Diamond D

Joseph Kirkland (born April 5, 1968), better known by his stage name Diamond D (or simply Diamond), is an American hip hop MC and record producer from The Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the Diggin' in the Crates Crew, abbreviated as D.I.T.C.

Early years

Growing up in Forest Houses in The Bronx, Diamond D was influenced by local DJs, DJ Hutch and DJ Supreme. During his youth the two DJs would let him perform on their turntables. At the beginning of his career as a producer, Diamond spent many hours at Jazzy Jay's studio on Allerton Avenue in The Bronx. He credits Jay for inspiring him to buy a sampler and teaching him various production techniques. In a 2017 interview he said, "I learned about 95% of my production skills from him. And he was ahead of his time."

Career

In addition to Jazzy Jay's teachings, Diamond credited Brand Nubian member Grand Puba as his inspiration to start rapping. An early guest appearance on A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory track "Show Business" helped make people more aware of him as an artist.

The following year he released his debut record Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop. In a 2017 interview Diamond described the album as, "just a collection of beats and records I was just setting aside. It was more about, 'One day I want to do something with this' ideas. And about 80% of that album I got from those records."

Diamond's favorite experience from making Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop was recording the vocals for the song "Check One, Two." He credits producer The 45 King with clearing the samples for that beat. It took him 30 minutes to construct the beat for one of the album's best-known tracks, "Sally Got A One Track Mind".

In 1996, Diamond won a Grammy Award for his production on the title track from The Fugees' The Score album. He later described the experience as "just a bad memory" and declined to talk about it in an interview.

To promote his 1997 album Hatred, Passions and Infidelity, Mercury Records compiled a promotional vinyl called Diamond Jewels that included the Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop songs "Best Kept Secret', "*!*! What U Heard", and "Sally Got A One Track Mind".

Discography

Albums

Album information
Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop Released: September 22, 1992 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #47 Singles: "Best Kept Secret"/"Freestyle (Yo, That's That Shit)," "Sally Got a One Track Mind"/"Check One, Two," "Fuck What U Heard"/"I'm Outta Here"
Hatred, Passions and Infidelity Released: August 26, 1997 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #40 Singles: "The Hiatus"/"No Wonduh (The Projects)," "J.D.'s Revenge"/"This One"
Grown Man Talk Released: March 1, 2003 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:
The Diamond Mine Released: September 15, 2005 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:
I'm Not Playin' (with Master Rob as Ultimate Force) Released: June 2007 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: "I'm Not Playing", "Girls/I'm in Effect/Supreme Diamond D"
The Huge Hefner Chronicles Released: October 14, 2008 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:
The Diam Piece Released: September 30, 2014 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: "Rap Life"
The Diam Piece 2 Released: May 10, 2019 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:
Gotham (with Talib Kweli) Released: April 16, 2021 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: "On Mamas", "The Quiet One", "Attention Span"
The Rear View Released: August 19, 2022 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles:

As featured artist

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name

Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
		US	US R&B	US Rap
"One for the Money" (Royce da 5'9" featuring Skillz and Diamond D)	2012	—	—	—	Non-album single

As featured

Song	Year	Artist
Show Business	1991	ATCQ, Sadat X, Lord Jamar
Diggin' in the Crates	1992	Show & A.G., Lord Finesse
Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down (Remix)		Brand Nubian
Still Diggin'		Show & A.G.
CrumbSnatcher	1993	Illegal
Watch the Sound!		Fat Joe, Grand Puba
I Can't Take No More		Class A Felony
Slappin' Suckas Silly Remix		Yaggfu Front
Keep It Real	1994	A.D.O.R.
Word Iz Bond		House of Pain
I Got Planz		Scientifik
Ya Don't Stop		Dana Barros & Cedric Ceballos, A.G., Sadat X, Grand Puba
The Next Level	1995	The Alkaholiks
You Want It		Show & A.G.
How They Want It		Big Red
What I Wanna Do....		Veronica, Sadat X
Speak Ya Piece	1996	Lord Finesse, marquee, A.G.
Diamond's Are a Girl's Best Friend		DJ Polo
The Score		The Fugees
When the Ship Goes Down (Diamond's Seafaring Remix)		Cypress Hill
Hot This Year	1998	Kid Capri, Brand Nubian
Time to Get This Money; Put It in Your System		Show & A.G.
Nowhere to Go	1999	A.G.
When It Rains It Pours		Diamond D
Got Dat?; Live Shit	2000	El da Sensei
X-Man		Sadat X
Lyrical Talents		Muro, O.C.
Best at That	2001	Da Beatminerz
The Omen	2002	Aim
Welcome to the World of Joni Rewind		Joni Rewind, Lord Finesse
Feedback	2003	Akrobatik
Pressure	2005	Med
CD Only Bonus Track	2022	Open Mike Eagle, Aesop Rock