John B. Shaffer III, known professionally as Candyman and also as Candell Manson, was born on June 25, 1968, in South Central Los Angeles. He is an American rapper and record producer who gained prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Shaffer's musical journey began with his friend Sir Jinx introducing him to Dr. Dre, for whom he produced a three-song demo. His first recording as a solo artist was the 1989 EP Hip Hop Addict, produced by Johnny "J." Before signing with Epic Records in 1989, Bill Walker from Thump Records purchased the master of "Knockin' Boots" for the Lowrider Soundtrack Volume 1. This single became a significant breakthrough, reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album, Ain't No Shame in My Game, was released in 1990 and featured "Knockin' Boots" as its lead single. Following this success, he released several albums including Playtime's Over (1991), I Thought U Knew (1993), Phukk Watcha Goin' Thru (1995), and Knockin' Boots 2001: A Sex Odyssey (2001). In 2007, Candyman was featured on Nas's "Where Are They Now (West Coast Remix)". His compilation album Candyman’s Greatest Hits, released in 2012, included songs from his previous albums as well as new recordings.
