Curtiss King facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Curtiss King
Curtiss King performing during the 2012 Paid Dues Festival
Background information
Birth name	Dwan Howard
Also known as	Baby Sinbad
Origin	Bellflower, Carson, Downey, Inland Empire, California, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, producer, songwriter
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Black Cloud Music, The Chill Palace
Associated acts	Ab-Soul, Glasses Malone, Murs, Noa James, Tae Beast

Dwan Howard, known by his stage name Curtiss King, is an American hip hop artist and music producer. He grew up in the Inland Empire area of California. Curtiss King is signed to an independent music label called Black Cloud Music. He is also well-known for producing songs for other artists like Murs, Noa James, Ab-Soul, Glasses Malone, and Mack 10.

About Curtiss King

Early Life and Music Start

Curtiss King, whose real name is Dwan Howard, was a shy kid growing up. He found comfort in listening to music and watching 90s TV shows. He even got his stage name from Curtiss Middle School!

With help from a friend, YouTube, and a library card, Curtiss King taught himself many skills. He learned how to produce music, record songs, write his own lyrics, and even edit videos. He also designed his own album covers and built his own websites. He truly built his music career from the ground up.

First Music Projects (2003–2008)

After finishing high school in 2003, Curtiss started making and sharing his own music. He gave out many mixtapes to his college classmates. When he joined Myspace in 2005, his self-made music projects became popular locally.

In 2007, his music production skills became very sought after. One of his songs was featured on a Vans Skate DVD. He also produced a song called "Watch Yo Lady" for Ab-Soul's first project, Longterm. This song even featured K-Dot, who is now known as Kendrick Lamar.

Later that year, Curtiss King signed with Rocstarr Entertainment. This was a new independent label run by producer Tae Beast and Starr Lab. Under this label, he released two street albums: Notorious Scholars and The Storm On Mars. These albums included songs with Ab-Soul and Young Rook, and production by Tae Beast. After a few years, Curtiss and Rocstarr Entertainment went their separate ways. He then continued to work on his music independently.

While working a part-time job, King also attended Orange Coast College. There, he earned a certificate in marketing. Soon after, he faced a tough time when he lost both of his grandparents to cancer. Looking for a fresh start, Curtiss moved to the Inland Empire with his mother. He became very active in the local music scene. He would perform acapella at poetry events and enter beat-making contests.

Black Cloud Music and More Music (2009–2010)

In 2009, Curtiss King's fanbase and demand for his productions grew a lot. This happened after he worked with and produced for the artist Noa James on his album Sounds of A Monster. He also worked on Ab-Soul’s Longterm 2.

His work soon caught the eye of Jynxx, a producer and rapper. Jynxx asked King to sign with his independent label, Black Cloud Music. As part of Black Cloud Music, Curtiss started to gain attention across the country. He released projects like Snick @ Nite and Jet Pack On E.

In 2010, King's music production became known worldwide. He was invited to compete in the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle. He also got his first major record label placement. This was on the album Money Music by Glasses Malone and Mack 10.

Big Performances and New Albums (2011–Present)

In July 2011, King released his highly anticipated EP called DIY (Do It Yourself). This EP featured popular songs like "Sinbad," "21Sev7n," and "PCC." It included other artists like Dirty Birdy, Noa James, Faimkills, and Sean Faylon. DIY was a major turning point for Curtiss King's career.

In late 2011, King had a unique chance to produce music for a live-action video game trailer. This was for the popular computer game "APB: Reloaded".

Curtiss King worked hard for 97 days to get a spot at the 2012 Paid Dues Festival. His efforts paid off when hip hop artist Murs personally invited him to perform on the Dues Paid Stage. After performing at Paid Dues in April 2012, King made more news a month later. He produced Ab-Soul's song "A Rebellion," which featured Alori Joh. This song was from Ab-Soul's album Control System. The album later reached number one on the iTunes Hip Hop Charts.

On April 3, 2019, King released "Ratchets Still Jockin." This was the first song from his debut album, AtyChiphobia – The Fear Of Failure, which came out in the summer of 2019.

In 2020, King produced all 11 songs on the album He's the Christian, I'm the Rapper. This album was a collaboration between Murs and Dee-1. It was released on September 18, 2020.

Musical Inspirations

Curtiss King started rapping at age 17 and producing music at 18. He looks up to many artists for inspiration. Some of his favorite artists include Outkast, Sade, 2pac, Kanye West, Cameo, Zapp and Roger, Earth Wind and Fire, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. He also gets ideas from 80s synth music.

Music Albums

• President Howard (2007)
• Notorious Scholars (2008)
• The Storm On Mars (2009)
• Snick @ Nite (2009)
• Jet Pack On E (2010)
• Big Drums Come Knockin (2010)
• SlumBeautiful (2010)
• D.I.Y. (Ep) (2011)
• AtyChiphobia – The Fear Of Failure (2012)
• Shut Your Trap (with Murs) (2014)
• Raging Waters (2015)