Harry Fraud | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Rory William Quigley |
| Born | (1987-01-26)January 26, 1987 (age 38) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation | Record producer |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | harryfraud |
Rory William Quigley (born January 26, 1987), known professionally asHarry Fraud, is an American record producer.[1] Primarily a hip hop producer, Fraud began producing at an early age and began interning at a recording studio after graduating from high school.[2] First discovered byFrench Montana during a recording session inChinatown in early 2009,[3] Fraud has since worked on each of his releases and become a fixture in the New Yorkunderground hip hop scene. He was credited on Montana's 2012 single, "Shot Caller", which became one of the most added tracks onurban contemporary radio during 2011–2012.[4]
Fraud has produced collaborative records with various rappers, such asWiz Khalifa before projects such asFlight 2011 (2011) withChinx Drugz;Rugby Thompson (2012) withSmoke DZA;Cigarette Boats (2012) withCurren$y, which was awardedXXL's "2012 EP of the Year";Saaab Stories (2013) withAction Bronson, which served as the latter's major-label debut, andThe Appetizer (2014) with French Montana. On March 8, 2013, he released his debut mixtapeAdrift. That same year, Fraud teamed up with car-makerScion to produce the compilationEPScion A/V Presents: High Tide released on May 7, and on May 10 released hisinstrumental EPRoyal Palm. In April 2014, he released his instrumental EPBlue/Green. Fraud has done production for various high-profile artists such asRick Ross,Prodigy,Pusha T,Playboi Carti andTalib Kweli, among others. He has also worked on production for theInternational Emmy Awards.
Harry Fraud comes from a musical family background, where his parents performed in a band together. His father is a guitar player, while his mother is a singer.[2][5] His father was in the concert business, which gave Fraud access to instruments and recording equipment at an early age.[5] He received his first turntables on Christmas, and the next year had gotten what he describes as a "piece of shit sampler". It's after acquiring his firstMPC that he began seriously working on beat production.[5]
Upon graduating from high school, Fraud began interning at a recording studio, which became his first exposure toPro Tools.[2] He was also influenced by Fafu of BlesteNation, who was a producer at the same building.[2] After getting into college, he acquired Pro Tools for himself, quickly immersing himself in front of the computer and becoming his main distraction, "I didn't do any [school] work. I wouldn't even go to class. It was terrible," claimed Fraud in an interview with Nah Right.[2] During his time in college, he met his friend Red Walrus – now the musical director of the band which Fraud works with – where the two bonded over digging through crates and buyingvinyl records from places such asGoodwill and theSalvation Army.[2] His musical composition has been used by theInternational Emmy Awards, which Fraud credits his father for getting through to itsproducers.[6] Fraud's composition work would go on to be praised bySimon Cowell, who, at the2010 Emmy Awards ceremony took notice of Fraud's walk up music, even requesting it be replayed briefly during his speech.[6][7]
Harry Fraud rose to prominence through his collaboration with French Montana on the song "New York Minute", featuringJadakiss, off of French's fifth mixtapeMac Wit Da Cheese released on April 19, 2009. In a 2013 interview withRolling Stone magazine, Harry Fraud revealed first meeting close friend and artist French Montana during a recording session at a studio inChinatown.[3] Fraud recalls recording a song for someone which French happened to have a guest feature on. In an unusual turn of events, the building was raided by police after a tip-off that there were counterfeit Gucci and Louis Vuitton purses being manufactured at the same building.[3] Having lost his studio spot, Fraud went on to form his own studio in Brooklyn, where the two "met and formed a bond".[3]
Following the release of "New York Minute", the two artists would go on to record "We Playin In The Wind" off of French Montana's sixth mixtapeThe Laundry Man 2, released on June 29, 2009. An extended version of the song would be included on French's seventh mixtapeCocaine Konvicts released on September 25. Since then, Harry Fraud's production has been a staple among French's music, becoming Fraud's gateway to working with other high-profile artists since then. With the success of "New York Minute", rapperMa$e had approached French Montana to hop on the remix,[8] released on French's eighth mixtapeCoke Wave 2 in November that year. Fraud would go on to produce several tracks off of French's ninth mixtapeMac & Cheese 2 released on May 6, 2010, and French's tenth mixtapeCoke Boys released on September 15, collaborating with Coke Boys rappers Chinx Drugz, Cheeze, Flip and Brock.
He gained mainstream attention when his track with French Montana "Shot Caller" became one of the most added tracks onurban contemporary radio in 2011–2012.[4] The song which was re-released as a single on January 10, 2012, was originally off of French's eleventh mixtapeMister 16: Casino Life released on February 15, 2011. Harry Fraud executive produced the overall mixtape, and his subsequent twelfth mixtapeCoke Boys 2 released on August 19 of that same year.[5] Through French, Fraud was introduced to his fellow Coke Boy rapper Chinx Drugz. The two would go on to work on their collaborative mixtapeFlight 2011 which was released on March 11, 2011, and several tracks off of his subsequentCocaine Riot mixtape released on April 19 that year. Fraud's production would also be included in French's collaborative mixtape withJuicy J andProject PatCocaine Mafia released on December 20, 2011. By 2012, with the popularity of "Shot Caller", a remix was released featuring rappersRick Ross andDiddy.
On July 10, 2012, Fraud and rapperCurrensy released a collaborativeEP mixtape titledCigarette Boats, whichXXL would go on to award its "2012 EP of the Year."[9] On March 8, 2013, Fraud released his debutmixtape titledAdrift, that has 115,000 downloads as of April 21, 2013, onDatPiff.[10] The mixtape features guest appearances from Action Bronson,Bun B,Slim Thug, Rick Ross, French Montana,Prodigy, Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J,Kool G Rap,Trae tha Truth,Mac Miller,Chinx Drugz, Currensy,Chevy Woods,Danny Brown andPusha T among many others. The mixtape is entirely self-produced and does not include any vocals of his.[11]
On April 8, 2013, Fraud and rapper Eddie B released a collaborative EP mixtape titledHorsepower through Man Bites Dog Records.[12] Fraud also released an EP throughScion AV on May 7, 2013, titledScion A/V Presents: High Tide. The free EP features guest appearances byEarl Sweatshirt,Tech N9ne, French Montana, Action Bronson,Riff Raff,Mistah F.A.B., Troy Ave,Smoke DZA and Chinx Drugz.[13] On the same day he released an EP on iTunes of instrumentals all produced by himself titledRoyal Ralm.[14] On June 11, 2013, Fraud released his collaboration project with Action Bronson titled,Saaab Stories. The project featured collaborations withRaekwon,Wiz Khalifa and Prodigy. It debuted at #63 on theBillboard 200.
On July 22, 2013, it was announced that Fraud's Surf Schoolrecord label signed to the newPriority Records which operates underCapitol Music Group.[15] He has promised a project with French Montana to be released after Montana's albumExcuse My French (2013).[16] He also revealed plans to release a collaboration mixtape with Riff Raff and his debut album in late 2013.[6][17] Fraud and Eddie B also announced they would release a full-length album titledPaper, Piff & Polo during 2013.[18] On October 6, 2013, Smoke DZA announced he would release a collaboration EP with Currensy, entirely produced by Harry Fraud.[19] He has said he wants to work with New York rappersJay-Z andCam'ron in the future.[11] Fraud has calledThe Alchemist as his favorite producer.[20]
Harry Fraud's production has been described as "New York tinged, sample heavy, foggy music."[21] Fraud's production leans heavily on samples, and he's become known for turning obscure tracks into hard-knocking beats.[17] In an interview with HipHopDX Fraud described his style saying, "What's most important to me with production is that I'm just always trying to do something unique. If I approach a production—whether it be sample-based or starting with something that originates in my head—I always try to do it in a way that is not typical at all. So if it's something that I feel where I might be going down a path that sounds too much like what's going on now, I'll make sure to try and take a left turn and do something that's my own. I try not to have a style, so to speak."[22] He went on to describe the use of drums on his beats stating, "I'm more about trying to have a strong drum presence—whether the drum is a big, huge snare or a little, tiny rimshot—I wanna make sure that the presence of the drums is felt no matter what."[22] Fraud's signature tag at the beginning of his productions consists of singer Fanesha Fabre saying "La musica de Harry Fraud".[6]
In 2012, Harry Fraud founded his own record label "Surf School Recordings", the name a tribute toMax B and Fraud's own passion forsurfing.[5] His father, who was a frequent traveler, was a surfer who would often take Fraud on trips with him where he discovered his passion for surfing.[6] In 2013, Fraud signed a deal making it animprint underPriority Records.[23] In a 2014 interview withLife+Times he noted,
The SRFSCHL label comes from the concept of whatMax B brought to the light with "the wave" and his philosophy and what me andFrench have been carrying on. It also kind of came out of me being into surfing. I feel like people get a lot of influence off of the stuff we do. We're teaching people how to ride the wave anyway, just off of them listening to our music. I'm a deeply philosophical person, so SRFSCHL has since taken on many different meanings.[5]
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