James Fauntleroy - For a half a decade, James Fauntleroy has been building a noteworthy career as a background vocalist and songwriter. And, now he's finally a music heavyweight himself. This young hitmaker has crafted tunes for artists including Justin Timberlake, Chris Bown and Frank Ocean. The in-demand singer/songwriter will take the stage at the Soul Train Awards. Here's a look at his journey. (Photo: RocNation)
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Down with the Underdogs - The road to musical fame began for James Fauntleroy when became a member of the famed production team the Underdogs, who've crafted songs for everone from Beyoncé to Aretha Franklin. (Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
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Music as the Drug of Choice - In 2011, JF was recruited to be a part of the hip hop collective Cocaine 80, founded by Chicago-bred producer No. I.D. The crew has released EPs like The Pursuit EP (2011) and The Flower of Life (2013) (Photo: RocNation)
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Down with the Stars - After composing tunes for music heavyweights like Britney Spears, Charlie Wilson and Chris Brown, James transforms into a much sought-after hit maker. (Photo: Rick Diamond/WireImage)
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Dialing Channell Orange - For Frank Ocean's critically-hailed sophomore LP Channel Orange, Fauntleroy wrote the unconventional diddy "Fertilizer." While only 40 seconds the tune is one of the LP's most memorable songs. (Photo: RocNation)
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20/20 Experience - As a songwriter, James's star would be solidified when he helped write most of the cuts for Justin Timberlake's double platinum comeback LP The 20/20 Experience, which yielded hits such as "Suit & Tie" and "Mirrors."(Photo: RCA)
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Rockin' with Rihanna - For her platinum 2012 album, Unapologetic, Rihanna teamed with Fauntleroy to make the single "Get it Over With." (Photo: RocNation)
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Air Apparent - When Jordin Sparks made her music biz debut with the self-titled LP, J. Fauntleroy laced her duet with Chris Brown "No Air."(Photo: RCA)