Rodney Jerkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rodney Jerkins
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Jerkins at the ARIA Music Awards of 2013
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rodney Roy Jerkins |
| Also known as | Darkchild |
| Born | July 29, 1977 Pleasantville, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Origin | Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
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| Years active | 1993–present |
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Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), known as Darkchild, is an American music producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has worked with many famous artists.
Rodney Jerkins has won two Grammy Awards. He was nominated for 19 awards in total. Some of his most famous songs include "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy and Monica. He also produced "It's Not Right but It's Okay" for Whitney Houston. Other hits are "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child and "If You Had My Love" by Jennifer Lopez. He also worked on "Déjà Vu" by Beyoncé and "Telephone" by Lady Gaga.
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Early Life & Music Start
Rodney Jerkins grew up in Galloway Township, New Jersey. His father, Frederick, is a pastor. Rodney started playing the piano when he was five years old. He would often play at church events with his brother and father.
Rodney is one of four children. His brother, Fred Jerkins III, is also a music producer. Rodney went to Absegami High School. He is a Christian.
When he was 13, Rodney was offered a job at a music studio. It was in Atlantic City, but he said no. At 14, he learned from his hero, Teddy Riley, a famous producer. Teddy Riley offered him a contract, but Rodney wanted to build his own music "empire." He also turned down a chance to work with Bad Boy Records.
At 16, James Jones, from Uptown Records, asked Rodney to work with him. Rodney moved to Hackensack, New Jersey, to do so. One of their first recording sessions was with the legendary singer Patti LaBelle.
Rodney Jerkins' Music Career
Rodney Jerkins' first recorded music was a "gospel rap" song. He made it with his brother, Fred Jerkins III, and it was called On the Move. When he was 17, he started using the name "Darkchild." He then signed a big music deal with EMI Music Corporation.
After that, he began working with popular artists. Some of his first big projects were with Joe, Mary J. Blige, and Brandy. He said his first major hits were Blige's Share My World and Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right but It's Okay." He also worked on Brandy and Monica's "The Boy Is Mine."
Over the years, Jerkins has worked with many talented songwriters. These writers helped create the lyrics and melodies for his songs. Some of them include LaShawn Daniels, Victoria Monét, and Kalenna Harper.
Producing Hit Songs
In the 2010s, Rodney produced songs for many stars. These included Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, and Lady Gaga. He also worked with JLS and The Saturdays. Jerkins was also a music expert and mentor on American Idol in its tenth season.
In 2013, Jerkins was chosen to produce a song for Michael Jackson's album, Xscape. He had worked on the song "Xscape" back in 1999. He is the only producer who worked on both the original and the new version of the song.
When asked about his favorite artists to produce for, he mentioned The Saturdays. He said he had a lot of fun with them. He was impressed by their voices and how down-to-earth they were.
For the 2014 FIFA World Cup opening, Jerkins produced a song. It featured Mohammed Assaf, who won Arab Idol in 2013. In 2017, he produced two songs, "Blind" and "Makings of You," for Tamar Braxton.
Record Labels & Music Companies
In 1999, Jerkins joined Sony/Epic Records. He helped promote artists like Rhona Bennett and the girl group So Plush. He also worked with rapper Fats.
In 2005, his own label, Darkchild Records, started up again. He signed new artists like Shamari Fears and gospel singer Anesha Birchett.
In 2006, he became a Vice President of Artists & repertoire (A&R) for The Island Def Jam Group. This means he helped find and develop new artists. He also released his wife Joy Enriquez's album, Atmosphere of Heaven, on his gospel label, JoyFul Child Records. His brother, Fred Jerkins III, runs Darkchild Gospel, which also uses the "Darkchild" name.
Music Mogul, Inc.
In 2008, Jerkins helped create a company called Music Mogul. They launched MusicMogul.com. This website was a place for artists to connect with their fans. Every three months, members would vote for the best video performances. The top artists would then compete in Los Angeles in front of famous judges. The winner would get a chance to work with Darkchild Productions. The website is no longer active today.
Personal Life
Rodney Jerkins married singer Joy Enriquez on April 4, 2004. They first met when he was working on her first music album.
Rodney and Joy have four children together. Their names are Rodney David Jerkins Jr. (born 2008), Heavenly Joy Jerkins (born 2009), Hannah Joy Jerkins (born 2012), and Royal David Jerkins (born 2015).
In 2015, his daughter Heavenly Joy was a contestant on America's Got Talent. She was five years old at the time.
Images for kids
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Rodney Jerkins at the ARIA Music Awards of 2013
See also
In Spanish: Darkchild para niños
