Introduction
Justin Smith (born January 8, 1978), better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop record producer from Paterson, New Jersey and attended Rutgers University for three years before dropping out to pursue his musical career. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is best known for producing Jay Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. His production can also be found on Eminem's 2010 album Recovery. Blaze appears in the video for the third single from Recovery entitled "No Love", which he also produced.
He got his stage name from the character Blaze Fielding from the Streets of Rage video game series.
Just Blaze is an avid video game fan. He has written sound-tracks for video games and has even been a character in one. His favorite console is the Sega Genesis.
On 25 August 2001, singer Aaliyah was leaving the Bahamas after finishing shooting the video to her single Rock The Boat. Aaliyah was en route to record a remix to her song More Than A Woman with Just Blaze. Minutes after take off however, Aaliyah and the eight others on board the plane they were travelling in died when the plane crashed.
Discography
Singles produced
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B | US Rap | CAN | UK | |||
| 1999 | "I Really Like It" (Harlem World feat. Mase & Kelly Price) | 61 | 31 | 8 | – | – | The Movement |
| 2001 | "Beanie (Mack Bitch)" (Beanie Sigel feat. Memphis Bleek) | – | 49 | 11 | – | – | The Reason |
| "Girls, Girls, Girls" (Jay-Z) | 17 | 4 | 3 | – | 11 | The Blueprint | |
| "Song Cry" (Jay-Z) | – | 45 | 23 | – | – | ||
| 2002 | "Roc the Mic" (Beanie Sigel & Freeway) | 55 | 16 | 6 | – | – | State Property |
| "Oh Boy" (Cam'ron feat. Juelz Santana) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 19 | Come Home with Me | |
| "Welcome to New York City" (Cam'ron feat. Jay-Z & Juelz Santana) | – | 55 | 21 | – | – | ||
| "Hovi Baby" (Jay-Z) | – | 76 | – | – | – | The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse | |
| "React" (Erick Sermon feat. Redman) | 36 | 12 | 8 | – | – | React | |
| "Boy (I Need You)" (Mariah Carey feat. Cam'ron) | – | 68 | – | 29 | 17 | Charmbracelet | |
| 2003 | "Built This City" (The Diplomats) | – | 98 | – | – | – | Diplomatic Immunity |
| "I Really Mean It" (The Diplomats) | – | 64 | – | – | – | ||
| "What We Do" (Freeway feat. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) | 97 | 47 | – | – | – | Philadelphia Freeway | |
| "Flipside" (Freeway feat. Peedi Crakk) | 82 | 40 | – | – | – | ||
| "Alright" (Freeway feat. Anthony Allen) | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Can't Let You Go" (Fabolous feat. Lil' Mo & Mike Shorey) | 4 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 14 | Street Dreams | |
| "Pump It Up" (Joe Budden) | 38 | 16 | 10 | – | – | Joe Budden | |
| "Fire" (Joe Budden feat. Busta Rhymes) | – | 48 | – | – | – | ||
| "Round Here" (Memphis Bleek feat. Trick Daddy & T.I.) | – | 53 | – | – | – | M.A.D.E. | |
| 2004 | "Never Been in Love" (Talib Kweli) | – | – | – | – | – | The Beautiful Struggle |
| "Breathe" (Fabolous) | 10 | 4 | 2 | 36 | 28 | Real Talk | |
| 2005 | "Dear Summer" (Memphis Bleek feat. Jay-Z) | 116 | 30 | – | – | – | 534 |
| "Touch the Sky" (Kanye West feat. Lupe Fiasco) | 42 | 23 | 10 | 10 | 6 | Late Registration | |
| 2006 | "Tell Me" (Diddy feat. Christina Aguilera) | 47 | 38 | 14 | 13 | 8 | Press Play |
| "Show Me What You Got" (Jay-Z) | 8 | 3 | 4 | 38 | 38 | Kingdom Come | |
| 2007 | "The Second Coming" (Juelz Santana & Just Blaze) | 108 | – | – | – | – | Nike |
| "Come on Baby" (Saigon feat. Swizz Beatz) | – | – | – | – | – | The Greatest Story Never Told | |
| 2008 | "Live Your Life" (T.I. feat. Rihanna) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Paper Trail |
| "Exhibit A" (Jay Electronica) | – | – | – | – | – | Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) | |
| 2009 | "All the Above" (Maino feat. T-Pain) | 39 | 19 | 10 | – | – | If Tomorrow Comes... |
| "Exhibit C" (Jay Electronica) | – | 86 | – | – | – | Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) | |
| "Gotta Believe It" (Saigon feat. Just Blaze) | – | – | – | – | – | The Greatest Story Never Told | |
| 2010 | "No Love" (Eminem feat. Lil Wayne) | 23 | 59 | 9 | 21 | 33 | Recovery |
| 2011 | "The Greatest Story Never Told" (Saigon) | – | – | – | – | – | The Greatest Story Never Told |
| "I Love My Bitches" (Rick Ross) | – | 72 | – | – | – | Non-album single | |
| 2012 | "Compton" (Kendrick Lamar feat. Dr. Dre) | – | 52 | – | – | – | good kid, m.A.A.d city |
| 2013 | "Higher" (Just Blaze & Baauer feat. Jay-Z) | – | – | – | – | 82 | Non-album single |
| 2016 | "Freedom" (Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar) | 35 | 21 | – | 60 | 40 | Lemonade |