Dem Jointz

Dwayne Allen Abernathy Jr., known professionally as Dem Jointz, was born on July 17, 1976, in Compton, California. From an early age, he exhibited a strong inclination towards music, playing drums in his local church. Before fully committing to a career in music, Abernathy worked at a telecommunications company. However, in 2005, an unexpected job termination motivated him to pursue his passion for music seriously.

In 2015, Abernathy's career took a significant turn when he was recruited as an in-house producer for Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. That same year, he contributed to four tracks on Dr. Dre's third album, "Compton," which featured an all-star lineup including Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem. Additionally, he co-produced several tracks on Janet Jackson's "Unbreakable" album, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Over the years, Dem Jointz has collaborated with a wide array of artists across various genres. His production credits include work with Kanye West, Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Anderson .Paak, Eminem, and Brandy, among others. Notably, his contributions to Anderson .Paak's "Ventura" (2019) and Kanye West's "Donda" (2021) earned him multiple Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards.

In 2015, Abernathy founded his own record label, U Made Us What We Are, aiming to support and develop emerging talent. The label has signed artists such as Maryland-based rapper K.A.A.N., gospel singer Keedron Bryant, and his spouse, singer Stalone. Expanding his collaborative efforts, he formed the supergroup Read the PDF in 2022 with fellow Aftermath producers Mr. Porter and Focus...

Abernathy's influence extends into the K-pop industry, where he has produced major hits for groups like EXO, NCT 127, Aespa, BTS, TXT, and IVE. EXO's "Obsession" was named K-Pop Song of the Year by Billboard, while Aespa's "Supernova" dominated the charts for 11 weeks at number one and won Song of the Year at the Korean MAMA Awards.

Throughout his career, Dem Jointz has been recognized with multiple awards and nominations. At the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020, he won Best R&B Album for his contribution to Anderson .Paak's "Ventura." In 2022, at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, he won Best Rap Song for Kanye West's "Jail" featuring Jay-Z and received a nomination for Album of the Year for his work on West's "Donda." Additionally, he was part of the Aftermath production crew that received an Emmy Award, alongside Dr. Dre, Fredwreck, Focus..., Blu2th, and Trevor Lawrence Jr.

Dem Jointz's productions are often identified by his distinctive "Incoming!" producer tag, heard at the beginning of his tracks, such as Kanye West's "Nah Nah Nah." He also uses the tag "Now, the breakdown" before the bridge of many songs, including Taeyeon's "Something New" and Lee Chaeyeon's "Hush Rush."

In his personal life, Abernathy announced his engagement to Grammy-winning vocalist Stalone on November 6, 2021. The couple continues to collaborate professionally, with Stalone being one of the artists signed to his label.

Dem Jointz's discography includes production on notable albums such as Dr. Dre's "Compton," Janet Jackson's "Unbreakable," Anderson .Paak's "Ventura," and Kanye West's "Donda." His extensive body of work and influence across multiple music genres have solidified his status as a prominent figure in the music industry.