Just Blaze
Just Blaze was born in Paterson, New Jersey, Smith attended Rutgers University for three years before dropping out to pursue a career in music production. He gained recognition as an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, developing the "chipmunk soul" sampling style that was prominent in hip hop during that time. Smith produced Eminem's 2010 single "No Love" and appeared in its accompanying music video.
Also recorded as Justin Gregory Smith
Just Blaze

fuseboxradio from USA · Broccoli City DC Festival - April 19, 2014 by DJ Fusion/FuseBox Radio · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- Just Blaze
- Birth Name
- Justin Gregory Smith
- Born
- 8 January 1978
- Birthplace
- Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Record producer
- Education
- Rutgers University
- Nationality
- United States.
- Fields
- East Coast hip-hop, hip hop culture and chipmunk soul.
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Documentary summary
Just Blaze was born in Paterson, New Jersey, Smith attended Rutgers University for three years before dropping out to pursue a career in music production. He gained recognition as an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, developing the "chipmunk soul" sampling style that was prominent in hip hop during that time. Smith produced Eminem's 2010 single "No Love" and appeared in its accompanying music video.
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Just Blaze (born 1978) is an American composer, disc jockey and record producer. The composer was born in Paterson. Genres include chipmunk soul, East Coast hip-hop and hip hop culture.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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Authority files
wikidata · Q956870 · wikipedia · Just Blaze
In this article
Biography
Biography
Blaze worked across record producer, disc jockey and composer. The registers place that work in East Coast hip-hop, hip hop culture and chipmunk soul. This article rests on 62 catalogued compositions, 6 issued recordings, 2 digitised documents and 16 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

Just Blaze at Broccoli City DC Festival, April 19, 2014
fuseboxradio from USA · Broccoli City DC Festival - April 19, 2014 by DJ Fusion/FuseBox Radio

Just Blaze at Broccoli City DC Festival, April 19, 2014
fuseboxradio from USA · Broccoli City DC Festival - April 19, 2014 by DJ Fusion/FuseBox Radio
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Just Blaze • Birth Name — Justin Gregory Smith • Born — 8 January 1978 • Birthplace — Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. • Genre — * East Coast hip-hop • chipmunk soul • Discography — Just Blaze production discography • Occupation — * Record producer • disc jockey • Education — Rutgers University • Years Active — 1998–present • Label — * Fort Knocks • HHS78 • F.O.B. Entertainment • N.Q.C. Management, Inc. • Enigma Music • Roc The World
Identity
Identity
Just Blaze is recorded with the occupation record producer. Recorded with the occupation disc jockey. Classed in the genre East Coast hip-hop. Classed in the genre hip hop culture. Classed in the genre chipmunk soul. Recorded as record producer, disc jockey and composer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1978
Just Blaze was born on 8 January 1978.
Production discography
• Year — Single — Chart positions — Album • US Hot 100 — US R&B — US Rap — CAN — UK • 1999 — "I Really Like It" (Harlem World feat. Mase & Kelly Price) — 61 — 31 — 8 — – — – — The Movement • 2001 — "Beanie (Mack Bitch)" (Beanie Sigel) — – — 49 — 11 — – — – — The Reason • "Girls, Girls, Girls" (Jay-Z) — 17 — 4 — 3 — – — 11 — The Blueprint • 2002 — "Roc the Mic" (Beanie Sigel & Freeway) — 55 — 16 — 6 — – — – — State Property • "Song Cry" (Jay-Z) — – — 45 — 23 — – — – — The Blueprint • "Oh Boy" (Cam'ron feat. Juelz Santana) — 4 — 1 — 1 — 24 — 19 — Come Home with Me • "Hovi Baby" (Jay-Z) — – — 76 — – — – — – — The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse • "React" (Erick Sermon feat. Redman) — 36 — 12 — 8 — – — – — React • "Boy (I Need You)" (Mariah Carey feat. Cam'ron) — – — 68 — – — 29 — 17 — Charmbracelet • "What We Do" (Freeway feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) — 97 — 47 — – — – — – — Philadelphia Freeway • 2003 — "I Really Mean It" (The Diplomats) — – — 64 — – — – — – — Diplomatic Immunity • "Flipside" (Freeway feat. Peedi Crakk) — 82 — 40 — – — – — – — Philadelphia Freeway • "Alright" (Freeway feat. Allen Anthony) — – — – — – — – — – • "Can't Let You Go" (Fabolous feat. Lil' Mo & Mike Shorey) — 4 — 2 — 2 — 27 — 14 — Street Dreams • "Pump It Up" (Joe Budden) — 38 — 16 — 10 — – — – — Joe Budden • "Fire" (Joe Budden feat. Busta Rhymes) — – — 48 — – — – — – • "Round Here" (Memphis Bleek feat. Trick Daddy & T.I.) — – — 53 — – — – — – — M.A.D.E. • 2004 — "Breathe" (Fabolous) — 10 — 4 — 2 — 36 — 28 — Real Talk • 2005 — "Never Been in Love" (Talib Kweli) — – — – — – — – — – — The Beautiful Struggle • "Touch the Sky" (Kanye West feat. Lupe Fiasco) — 42 — 23 — 10 — 10 — 6 — Late Registration • 2006 — "Tell Me" (Diddy feat. Christina Aguilera) — 47 — 38 — 14 — 13 — 8 — Press Play • "Show Me What You Got" (Jay-Z) — 8 — 3 — 4 — 38 — 38 — Kingdom Come • "The Champ" (Ghostface Killah) — - — - — - — - — - — Fishscale • 2007 — "The Second Coming" (Juelz Santana & Just Blaze) — 108 — – — – — – — – — Nike • "Come on Baby" (Saigon feat. Swizz Beatz) — – — – — – — – — – — The Greatest Story Never Told • 2008 — "Live Your Life" (T.I. feat. Rihanna) — 1 — 1 — 1 — 3 — 2 — Paper Trail • 2009 — "All the Above" (Maino feat. T-Pain) — 39 — 19 — 10 — – — – — If Tomorrow Comes... • "Exhibit C" (Jay Electronica) — – — 86 — – — – — – — Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) • "Gotta Believe It" (Saigon feat. Just Blaze) — – — – — – — – — – — The Greatest Story Never Told • 2010 — "No Love" (Eminem feat. Lil Wayne) — 23 — 59 — 9 — 21 — 33 — Recovery • 2011 — "The Greatest Story Never Told" (Saigon) — – — – — – — – — – — The Greatest Story Never Told • "I Love My Bitches" (Rick Ross) — – — 72 — – — – — – — Non-album single • 2016 — "Freedom" (Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar) — 35 — 21 — – — 60 — 40 — Lemonade • 2019 — "Big Tyme" (Rick Ross feat. Swizz Beatz) — 119 — – — – — – — – — Port of Miami 2 • 2021 — "We Win" (Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin) — – — – — – — – — – — Space Jam: A New Legacy • 2024 — "Durag Bleek" (Memphis Bleek) — – — – — – — – — – — Non-album single
Context
Primary material
Context
The circumstances in which Just Blaze stands. Established in Library of Congress under no2011123388. Established in Discogs under 153456. Identity and origins. He also worked under the name Just Blaze. The authorities additionally record the heading Justin Gregory Smith.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q956870: Just Blaze
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Just Blaze”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Just Blaze has been nominated 8 times. • Year — Nominated work — Award — Result • 2003 — Nellyville (as producer) — Album of the Year • 2005 — Confessions (as producer) • 2006 — Late Registration (as producer) • 2011 — Recovery (as producer) • 2012 — "Far Away" (as producer) — Best R&B Song • 2014 — Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (as producer) — Album of the Year • 2017 — Lemonade (as producer) • 2022 — "We Win" (as producer) — Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Scott, Damien. How a Producer for Hip-Hop's Biggest Names Hacked His Way Into the Industry. Wired.
- 2.Learn Straight From Producer Just Blaze (Video) | Rap. Rap Basement. March 22, 2011.
- 3.Xxlmag.Com. Just Blaze to Give Live Q&A in NYC Tomorrow. March 22, 2011.
- 4.VIBE. Just Blaze Is Putting Finishing Touches On Eminem's 'Recovery'. April 27, 2010.
- 5.Hip-Hop Producer Just Blaze On Games, Switch and Crashing E3 With Kanye. Rolling Stone.
- 6.What Was Chipmunk Soul?. daily.redbullmusicacademy.com.
- 7.Crazy for Jay-Z - Bomani Jones. Salon.com. November 6, 2007.
- 8.Carter, Shawn. Decoded. Spiegel & Grau. 22. 2010. 978-1-4000-6892-0.
- 9.Sidman, Amanda P. BET puts new spin on NYC underground deejay scene in 'Masters of the Mix' with Just Blaze. New York Daily News. November 4, 2010.
- 10.Kuperinsky Amy. "Oh boy: Just Blaze gets key to Paterson, recognition for 'outstanding cultural contribution'", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 1, 2018. Accessed August 8, 2019. "The music producer Just Blaze has been the pride of Paterson for a while, but now he has the key to the city.... Earlier this month, Smith collected his latest accolade when Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented him with a key to the city 'for outstanding cultural contribution' and the city council passed a resolution recognizing his achievements."
- 11.Just Blaze Artist Grammy History.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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