Rico Love

Richard Preston Butler, Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher's "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)", Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams". and has contributed to works which have gone on to win Grammys such as Beyoncé's 2009 Best Contemporary R&B album I Am... Sasha Fierce,Usher's 2010 Best Contemporary R&B album Raymond v Raymond, and Usher's 2010 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "There Goes My Baby". In addition Love has written and produced records for Kelly Rowland,Diddy Dirty Money,Chris Brown,Alexandra Burke, Keri Hilson,Fergie, and Fantasia. Love is also the CEO of Division1, a record label which partnered with Universal Motown in 2010. Love has appeared as a featured artist on record with T.I.,Usher,Jermaine Dupri,Jamie Foxx,Rich Boy, and Fat Joe. Early life edit: Love was born in New Orleans, LA, and his parents divorced at early age. As a result of the divorce Love spent his childhood growing up in two different cities, in Milwaukee, WI with his Mother and Harlem, NY with his father. Love's mother encouraged him as a child to write poetry. Love wrote his own poems and went on to joining the African American Children's Theater where he recited Langston Hughes and acted. Love had already been writing his own poems before he was introduced to rap in his early teens. By the end of high school Love had decided to pursue a career in rap but would go to college simultaneously, 'I'm going to go to school instead of just sitting on the block. If I hadn't gone to college I would've been a drug dealer.' While in college at Florida A&M University Love stayed involved in his music by winning many rap battles and talent shows. On the weekends Love would leave for Atlanta, GA for the benefit of its studios and popular music scene. While visiting Atlanta Love met members of Jagged Edge who were an influence on Love's songwriting development. Love eventually left college because of a paper work error made by the college's administration's office. Love went to live with some local Atlanta producers the Corna Boyz. This relationship provided Love the opportunity to rap on a remix the producers were creating for Usher.Usher liked Love's work on the remix and eventually signed him to US Records/J Records. Usher requested Love compose lyrics for a song written by Just Blaze. This song eventually became "Throwback" and was featured on Usher's diamond selling (10x platinum) Confessions album. Love next toured with Usher where he met and connected with many music industry players.Usher encouraged Love to become a songwriter and requests for Love's compositions began coming from artists Chris Brown, Omarion, and Marques Houston. Love currently lives in Miami with photographer Robin Thompson known as Robin V. They have one child together, a son Carys Preston. Music career edit: Solo Artist edit: As an artist Love is both a vocalist and a rapper. Love was asked by Usher to contribute to the sound track to Usher's film In The Mix. Love contributed "Settle Down", "Sweat" featuring Usher, and "On The Grind" featuring Juelz Santana and Paul Wall. Love recorded a solo album in 2007 titled The 5th Element but ultimately decided to focus on his songwriting and not release the recordings. Though Love may not be recording as a solo artist he still contributes his vocals and rhymes to other artists. Love has appeared as a guest artist on songs by Fat Joe,Juvenile,Rich Boy,Jamie Foxx,T.I., and his own artist, Young Chris. Production/Songwriting edit: Love wrote the song "Throwback" at the request of Usher which was a part of the 2004 Triple Grammy winning album Confessions. Love also wrote "Seduction" which was a bonus track on the Confessions Special Edition release. These were the first of several collaborations between the singer and the writer/producer. In September 2007 Love wrote and produced on the platinum single "Love Like This" by singer Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston. This song was popular with mainstream audiences reaching No. 11 on Billboard's Hot 100. The song was also a hit in dance clubs reaching number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs. In May 2008 "Energy" was released as Keri Hilson's first single on her Gold album In a Perfect World.... The song was co-written and co-produced by Love for the Grammy nominated artist. The song "Labels Or Love", co-written and produced by Love and performed by Fergie was released in May 2008. The song was featured on the deluxe version of her triple Platinum album The Dutchess and also the Gold selling soundtrack to the film Sex and The City. Released in November of 2008, Beyoncé's double Platinum and 5x Grammy winning album I Am... Sasha Fierce included four songs featuring Love's songwriting and production. Love wrote and produced on the Platinum single "Sweet Dreams" which reached No. 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 charts. Love's work was also featured on "Scared of Lonely", "Radio", and "Save the Hero". By the end of 2008 in December another Love co-written and co-produced track was released as a single for the Grammy nominated artist Pleasure P. "Boyfriend#2" reached No. 2 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs. Love wrote and produced five songs on Mario's D.N.A. album released in October 2009. The songs included the single "Thinkin' About You" and "Hi", "Ooh Baby", "Soundtrack to my Broken Heart", and "Get Out". Love wrote and produced on his former mentor Usher's Raymond v. Raymond album, released in March 2010. The platinum and Grammy winning album featured four of Love's compositions including two of the album's singles. The Love co-produced and co-written single "There Goes My Baby" was a hit and stayed at number one on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for four weeks and earned Usher a Grammy for his performance on the song. The other single featuring Love's writing and producing was "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" which rose to number two on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-hop songs. Love's other contributions to the album included the songs "Making Love (Into the Night)" and "So Many Girls". At the end of March 2010 Love's penned the single "Hello Good Morning" by the group Diddy-Dirty Money was released.Diddy is one of Love's mentors in the industry and he was honored to write for the performer/producer/mogul. The song went on to achieve Gold status and was performed by DDM and Rico Love on season nine of American Idol.Nelly's 5.0 album, released in November 2010 contained eight works featuring Love's songwriting and production skills. The first single, "Just A Dream", co-written and co-produced by Love, went platinum and landed at number three on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Love also worked on the single "Gone" featuring Kelly Rowland, a follow-up to the 2002 Nelly hit "Dilemma" also featuring Rowland. Love's other work on the album were on the tracks "roke", "Making Movies", "Don't It Feel Good", "K.I.S.S.", "Nothing Without Her", and "Move That Body". Love wrote, produced, and appeared as an artist on Jamie Foxx's Best Night of My Life album released December 2010. The album's first single "Living Better Now" features Rick Ross and was co-written and co-produced by Love. Love wrote "Freak", which also features his appearance as an artist, and "Sex On the Beach". Love is managed by Made Communication, Miami, FL. Division 1 edit: In November 2010 Love launched Division 1, a recording label in conjunction with Universal Motown. Love's label venture has signed the artists Young Chris, Phat Rabbit, Cherlise and Teairra Mari to their roster. Love also has a production company of the same name to which he signed producers, Earl Hood, Eric Goudy, and Pierre Medor. Awards and Nominations edit: -2009 Grammy nomination Album of the Year - Beyoncé - I Am... Sasha Fierce -2010 Billboard No. 9 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year -2010 Billboard No. 6 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Producer of the Year -2010 Billboard No. 26 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Publisher of the Year -2010 Sesac Song Awards for Beyoncé's "Sweet Dreams" and Pleasure P's "Boyfriend #2" Songwriter Credits edit: Year Single Chart positions Album US Hot 100 US, R&B/Hip-Hop US, Rap US, Pop US, Dance UK 2005 "All Because of You" (Marques Houston ft. Young Rome) 69 14 - - - - Naked 2007 "I Wish You Loved Me" (Tynisha Keli) - 113 - - - - The Chronicles of Tk "Love Like This" (Natasha Bedingfield ft. Sean Kingston) 11 - - 10 1 20 Pocket Full Of Sunshine 2008 "Energy" (Keri Hilson) - - - - - 43 In a Perfect World... "Labels or Love" (Fergie) 89 - - - - 56 The Dutchess and Sex and the City: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "The Greatest" (Michelle Williams) - - - - 1 - Unexpected "Year of the Lover" (Lloyd ft. Plies) - 101 - - - - Lessons in Love "Boyfriend No. 2" (Pleasure P) 42 2 - - - - The Introduction of Marcus Cooper "Hello Heartbreak" (Michelle Williams) - - - - 8 - Unexpected 2009 "Shone" (Flo Rida ft. Pleasure P) 57 81 - - - - R.O.O.T.S. "Sweet Dreams" (Beyoncé) 10 48 - 2 1 5 I Am... Sasha Fierce "Thinkin' About You" (Mario) - 45 - - - - D.N.A. "Somebody to Love" (Leighton Meester ft. Robin Thicke) 111 - - - - - Love Is a Drug "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" (Usher ft. Plies) 24 2 - 60 - - Raymond v. Raymond 2010 "Ooh Baby" (Mario) 95 - - - - - D.N.A. "Hello Good Morning" (Diddy-Dirty Money ft. T.I.) 27 13 8 59 - 22 Last Train to Paris "All Night Long" (Alexandra Burke ft. Pitbull) - - - - - 4 Overcome "Commander" (Kelly Rowland) - - - - 1 9 Here I Am "There Goes My Baby" (Usher) 25 1 - - - 138 Raymond v. Raymond "Just a Dream" (Nelly) 3 - 6 2 - 8 5.0 2011 "Gone" (Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland) 113 55 - - - 58 "Motivation" (Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne) 17 1 - 24 - 169 Here I Am "Promise" (Romeo Santos featuring Usher) 83 - - - - - Formula, Vol. 1 "Mr. Wrong" (Mary J. Blige featuring Drake) 87 10 - - - - My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) 2012 "Heart Attack" (Trey Songz) 39 3 - - - 28 Chapter 5 "Touch'N You" (Rick Ross featuring Usher) 102 15 15 - - - God Forgives, I Don't "Balcony" (Cassie featuring Young Jeezy) - - - - - - King of Hearts "Live It Up" (Tulisa Contostavlos featuring Tyga) - - - - - 12 The Female Boss "Representin" (Ludacris featuring Kelly Rowland) 97 28 20 - - - Ludaversal "Ball" (T.I. featuring Lil Wayne) 50 10 11 - - - Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head "Hardly Breathing" (Brandy) - - - - - - Two Eleven "4 AM" (Melanie Fiona) - - - - - - The MF Life

Source: Wikipedia

Text from this biography licensed under creative commons license