John Benitez

John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer.

He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters.

He was later the executive producer of Studio 54 Radio.

In 1976, Benitez got a weekend job deejaying between salsa bands at a club called Charlie's in the Bronx.

He convinced the owner to open a non-alcoholic dance club, and he used the live audience to experiment on.

By this time, he was kicked out of school for truancy.

Benitez wanted to move to Manhattan, so he worked at a club called La Mariposa in Washington Heights.

Then he switched to the Experimental Four club in Midtown Manhattan.

Between 1976 and 1980, Benitez also played at New York New York, Studio 54, Le Jardin, and the Grand Ballroom.

He eventually settled at the Electric Circus and Xenon in New York City.

In 1978, Benitez was making $100 for a four-night week when he moved to an apartment on the West Side of Manhattan.

After earning a high school equivalency diploma, Benitez enrolled at Bronx Community College as a psychology major and took voice and diction classes.

In 1979, Benitez worked back and forth between Manhattan and Long Island.

He worked seven nights a week at Hurrah, and Le Mouches in New York City, Club Marrakesh in Westhampton, Blue Cloud in Southampton, and La Falafel.

In 1981, he was hired as the resident DJ at Funhouse.

He hosted a weekend dance radio show at WKTU.

Soon, Benitez was influencing the dance charts.

He pushed the records "Planet Rock" (1982) and "Let the Music Play" (1983).

Record companies would send him awards when the records went gold.

At the time she had released one single, "Everybody" (1982), which he played at the club.

In 1983, an executive from Warner Bros. Records introduced Benitez to Madonna at the Funhouse.

They became friends and Madonna asked Benitez to remix her 1983 debut album Madonna; soon after a romance ensued.

Benitez remixed her singles "Burning Up", "Borderline", and "Lucky Star."

He also produced "Holiday," which was her first international top ten hit song.

"While I was launching her career, I was launching my career as a producer," he said.

Benitez continued to deejay at the Funhouse while producing and remixing for other artists.

In 1984, Benitez remixed Madonna's hit song "Like a Virgin" and landed a producing deal with EMI America Records.

In May 1985, Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened the Palladium in New York City.

They asked Benitez to play at the grand opening and be a resident deejay at the club.

After Benitez's production of Madonna's song "Crazy for You" went No. 1 the same week, Rubell decided that Benitez has become "more of a commercial-record producer than a cutting-edge spinner" and decided to replace him.

Benitez remixed songs for various artists, including for Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Sting, Talking Heads, Deniece Williams, Elvis Costello, Fleetwood Mac, the Pointer Sisters, and ZZ Top.

In December 2016, Billboard magazine ranked him as the 99th most successful dance artist of all-time.

Benitez was born in the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City, the son of Puerto Rican parents.

After his parents divorced, Benitez and his younger sister Debbie were raised by their mother, who worked in the executive offices of Sloan's supermarkets.

Benitez grew up enjoying music and would watch deejays at local clubs.

Benitez borrowed his sister's record player and practiced on two turntables.

His sister nicknamed him Jellybean as his initials are J.B. and from the expression "Know what I mean, Jellybean?," he said.

Benitez attended De Witt Clinton High School and John F. Kennedy High School, but did not graduate.

He would skip school and play at hooky parties.

When a neighbor paid him to play at a Sweet 16 party, he realized he could have a career as a deejay.