Jay-Z Gets Brampton Teen WondaGurl for 'Magna Carta Holy Grail'

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Jul 4, 2013

While Rick Rubin apparently didn't produce anything on Jay-Z's now-released Magna Carta Holy Grail, Mr. Carter did bring aboard rising Brampton, ON beatmaker WondaGurl (a.k.a. Ebony Oshunrinde) for the album's "Crown."

A press release confirms that the 16-year-old producer's skills are on display on the decadently synth-swerving, Sizzla-sampling track, whose beat she had created on her own before handing it over for the album. Toronto's Star newspaper adds that the beat had been sent to rapper Travi$ Scott, with whom WondaGurl had previously worked with on his "Uptown" track. According to Oshunrinde, Scott texted her the message "I'm about to change your life" before unveiling the opportunity to work with Jay-Z.

"It's a really good feeling. I want to show young people that they can do it," Oshunrinde told the newspaper, adding that she had been inspired to jump into the world of beatmaking after watching a video of Jay-Z and Timbaland in the studio.

WondaGurl began making beats at the age of 9 and has since gone on to work with the likes of SonReal and Rich Kidd, contributing production work on the pair's 2012 collaborative set The Closers, as well as Ryan Leslie.

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