Kel Spencer facts for kids

Lennie De Juan Bennett, known as Kel Spencer, was born in 1978. He is an American hip hop artist, producer, songwriter, actor, and film director. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York.

Kel Spencer is well-known for writing lyrics for over 20 songs by Will Smith. He has been nominated for important awards like the Grammy Award, Soul Train Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Award. He also won an American Music Award for the popular song "Switch".

As a recording artist, Kel Spencer's music has been featured on movie soundtracks. These include "Wild Wild West" and "American Pie: The Naked Mile". He has also appeared on albums by Will Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Grandmaster Flash.

Early Life and Education

Kel Spencer was born in 1978 in Landstuhl, which was then West Germany. His father was serving in the United States Air Force there. Kel Spencer grew up in Brooklyn, New York City.

In high school, he was a talented football player. He received "All-star" honors as a quarterback. At 16, he went to the Earl G. Graves School of Business at Morgan State University.

Music Career Highlights

Kel Spencer started performing in hip-hop talent shows in 1992. In 2000, Will Smith discovered him. Spencer then signed with Overbrook Entertainment and Interscope Records.

Early Success with Will Smith

In 1999, Kel Spencer appeared on two songs from the "Wild Wild West" soundtrack. This album was very popular, reaching high on music charts. In the same year, he helped write 7 songs for Will Smith's album "Willennium". This album sold millions of copies.

Spencer co-wrote "Will 2K", which was nominated for Grammy and Soul Train awards. He also helped write the hit song "Freakin' It". He was a guest artist on the song "Uuhhh".

Working with Other Artists

Kel Spencer later wrote songs for many other artists. These include MC Lyte, Lil J, Teddy Riley, and Wyclef Jean. He also worked with Nick Cannon, Lil' Kim, and Mary J. Blige. He co-wrote "Freak Freak" for The Product G&B in 2001. He also wrote "It Ain't My Fault" for So Plush in 2002.

Continued Collaboration with Will Smith

Spencer worked with Will Smith again on his 2003 album, "Born to Reign". He co-wrote 7 of the 14 songs. This included the main song "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)", which was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award.

In 2005, Spencer helped with 5 songs on Will Smith's album "Lost and Found". This album also sold very well. One of these songs was "Switch", which won an American Music Award. It reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Independent Music and Other Projects

Kel Spencer also contributed to albums by DJ Jazzy Jeff and Grandmaster Flash. He had a song on the "American Pie: The Naked Mile" movie soundtrack. He also wrote music for commercials and theme songs.

Spencer started his own music company called 3rd Power Music Group. He released his mixtape "Who is Kel Spencer" in 2005. In 2006, he released an EP called "Streets Know That". He followed this with another mixtape, "Brooklyn Spartans", in 2007. In 2009, he released "Salon Stories", an album about relationships. It featured artists like MC Lyte and Q-tip.

Acting Career

Kel Spencer began his acting career in the 2010s. He has acted in and helped write and direct several independent films. He has also worked on web series and theatre shows. Spencer has contributed to various voice-over projects too.

In 2015, he produced and directed his first independent movie. It was called "Date 'N Game: The Movie". He co-wrote this film with his wife, Quana BelleVoix, and Lisa Harris.