Walter Worth Millsap III, sometimes also credited as Lil Walt, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and music executive.

Career

In 1997, as a teenager, Millsap inked a publishing deal with Jon Platt at

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

and signed a management contract with Jay Brown of

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...

. In the early 2000s, he became a protégé of producer

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...

, with whom he engineered "Heatburn" on

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...

' second album ''

The Diary of Alicia Keys ''The Diary of Alicia Keys'' is the second studio album by American singer Alicia Keys. It was released on December 2, 2003, by J Records. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with cont ...

'' (2003). His worked on the song later earned him a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

nomination in the Album of the Year category. Along with Timbaland, Millsap also co-wrote songs for artists such as

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...

and

Kiley Dean Kiley Dean Bowlin (born April 12, 1982) is an American singer. Born and raised in Alma, Arkansas, she moved to Orlando, Florida with her parents at the age of seven. She grew up singing in school and church, which led her to singing back-up for Br ...

. In 2004, he co-wrote the majority of

Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...

's fourth studio album '' Afrodisiac''. In the late 2000s, Millsap ventured into artist development and founded his own label Conjunction Entertainment. He teamed up with

Streamline Records Vincent Herbert (born January 27, 1972) is an American record executive and record producer. He founded Streamline Records in 2007, an imprint of Interscope Records through which he has signed artists including Lady Gaga, Greyson Chance, Tamar ...

chief

Vincent Herbert Vincent Herbert (born January 27, 1972) is an American record executive and record producer. He founded Streamline Records in 2007, an imprint of Interscope Records through which he has signed artists including Lady Gaga, Greyson Chance, Tamar Br ...

to find members for a boy group which was later named Mindless Behaviour. Millsap signed them to

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...

and produced their top ten debut album '' Number 1 Girl''. In the 2010, he would sign singers

Angie Stone Angela Laverne Stone (née Brown; December 18, 1961 – March 1, 2025) was an American singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, and record producer. With a career spanning over four decades, she has been credited with revolutionizing the sound of Ol ...

and

Dave Hollister David Le Chaine Hollister (born August 17, 1968) is an American singer from Chicago, Illinois who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the R&B group Blackstreet, before going on to have a solo career. Hollister is best known for his ...

, both of whom he had worked before, to Conjunction Entertainment. Stone would release three out of four final studio albums, before her death, with Millsap, who co-wrote and produce most of her material and took over Stone's management.

Written and produced songs

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Millsap III, Walter Living people African-American record producers African-American male singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters American music industry executives 21st-century American male singers