BMIโsย โHow I Wrote That Songโย is an annual pre-GRAMMY weekend event that celebrates GRAMMY winners and nominees, and serves as a platform for panelists to discuss the process of writing, producing and performing hit songs.
The Knockturnal was on the scene for the event at The Roxy on Feb. 13, where we got to chat exclusively with panelist andย legendary producerย Jerry Duplessis akaย Jerry Wonda. This day was extra special as it marked the 20th Anniversary of iconic Fugees album The Score, which yielded hits likeย “Ready or Not,” “Killing Me Softly,” “No Woman, No Cry” and “Fu-Gee-La.”ย The Score also turned Fugees members Lauryn Hill,ย Wyclef Jean andย Pras Michel into super stars.
Duplessisย co-produced the “Red Intro,”ย “How Many Mics,”ย “Ready or Not,” ย “Zealots,” ย “Family Business,”ย “Killing Me Softly,” ย “The Score,”ย “The Mask,” “Cowboys,”ย “No Woman, No Cry” and the outro “Manifest” on the project. He went on to produce countless hits likeย “Maria Maria” for Carlos Santana and “Hips Don’t Lie” for Shakira. Read our interview below:
Howโre you doing?
Jerry:ย Lovely. Itโs Grammy weekend, LA is on fire. Thereโs so many parties between the studio, thereโs a lot of things going on.
How does it feel that today is the 20th anniversary of The Score’s release?
Jerry: Man 20 years, it just feels like I go back to that time, in that basement, in that studio that my father gave to my brother Wyclef and telling us, โgo do musicโ. I think about everyone that was apart of that basement like John Fortรฉ. To me, today is a special day and Iโm lucky to be here because a lot of people arenโt around or theyโre doing something else and Iโm doing music. Iโm still relevant and I love it.
Whatโs the story behind “Ready or Not”? How did that come together? Was it in the same basement you guys worked in?
Jerry: Everything, โReady or Notโ, โKilling Me Softlyโ, the whole Score! The only record I wasnโt a part of ย was “Fu-Gee-La,” and big shout out toย Salaam Remi,ย that really helped the Fugees. That one was recorded in his studio in New York, but everything else was done in that basement. I mean โReady or Notโ is a special record, man. โKilling Me Softlyโ was a special record, and I mean I could go on and on.
Whatโs the most important lesson you learned while working on that album?
Jerry: I just learned music, culture, Hip Hop. Coming from the island I was about the reggae and the Haitian [sound] you know? I was playing bass guitar in a top 40 band, I was making $100, playing for weddings. So that record changed my life. Musically, it made me a better producer because I didnโt know what production was. I just went to school and wanted to be an engineer. I learned how to bind the SB1200 and the MPCs and today I have one of the best recording studios in New York: Platinum Soundย and Iโm working with everybody. Iโm going on tour. On tour with Melissa Etheridge, playing country rock and Iโm doing theย Joey Badassย record. So thatโs what it is for me.
When you were making the record did you have any idea it was going to have the impact that it did?
Jerry: No. Not at all. You never know and if you did then thatโs a problem. Itโs not going to happen. It just happened organically and Iโm glad I was a part of it because everybody is so talented.
What are you working on now and whatโs in the future?
Jerry: Well right now Iโm still doing production and Iโm more of an entrepreneur. Iโm going to different countries and on tour. Iโm in the studio with Joey Badass, working on some Mary J. Blige Records, you know, everything man. Iโm glad. Iโm happy.
