Ayatollah (producer)

Lamont Dorrell, known as Ayatollah, is a hip-hop record producer from Queens, New York who has produced for predominantly New York-based rappers including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, R.A. The Rugged Man, Tragedy Khadafi, Wordsworth, Vast Aire, Afu-Ra, Guru, M.O.P., Inspectah Deck, Cormega, Ghostface Killah as well as many others. R.A. the Rugged Man had said in an interview that he was the first person to ever buy a beat from Ayatollah. Broadly speaking Ayatollah's production encompasses a soulful, authentic east coast hip-hop sound which has brought him steady success and acclaim since the late 1990s.

Ayatollah first received mainstream recognition after producing Rawkus rapper Mos Def's hit Ms. Fat Booty, the first single off his Black on Both Sides album; whilst subsequently receiving a gold plaque for probably his most well-known track to date, Styles P's hit "The Life" featuring Organized Konfusion legend Pharoahe Monch, which appeared on the Rawkus Records compilation Soundbombing III.

Ayatollah is a favoured producer of many Queensbridge MCs in particular, and after working with Cormega on Rap's a Hustle on his debut The Realness, the latter spoke of working on a subsequent album produced solely by Ayatollah, an eagerly awaited project which has since failed to transpire.

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