Di Genius Among Producers Who Brought Dancehall Back to the Billboard Charts

The son of reggae great Freddie McGregor, Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor has been producing professionally since he was 12. At 15, he ushered in a new era of dancehall with tracks like Mavado’s “Weh Dem Ah Do” (No. 27, Hip-Hop/R&B, Dec. 2006), bringing forth a darker-hued, orchestral approach to the genre.

Now based in Miami, McGregor has added Ne-Yo, Estelle, Nelly Furtado, Lianne La Havas and Shakira to his client list, while remaining one of dancehall’s most sought-after rhythm makers. “Controlla,” his highest-charting credit, grew from a group session at Miami’s Circle House Studio with Supa Dups and OVO producers including Boi-1da. “Me and Boi-1da got into a room together, and made a ton of tracks — maybe five, six beats,” he recalls. “When we made the beat for 'Controlla,' I remember he put it aside and said, ‘I think Drake is gonna like this one…'"

Drake performs "Controlla" live in New York:

Di Genius , Crontrolla , Drake , Stephen McGregor , Ne-Yo , Shakira