Agile (producer)
Ajene Griffith, better known as Agile, is a Canadian hip-hop producer and DJ from Toronto, Ontario. He is a member of the hip-hop groups BrassMunk[1][2] and Big Black Lincoln.
Agile | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Ajene Griffith |
| Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Hip hop, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, DJ, songwriter |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | Independent |
| Associated acts | BrassMunk, Big Black Lincoln |
| Website | Official Website, Official Facebook Fan Page |
Biography
Agile began rapping in early high school, and after a talent show win, he knew music was his passion. One talent show turned into many and the wins spread citywide. Born with a West Indian hustle, he wanted to capitalize on his newfound fame and JLJ Productions (a DJ crew he started with his friends) was born.
While DJing independently and with his crew, by the end of high school, Agile began playing gigs with popular college/commercial radio stations across the city and soon fell in love with the element of production. He has since done production work with the likes of Nas,[3] Kardinal Offishall,[3] Dwele, Jully Black,[3] Glenn Lewis,[4] Ivana Santilli, and Frank n Dank.
In 2009, Agile released the mixtape Toronto Love Jay, which was dedicated to the late producer J Dilla. It won the award for Mixtape of the Year at the 2009 Stylus DJ Awards.
From April 2010 - December 2015, Agile served as the Dean For Recording Arts at the Toronto Chapter of The Remix Project. Since 2009, Agile has served as a Board member of the SOCAN Foundation He sits on the Pop, International Showcasing & Online Committees. Additionally, since January 2017 Agile sits on the Jazz Festival Advisory Committee.
Agile spins at the MGD Friday Night Out Games for the Raptors during the season at the Air Canada Centre's Brewhouse, as well as the Molson "Rilvary Nights" for the Leafs during the season at the Air Canada Centre.
He has also had the honor of representing Canada in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Program, where he treated Vietnamese partygoers to an unforgettable Canadian-inspired nightlife experience. Agile continues to spin all over the globe, including stops in Canada, The United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Bermuda & the Virgin Islands.
Most recently, Agile did the music for season three (2019) and season four (2020) of Netflix's Hip Hop Evolution.
Agile uses Serato Dj Pro, and traditional vinyl records to DJ.
For music production Agile uses Logic Pro X, Protools, and Akai MPC 3000.
Discography
| Year | Release | Artist | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | "Light Me Up" | Agile | CLK/Agile Music |
| 2019 | "Flavor" | Agile feat. Ammoye | CLK/Agile Music |
| 2018 | "Alone Again" | Agile ft.Sacha Williamson | Toyko Dawn Records |
| 2017 | "High Off" | Agile feat. Desiire | Toyko Dawn Records |
| 2017 | "Lovers" | Agile feat. Sacha Williamson | Toyko Dawn Records |
| 2015 | "Insert Here" | Kardinal Offishall ft. Haley Smalls | Black Stone Colleagues/Universal Music Canada |
| 2014 | "Chemical Romance" | King Reign | Independent |
| 2010 | "Focused" (Middlefield's Focal Length RMX) | Agile feat. Liya | Independent |
| 2010 | "Focused" (Middlefield's Skool of Deep RMX) | Agile feat. Liya | Independent |
| 2010 | "Focused" (Starting From Scratch/De La Vega RMX) | Agile feat. Liya | Independent |
| 2010 | "Focused" | Agile feat. Liya | Independent |
| 2008 | "The Realest Pt. II" | Agile feat. Frank n Dank, Tona, and Famous | Independent |
| 2008 | "The Realest (Clean)" | Agile feat. Frank n Dank | Independent |
| 2007 | FEWturistic | BrassMunk | 54th/Virgin Music Canada |
| 2006 | "Everybody Knows" | Chris Rouse | Contessa Group |
| 2006 | Heaven's Caught on Fire | Big Black Lincoln | Capitol Hill/Universal Music Canada |
| 2006 | "Freeze Fool" | BrassMunk | 54th/Virgin Music Canada |
| 2005 | "Ease Up!" | BrassMunk | 54th/Virgin Music Canada |
| 2005 | "Livin' in the Ghetto" | Jully Black | Universal Music Canada |
| 2005 | "The Things You Do" | Jully Black | Universal Music Canada |
| 2004 | "Claim the World" (Olympic Fundraiser) | Glenn Lewis, Saukrates, BrassMunk, Ivana Santilli, and Chris Rouse | CBC |
| 2004 | Rhyme Pays (Documentary) | — | CBC |
| 2004 | "Everlasting" | Ivana Santilli | Brown Recordings |
| 2002 | Dark Sunrise | BrassMunk | 54th/Virgin Music Canada |
| 2002 | "Heaven" | Nas feat. Jully Black (God's Son) | Columbia |
| 2002 | "Train" | Choclair | Greenhouse |
| 2001 | "Get Right" | BrassMunk | Heavy Heads/Fat Beats |
| 2000 | "Live Ordeal!" | BrassMunk | A/R/Fat Beats |
| 1999 | "One, 2" | BrassMunk | BrassMunk |
| 1999 | "Rap Sheet" | Assasini | Heavy Heads/Fat Beats |
Awards, Nominations and Achievements
| Year | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
| 2010 | Stylus DJ Awards, Mixtape of the Year | Nominee, Lov Lane |
| 2009 | Stylus DJ Awards, Mixtape of the Year | Winner, Toronto Love Jay |
| 2008 | Juno Awards, Best Rap Recording | Nominee, FEWturistic, BrassMunk[2] |
| 2005 | MuchMusic Video Awards, Best Rap Video | Nominee, "Dark Sunrise", BrassMunk |
| 2004 | Juno Awards, Best Rap Recording | Nominee, Dark Sunrise, BrassMunk[2] |
| 2004 | Juno Awards, Best R&B/Soul Recording | Nominee, "Pimpin' Life", Big Black Lincoln |
| 2004 | MuchMusic Video Awards, Best Independent Video | Nominee, "The Throwback", Tone Mason feat. BrassMunk, G-Stokes, and Graph Nobel |
| 2004 | MuchMusic Video Awards, Best Rap Video | Nominee, "Big", BrassMunk |
| 2003 | Juno Awards, Best Rap Recording | Nominee, "El Dorado", BrassMunk |
| 2003 | MuchMusic Video Awards, Best Animated Music Video | Nominee, "El Dorado", BrassMunk |
| 2002 | MuchMusic Video Awards, Best Rap Video | Nominee, "El Dorado", BrassMunk |
| 2002 | North By North East (NXNE) | Rising Star Award, BrassMunk |
| 2000 | Juno Awards, Best Rap Recording | Nominee, "Live Ordeal!", BrassMunk |
References
- "BrassMunk Archived 2010-07-13 at the Wayback Machine", CBC, retrieved 2011-06-04
- True, Chris "Brassmunk Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-06-04
- Galloway, Matt (2002) "BrassMunk’s time to shine is now Archived October 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine", NOW, Vol. 22, No. 16. December 19, 2002, retrieved 2011-06-04
- Richards, Jason (2007) "MUSIC DJ SPOTLIGHT: Agile", NOW, August 16–23, 2007, Vol. 26 No. 50, retrieved 2011-06-04
