Darkchild's LaShawn 'Big Shiz' Daniels has died

I seldom post NEWS, news here at Random J Pop and certainly nothing like this. But I had to post this and give my 2 pence on this right here, because the dude you see smiling in the pic above has made huge contributions to music and had an impact on my love for it.

Today Grammy award winning songwriter LaShawn 'Big Shiz' Daniels died at the age of 41. News broke via his wife April Daniels.

It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, family member and friend Lashawn Daniels, who was the victim of a fatal car accident in South Carolina. A Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter, Daniels was a man of extraordinary faith and a pillar in our family. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the continuous outpouring of love and sympathy.

Many of you may not know who LaShawn Daniels is unless you're a liner notes creeper like me. But as is often the way with songwriters spotlit here at Random J Pop, I can 100% guarantee that you know a bunch of songs that this person has had a hand in.

Whitney Houston's "It's not right, but it's okay", Brandy & Monica's "The boy is mine", Destiny's Child's "Say my name", Spice Girls' "Holler", Michael Jackson's "You rock my world", Lady Gaga's "Telephone". LaShawn Daniels co-wrote and produced and arranged the vocals for these songs and many more besides.

Did any of you watch the TV show The Parkers? Yep. He co-wrote and produced the vocals for that too.

Part of what made me a fan of the Darkchild sound was the vocal arrangements. They were layered. Often intricate. There were harmonies. A level of production that sometimes went beyond what the song even needed, but they were there. If you listen to any Darkchild production circa 2000, you'll hear it. A distinct way in which the songs were sung and the way in which the vocals were arranged. You could even credit LaShawn with helping what would become a Brandy signature; her vocal arrangements, as he co-produced and arranged near enough all of the vocals for Brandy's sophomore album Never say never.

LaShawn was integral to what would became the signature Darkchild sound.

Whilst his legacy will be no replacement for him in the flesh, it's something that will live on for many years to come. Not just because of the sheer volume of songs that LaShawn had a hand in, but the names attached to some of them. Whitney Houston. Michael Jackson. Britney Spears. Beyoncé. BITCH! A roster.

The lesson here for all of us is to ensure that we all live out life to its fullest potential and do our part to leave a mark and do something that will allow us to live on long beyond what our bodies will allow. Because of what LaShawn did in music, he won't ever really die.

My condolences to LaShawn's nearest and dearest. And a thank you to LaShawn for all of the music you helped create. You're a big part of the reason I'm so damn picky and fussy about vocal arrangements.