Josef Leimberg
Josef Leimberg is a producer, lyricist, and trumpet player from Los Angeles. He contributed to Kendrick Lamar's Grammy Award-winning album, To Pimp a Butterfly and Snoop Dogg's album R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, and is currently signed with World Galaxy, the jazz imprint of Alpha Pup Records.
Career
Leimberg initially got his start in 1993 as a member of the group Mad Kap. They released one album on Loud Records, Look Ma Duke, No Hands, which featured the single "Proof Is In the Puddin'". For several years, he collaborated heavily with Myka 9 and Freestyle Fellowship, producing the bulk of their albums American Nightmare, Work in Progress, and Temptations. He played trumpet on The Shape Shifters / Project Blowed posse cut elegy for DJ Rob One, "Rob One, Rock On."After being introduced to Snoop Dogg by producer Quazedelic, Leimberg produced numerous tracks on the rapper’s platinum albums R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece and Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss followed by extensive touring with Snoop Dogg as part of the band. Leimberg would then tour with singer Robin Thicke as a dominant force in his band’s horn section.
In 2014, Leimberg linked up with Terrace Martin under a new alias LoveDragon. The two would collaborate on Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming project, the Grammy Award-winning LP, To Pimp a Butterfly. On the album, Lovedragon contributed to the track "You Ain’t Gotta Lie " as well as the track "How Much a Dollar Cost", which was President Barack Obama’s favorite song of 2015. and featured "neck-snapping drums, a somber piano melody and heavenly horn stabs". Leimberg's baritone vocals can also be found on "Wesley's Theory" and "For Sale?". "As a trumpeter, Leimberg’s work appears in six tracks on To Pimp a Butterfly: "For Sale?", "Wesley's Theory," "These Walls," "Complexion," "You Ain't Gotta Lie " and "Mortal Man."
In 2016, Leimberg released his first solo album Astral Progressions on World Galaxy, the jazz imprint of Alpha Pup Records, an independent label co-founded by Daddy Kev of Low End Theory. The album is a blend of jazz, ballads, hip hop, funk, and meditation.
National Public Radio member station KCRW presented a guest mix from Leimberg and also included his album Astral Progressions on "KCRW’s Best of 2016."
Leimberg's music has also been featured on Hypebeast, The Boombox of Townsquare Media, Music Is My Sanctuary, Soulbounce, and DJBooth.