{{Short description|American R&B and Soul songwriter and record producer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = Chad James Elliott |alias = Dr. Ceuss, Big Chad |genre = {{hlist|[[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]|[[Soul music|soul]]}} |occupation = {{Hlist | Songwriter | record producer | multi-instrumentalist | audio engineer }} |background = person<!-- track if single person or group for hCard microformat: use value person or group_or_band. --> |years_active = 1988- present }}

'''Chad James Elliott''', also known by his stage name '''Dr. Ceuss''', is an American songwriter, record producer, and audio engineer. He is best known for co-writing and co-producing [[Destiny's Child]]'s 2000 single "[[Jumpin', Jumpin']]", as well as [[Salt-N-Pepa]]'s "[[Gitty Up (song)|Gitty Up]]", [[Marc Nelson (singer)|Marc Nelson]]'s "15 Minutes", and [[702 (group)|702]]'s "[[Steelo]]", among others.

==Career== ===Early career=== In 1988, while on a promotional tour for rapper [[Jaz-O]], Elliott met fellow record producer [[Irv Gotti]].<ref name="y360">{{cite web | last=Rys | first=Dan | title=Irv Gotti Explains How Jay Z, DMX and Ja Rule Got Their Record Deals | website=XXL Mag | date=2015-08-27 | url=https://www.xxlmag.com/irv-gotti-jay-z-dmx-ja-rule/ | access-date=2025-02-20 | archive-date=February 27, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227230224/https://www.xxlmag.com/irv-gotti-jay-z-dmx-ja-rule/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Elliott later introduced Gotti to [[DMX]] and the founders of [[Ruff Ryders Entertainment]], the Dean brothers. In 1989, Gotti and Elliott produced the beat ''Born Loser'' for rapper DMX, which was one of DMX's earliest demos.<ref name="b556">{{cite web | title=MTV.com: Murder Inc.: In Gotti We Trust | website=mtv.com | date=2005-01-31 | url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/murder_inc/news_feature_071902/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908020742/www.mtv.com/bands/m/murder_inc/news_feature_071902/ | archive-date=2009-09-08 | url-status=dead | access-date=2025-02-27}}</ref><ref name="r035">{{cite web | last=Brown | first=Preezy | title=9 gems from Irv Gotti’s “Drink Champs” episode | website=REVOLT | date=2019-12-02 | url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2019-12-02/83649/9-gems-from-irv-gottis-drink-champs-episode | access-date=2025-02-27 | archive-date=April 26, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426211515/https://www.revolt.tv/article/2019-12-02/83649/9-gems-from-irv-gottis-drink-champs-episode/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Elliott became a member of [[Swing Mob]], a prolific collective of artists, songwriters, instrumentalists, and producers that converged in [[Teaneck, New Jersey]] and [[Rochester, New York]] during the mid-1990s, and was reportedly an early mentor of producer [[Jermaine Dupri]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://youknowigotsoul.com/the-story-of-devante-swings-da-bassment-as-told-by-the-artists-who-were-there|title=The Story of DeVante Swing's Da Bassment As Told By the Artists Who Were There|date=January 28, 2021|website=YouKnowIGotSoul.com|access-date=November 25, 2023|archive-date=October 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001051255/https://youknowigotsoul.com/the-story-of-devante-swings-da-bassment-as-told-by-the-artists-who-were-there|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vibe.com/features/digital-covers/jermaine-dupri-celebrates-30-years-of-so-so-def-1234794321/|title=Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Records 30th Anniversary Proves Longevity, Surviving The Times and Hit-Making Equals A Hall of Fame Legacy|first=Preezy|last=Brown|date=October 23, 2023|access-date=November 25, 2023|archive-date=November 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120174057/https://www.vibe.com/features/digital-covers/jermaine-dupri-celebrates-30-years-of-so-so-def-1234794321/|url-status=live}}</ref> Elliott became a producer and instrumentalist for American R&B quartet [[Jodeci]], while also frequently writing for other artists alongside fellow Swing Mob member [[Missy Elliott]], including debut [[Raven-Symoné]] single "[[That's What Little Girls Are Made Of]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2017/08/raven-symone-debut-single-written-by-missy-elliott|title=Raven-Symoné's Debut Single Was Written by the One and Only Missy Elliott|website=[[Complex Networks|Complex]]|date=August 7, 2017|access-date=April 26, 2023|archive-date=April 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426211514/https://www.complex.com/music/2017/08/raven-symone-debut-single-written-by-missy-elliott|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1993/08/01/sorry-mick-but-time-is-on-their-side-yes-it-is/40b392f8-ad65-4512-a233-5cbd791d6e4d/| title=Sorry Mick, But Time Is On Their Side, Yes It Is| newspaper=Washington Post|first=Mike |last=Joyce|date=August 1, 1993}}</ref> In 1997, Elliott would contribute five songs to [[Salt-N-Pepa]]'s fifth album ''[[Brand New (Salt-n-Pepa album)|Brand New]]'', including lead single "[[R U Ready]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6wkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+dr.+ceuss+elliott&pg=PT85|title=Reviews & Previews: Salt N' Pepa "R U Ready"|first=Larry|last=Flick|date=October 11, 1997|magazine=Billboard|via=Google Books|access-date=January 22, 2024|archive-date=January 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122194150/https://books.google.ca/books?id=6wkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT85&lpg=PT85&dq=chad+dr.+ceuss+elliott&source=bl&ots=jlW8r_YbOT&sig=ACfU3U12E8UOR9oEfT5SeEIjH01VlZ3Ssw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNtMii2_GDAxVOlYkEHfSQDPo4RhDoAXoECAIQAw#v=onepage&q=chad%20dr.%20ceuss%20elliott&f=false#v=onepage&q=chad+dr.+ceuss+elliott&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> He would also oversee the A&R direction of R&B girl-group [[Shades (group)|Shades]]' [[Shades (Shades album)|eponymous debut album]] for [[Motown Records]].{{citation needed|date= April 2023}} In 1999, Elliott produced major single "15 Minutes" for former [[Az Yet]] member [[Marc Nelson (singer)|Marc Nelson]], reaching the top 30 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]], and #4 on the R&B charts.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mggEAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+sesac&pg=PA18|title=Reviews & Previews: Marc Nelson "15 Minutes"|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=August 14, 1999|access-date=April 26, 2023|archive-date=November 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115221554/https://books.google.com/books?id=mggEAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+sesac&pg=PA18#v=onepage&q=chad%20elliott%20sesac&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Jumpin', Jumpin'=== Elliott received a phone call from [[Columbia Records]] A&R [[Teresa LaBarbera Whites]], who wanted him to meet "this great group in Houston" prior to the release of their debut album. He flew to Houston and met for dinner with the group ([[Destiny's Child]]) and their manager [[Mathew Knowles]], but was unable to send any productions in time for their album. Elliott, alongside co-writer [[Rufus Blaq|Rufus Moore]] and co-producer Jovonn Alexander, subsequently sent a disc of written tracks for potential inclusion on their second album. Elliott was compiling productions for his own rap project at the time, and accidentally sent one of his songs (with no lyrics attached) on the same disc. [[Beyoncé]] heard the song, began writing to it, and Mathew Knowles sent a rough draft to Elliott, who was impressed with the melodic, syncopated-rap delivery, and the "democratic" message addressed to both men and women. "[[Jumpin', Jumpin']]", the completed product, would secure a placement on blockbuster album ''[[The Writing's on the Wall]]'' alongside another co-written Elliott song ("If You Leave"), was selected as the fourth and final single of the campaign, and would ultimately become Elliott's highest-peaking and highest-selling song in multiple global markets.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CmeWBgAAQBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+beyonce+jumpin+jumpin&pg=PT235|title=Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story|first=J. Randy|last=Taraborrelli|date=October 27, 2015|publisher=Grand Central Publishing|isbn=9781455590346|via=Google Books|access-date=November 15, 2023|archive-date=November 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115221645/https://books.google.com/books?id=CmeWBgAAQBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+beyonce+jumpin+jumpin&pg=PT235#v=onepage&q=chad%20elliott%20beyonce%20jumpin%20jumpin&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Later career=== Elliott became an [[A&r|A&R]] for [[Sony Music|Sony Music Urban]] / [[Columbia Records]], coordinating Jagged Edge's [[Jagged Edge (Jagged Edge album)|eponymous fifth album]] (2006), [[Noel Gourdin]]'s 2008 debut album ''[[After My Time]]'', [[Lyfe Jennings]]' 2008 album ''[[Lyfe Change]]'', as well as "[[I'm Grown]]", the second single from ''[[Star Search]]'' winner [[Tiffany Evans]]' 2008 [[Tiffany Evans (album)|eponymous debut album]].

In 2022, Elliott sold the production rights of his 2-song Destiny's Child catalog to royalty asset management company ICM for an undisclosed sum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.icmassetmanagement.com/press-releases/producer-rights-acquired-for-popular-destinys-child-songs|title=Producer Rights Acquired for Popular Destiny's Child Songs|website=ICM Asset Management|date=January 4, 2022|access-date=April 27, 2023|archive-date=April 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427003718/https://www.icmassetmanagement.com/press-releases/producer-rights-acquired-for-popular-destinys-child-songs|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Selected songwriting and production credits== Credits are courtesy of [[Discogs]], [[Tidal (service)|Tidal]], [[Apple Music]], and [[AllMusic]].

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col" style="width:40em;"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Artist ! scope="col"| Album |- ! scope="row"| "A Groove (This Is What U Rap 2)" | rowspan="4"| 1990 | rowspan="4"| [[Jaz-O]] | rowspan="4"| ''[[To Your Soul]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "I'll Smoke You" |- ! scope="row"| "Flag of the Mahdi" |- ! scope="row"| "Black Man in Charge" |- ! scope="row"| "I Love Your Smile (Hakeem's Mix)" | 1991 | [[Shanice]] | ''[[Inner Child (album)|Inner Child]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "You Can't See What I Can See" | 1992 | [[Heavy D & The Boys]] | ''[[Heavy Hitz]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[That's What Little Girls Are Made Of]]" (Featuring [[Missy Elliott]]) '''(#68 US, #47 R&B)''' | rowspan="2"| 1993 | [[Raven-Symoné]] | ''[[Here's to New Dreams]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[Let's Go Through the Motions]]" '''(#65 US, #31 R&B)''' | [[Jodeci]] | ''[[Who's the Man? (soundtrack)]]'' |- ! scope="row"|"Candy Man" | rowspan="5"| 1994 | [[LL Cool J]] | rowspan="2"| ''[[Jason's Lyric (soundtrack)]]'' |- ! scope="row"|"Rodeo Style" '''(#55 R&B)''' | Jamecia Bennett & Mike Jackson |- ! scope="row"| "You Are The Best" | [[Smoothe Sylk]] | ''Smoothe Sylk'' |- ! scope="row"| "Can I Make It Up To You" | rowspan="2"| Groove U | rowspan="2"| ''Tender Love'' |- ! scope="row"| "Don't Let It Slip Away" |- ! scope="row"| "Dance 4 Me" '''(#25 R&B)''' | rowspan="3"| 1995 | [[Christopher Williams (singer)|Christopher Williams]] | ''Not A Perfect Man'' |- ! scope="row"| "This Is Not A Goodbye" '''(#85 R&B)''' | [[Subway (group)|Subway]] | ''[[Good Times (Subway album)|Good Times]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "No Airplay" | [[LL Cool J]] | ''[[Mr. Smith (album)|Mr. Smith]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[Steelo]]" (Featuring [[Missy Elliott]]) '''(#32 US, #12 R&B, #41 UK, #23 NZ)''' | rowspan="10"| 1996 | [[702 (group)|702]] | ''[[No Doubt (702 album)|No Doubt]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Intro" (Featuring [[Puff Daddy]]) | rowspan="3"| [[Total (girl group)|Total]] | rowspan="3"| ''[[Total (Total album)|Total]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Whose Is It? (Interlude)" |- ! scope="row"| "Definition of a Bad Girl (Interlude)" |- ! scope="row"| "Why Why Why" | [[Horace Brown (musician)|Horace Brown]] | ''Horace Brown'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[Ooh, Ooh Baby (Taral Hicks song)|Ooh, Ooh Baby]]" (Featuring Missy Elliott) '''(#81 R&B)''' | [[Taral Hicks]] | ''[[This Time (Taral Hicks album)|This Time]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Get U Open" | rowspan="2"| Skin Deep | rowspan="2"| ''Get U Open'' |- ! scope="row"| "Sleep Over Friend" |- ! scope="row"| "Farewell" | Assorted Phlavors | ''Assorted Phlavors'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[Champagne (Salt-n-Pepa song)|Champagne]]" '''(#23 UK, #68 AUS, #15 NZ, #98 GER, #15 SWE)''' | rowspan="6"| [[Salt-N-Pepa]] | ''[[Bulletproof (1996 soundtrack)|Bulletproof (soundtrack)]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[R U Ready]]" '''(#24 UK, #35 GER)''' | rowspan="11"| 1997 | rowspan="5"| ''[[Brand New (Salt-n-Pepa album)|Brand New]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Good Life" |- ! scope="row"| "Say Ooh" |- ! scope="row"| "[[Gitty Up (song)|Gitty Up]]" '''(#50 US, #31 Rap)''' |- ! scope="row"| "Boy Toy" |- ! scope="row"| "Why" | rowspan="4"| [[Shades (group)|Shades]] | rowspan="4"| ''[[Shades (Shades album)|Shades]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Love Never Dies" |- ! scope="row"| "Last to Know" |- ! scope="row"| "I Believe" |- ! scope="row"| "What Are We Gonna Do?" '''(#102 R&B)''' | Ronnie Henson | ''Ronnie Henson'' |- ! scope="row"| "Come On" | [[Boyz II Men]] | ''[[Evolution (Boyz II Men album)|Evolution]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Out Of Sight (Yo)" '''(#97 US, #52 R&B)''' | rowspan="7"| 1998 | [[Rufus Blaq]] | ''Credentials'' |- ! scope="row"| "Tell Me, Tell Me" (Featuring [[Before Dark]]) | [[Tyrese Gibson]] | ''[[Tyrese (album)|Tyrese]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "What'cha Gonna Do?" | [[Monifah]] | ''[[Mo'hogany]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "You And Me" | rowspan="3"| [[Miss Jones (radio personality)|Miss Jones]] | rowspan="3"| ''[[The Other Woman (Miss Jones album)|The Other Woman]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Need Somebody" |- ! scope="row"| "Raindown" |- ! scope="row"| "Turn You On" | [[Queen Latifah]] | ''[[Order in the Court]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "15 Minutes" '''(#27 US, #4 R&B)''' | rowspan="4"| 1999 |[[Marc Nelson (singer)|Marc Nelson]] |''Chocolate Mood'' |- ! scope="row"| "If You Leave" (Featuring [[Next (American group)|Next]]) | rowspan="2"| [[Destiny's Child]] | rowspan="2"| ''[[The Writing's on the Wall]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[Jumpin', Jumpin']]" '''(#3 US, #8 R&B, #4 UK, #2 AUS, #6 NZ, #31 GER, #41 FR)''' |- ! scope="row"| "[[The Brick Track Versus Gitty Up]]" '''(#22 UK, #16 AUS, #4 NZ, #64 GER, #85 FR)''' | [[Salt-N-Pepa]] | ''[[The Best of Salt-N-Pepa]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Dear Diary" | rowspan="3"| 2000 | [[3LW]] | ''[[3LW (album)|3LW]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Freak In Me" (Hidden Track) | [[Next (American group)|Next]] | ''[[Welcome II Nextasy]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Fix Me" (With Parle & [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]]) | [[Jadakiss]] | ''[[Shaft (2000 soundtrack)|Shaft (soundtrack)]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Hater" | rowspan="2"| 2002 | [[Isyss]] | ''[[The Way We Do]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Make U Wanna Stay" (Featuring [[Joe Budden]]) | [[Kelly Rowland]] | ''[[Simply Deep]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Sickalicious" (Featuring [[Missy Elliott]]) | 2003 | [[Fabolous]] | ''[[Street Dreams (Fabolous album)|Street Dreams]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[Good Luck Charm (Jagged Edge song)|Good Luck Charm]]" '''(#73 US, #13 R&B)''' | rowspan="2"| 2006 | [[Jagged Edge (American group)|Jagged Edge]] | ''[[Jagged Edge (Jagged Edge album)|Jagged Edge]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "Dog Love" (Featuring [[Amerie]] & Janyce) | [[DMX]] | ''[[Year of the Dog... Again]]'' |- ! scope="row"| "[[On My Mind (Diplo and Sidepiece song)|On My Mind]]" (With Sidepiece) '''(#17 US Dance, #57 UK)''' | 2022 | [[Diplo]] | ''[[Diplo (album)|Diplo]]'' |- |}

===Executive-produced projects=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ Albums with more than 90% Chad Elliott production/songwriting credits, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" style="width:40em;"| Album ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Label |- !scope="row"| ''Credentials'' |[[Rufus Blaq]] |1998 |[[A&M Records]] |- |}

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Ceremony ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Result !Ref |- | 2001 | [[SESAC|SESAC Awards]] | Most Performed R&B/Hip Songs (''[[Jumpin', Jumpin']]'') | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nRQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+sesac&pg=PA43|title=SESAC Presents Its Annual Awards|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=April 21, 2001|access-date=April 26, 2023|archive-date=November 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115221632/https://books.google.com/books?id=nRQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+sesac&pg=PA43#v=onepage&q=chad%20elliott%20sesac&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> |- | 2002 | [[SESAC|SESAC Awards]] | Most Performed Pop Songs (''[[Jumpin', Jumpin']]'') | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mg8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+sesac&pg=PA59|title=Complete List of SESAC Winners|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=May 18, 2002|access-date=April 26, 2023|archive-date=November 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115221724/https://books.google.com/books?id=Mg8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=chad+elliott+sesac&pg=PA59#v=onepage&q=chad%20elliott%20sesac&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |}

== References == {{reflist}}

[[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:American record producers]] [[Category:American songwriters]] [[Category:American male songwriters]]