Elite

Anthony Parrino (born January 4, 1983), better known by his stage name Elite, is an American hip-hop and R&B record producer and recording artist best known for his work with J. Cole, Dreamville Records, and the Ruff Ryders recording label in the early 2000s. Elite is from Byram, Connecticut and resides in Los Angeles, California.

Career In mid 2000, Elite started working as an intern for Ruff Ryders Entertainment and eventually caught the ear of rapper Drag-On, placing his first produced song on the Cradle 2 the Grave soundtrack in 2002. Working as an in-house producer for Ruff Ryders, Elite went on to produce "Shoot Outs" for Jadakiss featuring Styles P from Kiss of Death as well as the "Why Remix" featuring Anthony Hamilton, Styles P, Common, and Nas. In 2004 Elite graduated cum laude from SUNY Purchase music conservatory studying Studio Production. In 2006 Elite produced "Wrong or Right (I'm Tired)" for DMX from the album Year of the Dog... Again.

In 2009, Elite began working with longtime friend and Roc Nation recording artist J. Cole on his mixtape The Warm Up. Elite produced "Heartache" and a good portion of the mixtape was recorded at his home studio in New York. In 2010, Elite released his first mixtape entitled "The Groundwork" which was a collection of all of his production work up to that point. The mixtape featured an unreleased J. Cole song titled "Playground". Elite also produced "See World" for J. Cole off of his third mixtape, Friday Night Lights. Elite co-produced J. Cole's first single "Who Dat" which was featured as an iTunes bonus on Cole World: The Sideline Story.

In 2011, Elite released his first project as an artist entitled "Awaken" which featured J. Cole, Omen, Voli and Sean McVerry.

Elite worked on multiple songs on J. Cole's second album Born Sinner, co-producing the title track "Born Sinner", and adding additional production to "Runaway". Cole sampled the song "Do She Got a Friend Tho?" from Elite's mixtape "Level Up" on the standout "Let Nas Down". In June 2013, J. Cole released his second single from Born Sinner titled "Crooked Smile" which was co-produced by Elite and features TLC.

Elite worked together with J. Cole once more on the song "Folgers Crystals" from the 2015 work Revenge Of The Dreamers II, he also produced the song "48 Laws" by Omen feat. Donnie Trumpet from the same album.

In December 2016, J. Cole released his fourth studio album 4 Your Eyez Only, which was co-executive produced by Elite.

In April 2018, J. Cole released his fifth studio album KOD, which featured co-production from Elite on a majority of the album.

In May 2019, Ari Lennox released her debut studio album Shea Butter Baby, executive produced by Elite. Two of the album's lead singles (released in 2018) were produced by Elite; Whipped Cream and the title track Shea Butter Baby (feat. J. Cole), first appearing on the Creed II Soundtrack.

Discography

Mixtapes 2010: The Groundwork 2011: Awaken 2013: Level Up

Production discography List of songs as producer or co-producer, with performing artists and other credited producers, showing year released and album name.

Title Year Performing artist(s) Other producer(s) AlbumFireman 2003 Drag-On Cradle 2 the Grave OST Peel Off Jin 2 Fast 2 Furious OST Let's Ride Diplomats (feat. Juelz Santana & Jim Jones) AND 1 Mixtape The Race Drag-On B-Side Single Shoot Outs 2004 Jadakiss (feat. Styles P) Kiss of Death Why Remix Jadakiss (feat. Nas, Common, Styles P, Anthony Hamilton) Single Fight Muzik 2005 Joe Budden Mood Muzik 1 Gun Ho City Kool G Rap (feat. Canibus) DJ Whoo Kid & Kool G Rap: Dead or Alive Mixtape Penitentiary Chances Jim Jones (feat. Hell Rell) Harlem: Diary of a Summer Wrong or Right 2006 DMX (feat. Bazaar Royale) Year of the Dog... Again Shots Fired 2007 Styles P (feat. Jadakiss) Heartache 2009 J. Cole The Warm Up Mixtape Playground 2010 J. Cole The Groundwork Mixtape Who Dat 2011 J. Cole J. Cole Cole World: The Sideline Story (iTunes Bonus) See World J. Cole J. Cole Friday Night Lights Mixtape Return of Simba J. Cole J. Cole Visionz of Home 2012 J. Cole Lookin' Without Seein DMX Undisputed Fuck U Bitch (Silver Shadow) DMX Undisputed (Deluxe Edition) Let Nas Down (Sampled) 2013 J. Cole J. Cole Born Sinner Runaway * J. Cole J. Cole, Ron Gilmore Born Sinner Born Sinner J. Cole (feat. James Fauntleroy) J. Cole Born Sinner Crooked Smile J. Cole (feat. TLC) J. Cole Born Sinner The Coming 2014 King Mez 48 Laws 2015 Omen (feat. Donnie Trumpet) Revenge of the Dreamers II Folgers Crystals J. Cole J. Cole Revenge of the Dreamers II Natalie 2016 Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 1 Kerosene Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 1 Marcy and the Apparition Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 1 Christina Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 1 Strangers Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 2 Tiger Lily Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 2 Motion Picture Films Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 2 Christina's Ringtone Sean McVerry Sean McVerry Hourglass Switchboard 2 Willow Tree Spillage Village (feat. JID, Jordxn Bryant, EarthGang) Ron Gilmore, J. Cole Bears Like Too Much4 Your Eyez Only (Album) +J. ColeJ. Cole4 Your Eyez Only Ville Mentality J. Cole Ron Gilmore, J. Cole 4 Your Eyez Only She's Mine Pt. 1 * J. Cole J. Cole, Deputy, Ron Gilmore, Chargaux 4 Your Eyez Only Change * J. Cole J. Cole, Ron Gilmore 4 Your Eyez Only Neighbors * J. Cole J. Cole 4 Your Eyez Only Foldin Clothes * J. Cole J. Cole, Ron Gilmore 4 Your Eyez Only She's Mine Pt. 2 * J. Cole J. Cole, Deputy, Ron Gilmore, Chargaux 4 Your Eyez Only 4 Your Eyez Only J. Cole BLVK, J. Cole, Childish Major 4 Your Eyez Only High For Hours 2017 J. Cole Cam O'bi, Ron Gilmore Meditate EarthGang (feat. JID) Childish Major Rags - EP Ambitions Lute Sean McVerry West 1996 Pt. 2 Freaky 45 2018 Cozz Ron Gilmore Effected The Cut Off * J. Cole feat. Kill Edward J. Cole, BLVK KOD Kevin's Heart * J. Cole T-Minus, Mark Pellizzer KOD Brackets * J. Cole J. Cole KOD Once An Addict (Interlude) * J. Cole J. Cole, Ron Gilmore KOD Friends * J. Cole feat. Kill Edward J. Cole KOD Window Pain (Outro) * J. Cole J. Cole KOD Whipped Cream Ari Lennox Ron Gilmore Single Stuck EarthGang (feat. Arin Ray) Malik, Ron Gilmore Mirrorland Grampa Ari Lennox Single Shea Butter Baby Ari Lennox & J. Cole Shroom Creed II: The Album Tiiied JID feat. 6lack & Ella Mai Ron Gilmore DiCaprio 2Shea Butter Baby (Album) +2019Ari LennoxShea Butter BabyChicago BoyAri LennoxRon GilmoreShea Butter BabyBMO *Ari LennoxOmenShea Butter BabyBroke *Ari LennoxChristo, Ron Gilmore, DeputyShea Butter BabySpeak To MeAri LennoxRon GilmoreShea Butter BabyNew Apartment *Ari LennoxDJ GrumbleShea Butter BabyStaticAri LennoxShea Butter Baby 1993 Dreamville, J. Cole, JID, Cozz, EARTHGANG, Smino, Buddy Revenge of the Dreamers III BUSSIT Ari Lennox Brilliant Mack, Dijon Stylez Revenge of the Dreamers III: Director's Cut Tequila EarthGang (featuring T-Pain) MirrorlandEnd of Daze (feat. EARTHGANG, JID, Jurdan Bryant, Mereba, and Hollywood JB)2020Spillage VillageChristo, Mike Dean, Jay Card, Nicerec, OluSpilligion Might Not Make It Reason Single Chocolate Pomegranate Ari Lennox Single If You Want Me To Stay Ari Lennox & Anthony Ramos William Wells Single Grounded Ari Lennox Joe Endozo Single Rider 2021 Mereba KQuick AZEBPressure Ari LennoxBryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupriage/sex/locationCryCozzJay KurzweilFortunateBorn Singer2022BTSProofCan't Make U Change (feat. Ari Lennox)JIDCristoThe Forever StoryGummyAri LennoxDeputyAway MessageBitterAri LennoxAway Messageage/sex/location (Album) +Ari Lennoxage/sex/locationQueen Space (feat. Summer Walker)Ari LennoxDre Pickneyage/sex/locationHoodieAri Lennoxage/sex/locationA/S/L (Interlude)Ari Lennoxage/sex/locationMean MugAri LennoxWu10age/sex/locationBoy Bye (feat. Lucky Daye)Ari Lennoxage/sex/locationOutside *Ari LennoxOrganized Noizeage/sex/locationBlocking You *Ari LennoxDZL, Slimwave, Ron Gilmoreage/sex/locationCulture2023Mez, Reason, Symba, 8AECardiak, Plus, Mario LucianoCreed III: The SoundtrackGreaterAri LennoxWu10Creed III: The SoundtrackHate Me NowArin Ray, Mereba, OmenYuli, Jay Kurzweil, SoundWavVe, Sensei Bueno, Sonic Major, JaasuCreed III: The SoundtrackBurn BridgesLute, Cozz, Reason, Arin RayAl Hug, Ruck PCreed III: The SoundtrackAlibi2025OmenOmenSingleUnder The MoonAri LennoxDave James, Ron Gilmore, Tommy ParkerVacancyClueRussEvince, SettSinglecrystal waterfallsTheo CrokerTheo Crokercrystal waterfallsVacancy (Album) +2026Ari LennoxVacancyMobbin in DCAri LennoxNapesVacancyHoroscopeAri LennoxAl Hug, Ruck PVacancyDreamingAri LennoxDave James, Ron Gilmore, Tommy ParkerVacancyFar From An AngelSekouJeff GittyIn A World We Don't BelongPocahontasCozzJay KurzweilSingle Indicates "Additional Production" credit

+ Indicates "Executive Production" credit

TV Scoring

Network Year Segment CBS 2003 CSI: Miami, "The Best Defense" ESPN 2006 NBA On ESPN ABC 2006 NBA Finals