88 |
| scope="row"|"Memories Faded" |
| scope="row"|"Won’t Be the Same" (featuring Ayo the Producer)
|rowspan="2"|Westside Boogie |rowspan="2"|Thirst 48, Pt. II |
| scope="row"|"Sunroof" (featuring Dana Williams) |
| scope="row"|"Moments" (featuring Big Sean)
|rowspan="19"|2017 |rowspan="8"|Jhené Aiko |rowspan="8"|Trip |
| scope="row"|"OLLA (Only Lovers Left Alive)" (featuring Twenty88) |
| scope="row"|"You Are Here" |
| scope="row"|"Never Call Me" (featuring Kurupt) |
| scope="row"|"Overstimulated" |
| scope="row"|"Bad Trip (Interlude)" |
| scope="row"|"Oblivion (Creation)" (featuring Dr. Chill) |
| scope="row"|"Psilocybin (Love in Full Effect)" (featuring Dr. Chill) |
| scope="row"|"Intro"
|rowspan="11"|Big Sean |rowspan="11"|I Decided |
| scope="row"|"Light" (featuring Jeremih) |
| scope="row"|"Bounce Back" |
| scope="row"|"Moves" |
| scope="row"|"Same Time Pt. 1" (featuring Twenty88) |
| scope="row"|"Owe Me" |
| scope="row"|"Halfway Off the Balcony" |
| scope="row"|"Voices in My Head / Stick to the Plan" |
| scope="row"|"Sunday Morning Jetpack" (featuring The-Dream) |
| scope="row"|"Inspire Me" |
| scope="row"|"Bigger Than Me" (featuring Flint Chozen Choir & Starrah) |
| scope="row"|"Victory Lap" (featuring Stacy Barthe)
|rowspan="2"|2018 |rowspan="2"|Nipsey Hussle |rowspan="2"|Victory Lap |
| scope="row"|"Million While You Young" (featuring The-Dream) |
| scope="row"|"The Recipe"
|rowspan="2"|2019 |SiR |
| scope="row"|"More Thoughts (2019)"
|rowspan="5"|Big Sean |
| scope="row"|"Harder than My Demons"
|rowspan="4"|2020 |rowspan="4"|Detroit 2 |
| scope="row"|"Everything That's Missing" (featuring Dwele) |
| scope="row"|"Don Life" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
| scope="row"|"Single Again" |
| scope="row"|"Wat U Sed" (featuring Doechii and Kal Banx)
|2021 |
| scope="row"|"Bomb" (featuring Kari Faux)
|2022 |
| scope="row"|"On Up"
|rowspan="6"|2024 |rowspan="2"|Big Sean |rowspan="2"|Better Me Than You |
| scope="row"|"Boundaries" |
| scope="row"|"Pop" (featuring Rico Nasty)
|rowspan="3"|Schoolboy Q |rowspan="3"|Blue Lips |
| scope="row"|"Pig Feet" (featuring Childish Major) |
| scope="row"|"Love Birds" (featuring Devin Malik & Lance Skiiiwalker) |
| scope="row"|"Peace" (featuring Lupe Fiasco & Punch) |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Ceremony ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Result !Ref |
| 2018
| Most Performed Pop Songs (Bounce Back) | {{Won}} |
References
{{reflist}}
Category:African-American songwriters
Category:American hip-hop musicians
Category:American hip-hop record producers
Category:Record producers from Pennsylvania
Category:People from Chester, Pennsylvania
Category:Musicians from Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)