Sevn Thomas
{{Short description|Canadian record producer, songwriter and singer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sevn Thomas
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Rupert Thomas Jr.
| alias = Suga Prince
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1991|7|7}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| origin =
| genre = {{flat list|
}}
| occupation = {{flat list|
- Record producer
- songwriter
- singer
}}
| instrument = {{hlist|FL Studio|Vocals}}
| years_active = 2002–present
| label = Not So Fast
| associated_acts = {{flat list|
- Boi-1da
- Rex Kudo
- Allen Ritter
- Frank Dukes
- Syk Sense}}
| website =
}}
Rupert "Sevn" Thomas Jr. (born July 7, 1991) is a Canadian record producer, songwriter and singer. He has produced and written numerous hit songs including Rihanna's "Work", Drake's "Pop Style" and "Chicago Freestyle," Travis Scott's "Wake Up", Nicki Minaj's "Run & Hide", Giveon's "Heartbreak Anniversary", and numerous others. He also released a 2014 instrumental EP entitled Hidden Hand. As a youth, he performed as a singer under the stage name Suga Prince.
Early life
Rupert Thomas Jr.{{cite magazine | last=Serwer| first=Jesse| title =Meet the Producers Who Brought Dancehall Back to the Charts in 2016| magazine =Billboard| date =December 13, 2016 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7616664/dancehall-charts-producers| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} was born and raised in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario.{{cite magazine | last=Elibert| first=Mark| title =From Travis Scott to Lil Wayne, Producer Sevn Thomas Breaks Down His Biggest Records of 2018| magazine =Billboard| date =October 5, 2018 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8478333/sevn-thomas-producer-travis-scott-lil-wayne-nicki-minaj-interview| accessdate =December 29, 2018}}{{cite magazine | last=Dandridge-Lemco| first=Ben| title =Meet Sevn Thomas, The Toronto producer on Astroworld and Queen| magazine =The FADER| date =October 28, 2016 | url =http://www.thefader.com/2016/10/28/sevn-thomas-producer-interview-rihanna-drake-work-beat-construction| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} His parents were born in Jamaica. They both had their own sound systems (Lover's Choice and Love Choice International) and would often hold parties in their basement.{{cite news | last=Bliss| first=Karen| title =Toronto: Beat-making capital of the world?| publisher =SOCAN Magazine| date =January 21, 2016 | url =https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/toronto-beat-making-capital-of-the-world/| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} Dancehall artist, Rappa Robert, is Thomas' uncle{{cite news | last=James| first=Andy| title =Beat Break: Sevn Thomas Shares the Story Behind His 5 Biggest Songs| publisher =DJ Booth| date =July 26, 2017 | url =https://djbooth.net/features/2017-07-26-sevn-thomas-interview-beat-break| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} who would take him to studio sessions in Jamaica, including at UB40's studio. In grade 5, Thomas began making beats on a Korg Triton and in 2002, at ten years old, he released a single called "Too Young for Love" featuring Master T under the stage name, Suga Prince. The music video for that song featured a 12-year-old Ayesha Curry.{{cite news | last=Ender| first=Elena| title =What You Need to Know About Ayesha Curry| work =Entity Magazine| date =July 21, 2017 | url =https://www.entitymag.com/who-is-stephen-curry-wife-ayesha/| accessdate=December 29, 2018}}
Thomas signed to Sony BMG around that time but eventually put his music career on hold after the label folded. He first met producer Boi-1da while working with Sony. During high school, Thomas continued making beats often at Sunny Diamonds' studio in Toronto. It was there that he reconnected with Boi-1da, who would become his mentor and frequent collaborator. In 2012, Thomas faced off against WondaGurl (another Boi-1da protege) at the Battle of the Beat Makers. The judges were unable to choose a winner.
Career
In 2013, Thomas began accruing production and songwriting credits including on Kelly Rowland's "Love Me Til I Die",{{cite magazine | last=Jenkins| first=Craig| title =15 New Producers to Watch for in 2014| magazine =Complex| date =August 26, 2014 | url =https://www.complex.com/music/2014/08/best-new-producers-to-watch-for/| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} Skeme's "No Time",{{cite magazine | last=Kramer| first=Kyle| title =Listen to Skeme's New Single "Different," Off His Upcoming Album "Ingleworld"| magazine =Complex| date =December 4, 2013 | url =https://www.complex.com/music/2013/12/skeme-different| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} and Ben Stevenson's "Opposites Attract".{{cite news | last=Spadine| first=Richard| title =Ben Stevenson – Opposites Attract| publisher =DJ Booth| date =August 13, 2013 | url =https://djbooth.net/songs/ben-stevenson-opposites-attract| accessdate =December 29, 2018}} In 2014, Thomas produced Mobb Deep's "Low" before releasing his own instrumental EP, Hidden Hand, in April of that year. The EP featured co-production from Jordan Evans and Prezident Jeff.{{cite magazine | last=X| first=Dharmic| title =Listen to Sevn Thomas' "Hidden Hand" Instrumental EP| magazine =Complex| date =April 18, 2014 | url =https://www.complex.com/music/2014/04/sevn-thomas-hidden-hand-ep-stream| accessdate =December 29, 2018}}
In 2015 and 2016, Thomas co-produced (with Boi-1da and others) a series of songs that appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, including Drake's "10 Bands" (number 58) and "Pop Style" (number 16), and Rihanna's "Work" (number 1).{{cite news | title =People don't understand the lyrics of Rihanna's new single, called Work| publisher =BBC| date =January 27, 2016 | url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/35419487/people-dont-understand-the-lyrics-of-rihannas-new-single-called-work| accessdate =December 30, 2018}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/drake/chart-history/hsi/ |title=Drake – Chart History – Hot 100|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=December 30, 2018}} Billboard credited him as one of seven producers "who brought dancehall back to the charts in 2016". That year, he also co-produced PartyNextDoor's "Don't Run", which reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/partynextdoor/chart-history/bst/ |title=PartyNextDoor – Chart History – Hot R&B Songs|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=December 30, 2018}} In April 2016, he released the single "Can't Sleep Alone" featuring Australian singer, NYNE.{{cite magazine | last=Mistry| first=Anupa| title =Sevn Thomas And NYNE Contemplate Solitude On "Can't Sleep Alone"| magazine =The FADER| date =April 28, 2016 | url =https://www.thefader.com/2016/04/28/sevn-thomas-and-nyne-contemplate-solitude-on-cant-sleep-alone| accessdate =December 30, 2018}} He continued producing records in 2017 including Travis Scott's "Green & Purple", Kehlani's "Get Like", and GoldLink's "Pray Everyday".
In 2018, he produced tracks on numerous notable albums including Travis Scott's Astroworld ("Wake Up" and "Houstonfornication"), Nicki Minaj's Queen ("Run & Hide"), Lil Wayne's Tha Carter V ("Let It Fly"), and The Carters' Everything Is Love ("Friends").{{cite news | last=Chesman| first=Donna-Claire| title =Producer Sevn Thomas Breaks Down Working on 'ASTROWORLD' and 'Queen'| publisher =DJ Booth| date =August 16, 2018 | url =https://djbooth.net/features/2018-08-16-sevn-thomas-interview| accessdate =December 30, 2018}}
Discography
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ List of EPs with selected album details ! scope="col" style="width:10em"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:20em"| Details |
| scope="row"| Hidden Hand
|
|
|---|
=Singles=
=Remixes=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row"|"After You Left" (feat. Nyne)
| GoldLink | 2016 | {{n/a|And After That, We Didn't Talk - The Remixes}} |
|---|
=Songwriting and production=
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://soundcloud.com/sevnthomas Sevn Thomas on SoundCloud]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Sevn}}
Category:21st-century Black Canadian musicians
Category:Canadian child singers
Category:Canadian hip-hop record producers
Category:Canadian people of Jamaican descent