Rory William Quigley (born January 26, 1987), known professionally as Harry Fraud, is an American record producer. Primarily a hip hop producer, Fraud began producing at an early age and began interning at a recording studio after graduating high school.
First discovered by
French Montana
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
during a recording session in
Chinatown
A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
in early 2009,
Fraud has gone on to become a fixture in the New York
underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston
* The Underground (S ...
and
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
scene. He gained mainstream attention when his song with French Montana "
Shot Caller" became one of the most added tracks on
urban contemporary
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...
radio during 2011–2012.
Fraud has produced collaborative records with various rappers, such as ''Flight 2011'' (2011) with Chinx Drugz; ''Rugby Thompson'' (2012) with Smoke DZA; ''
Cigarette Boats
''Cigarette Boats'' is an EP by American rapper Curren$y and producer Harry Fraud. It was released for online download on July 10, 2012. XXL named it the "2012 EP of the Year."
Track listing
* All songs produced by Harry Fraud
Rory Willia ...
'' (2012) with Currensy, which was awarded
XXL's "2012 EP of the Year"; ''
Saaab Stories
''Saaab Stories'' is the second extended play (EP) by American rapper Action Bronson. The EP was released on June 11, 2013, and is entirely produced by American record producer Harry Fraud. The EP, which was released by Vice and Atlantic Records, ...
'' (2013) with Action Bronson, which served as the latter's major-label debut, and ''The Appetizer'' (2014) with French Montana. On March 8, 2013, he released his debut mixtape ''Adrift''. That same year, Fraud teamed up with car-maker
Scion
Scion may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
*Scion, a playable class in the game ''Path of Exile'' (2013)
*Atlantean Scion, a device in the ''Tomb Raider'' video game series
*Scions, an alien race in the video game ''Ba ...
to produce the compilation
EP ''Scion A/V Presents: High Tide'' released on May 7, and on May 10 released his
instrumental
An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...
EP ''Royal Palm''. In April 2014, he released his instrumental EP ''Blue/Green''. Fraud has done production for various high-profile artists such as
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
,
Prodigy
Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to:
* Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer
** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess
Arts, entertainment, and ...
,
Pusha T
Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...
,
Playboi Carti
Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Carter was initially signed to local underground label Awful Records prior to signing with ASAP Mob's AWGE Label under Interscope R ...
and
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene (; born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with ...
, among others. He has also worked on production for the
International Emmy Awards
The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based International Academy of Television Arts and Sci ...
.
Music career
Early life and career
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.
His father was in the concert business, which gave Fraud access to instruments and recording equipment at an early age.
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 first
MPC that he began seriously working on beat production.
Upon graduating high school, Fraud began interning at a recording studio, which became his first exposure to
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture (sound design, audio post-productio ...
.
He was also influenced by Fafu of BlesteNation, who was a producer at the same building.
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
choolwork. I wouldn't even go to class. It was terrible," claimed Fraud in an interview with Nah Right.
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 buying
vinyl records
A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove ...
from places such as
Goodwill and the
Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
.
His musical composition has been used by the
International Emmy Awards
The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based International Academy of Television Arts and Sci ...
, which Fraud credits his father for getting through to its
producers
Producer or producers may refer to:
Occupations
*Producer (agriculture), a farm operator
*A stakeholder of economic production
*Film producer, supervises the making of films
**Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
.
Fraud's composition work would go on to be praised by
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of ''The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on t ...
, who, at the
2010 Emmy Awards ceremony took notice of Fraud's walk up music, even requesting it be replayed briefly during his speech.
French Montana and the Coke Boys
Harry Fraud rose to prominence through his collaboration with French Montana on the song "New York Minute", featuring
Jadakiss
Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York. He began his career in the 1990s as a member of the rap trio The Lox, managed by Ruff Ryders and signed with Bad ...
, off of French's fifth mixtape ''Mac Wit Da Cheese'' released on April 19, 2009. In a 2013 interview with
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
magazine, Harry Fraud revealed first meeting close friend and artist French Montana during a recording session at a studio in
Chinatown
A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
.
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.
Having lost his studio spot, Fraud went on to form his own studio in Brooklyn, where the two "met and formed a bond".
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 mixtape ''The Laundry Man 2'', released on June 29, 2009. An extended version of the song would be included on French's seventh mixtape ''Cocaine 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", rapper
Ma$e
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...
had approached French Montana to hop on the remix, released on French's eighth mixtape ''Coke Wave 2'' in November that year. Fraud would go on to produce several tracks off of French's ninth mixtape ''Mac & Cheese 2'' released on May 6, 2010, and French's tenth mixtape ''
Coke Boys
Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...
'' 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 on
urban contemporary
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...
radio in 2011–2012.
The song which was re-released as a single on January 10, 2012, was originally off of French's eleventh mixtape ''
Mister 16: Casino Life'' released on February 15, 2011. Harry Fraud executive produced the overall mixtape, and his subsequent twelfth mixtape ''Coke Boys 2'' released on August 19 of that same year.
Through French, Fraud was introduced to his fellow Coke Boy rapper Chinx Drugz. The two would go on to work on their collaborative mixtape ''Flight 2011'' which was released on March 11, 2011, and several tracks off of his subsequent ''Cocaine Riot'' mixtape released on April 19 that year. Fraud's production would also be included in French's collaborative mixtape with
Juicy J
Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, established i ...
and
Project Pat
Patrick Earl Houston (born February 8, 1973), better known by his stage name Project Pat, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. He is the older brother of Juicy J, the co-founder of Three 6 Mafia.
Houston was formerly a member of hip h ...
''
Cocaine Mafia
''Cocaine Mafia'' is a collaborative mixtape by rappers French Montana, Juicy J and Project Pat. The mixtape was announced in mid 2010, and released on December 19, 2011. It features guest appearances from DJ Paul, Chinx Drugz, Gucci Mane and A ...
'' released on December 20, 2011. By 2012, with the popularity of "Shot Caller", a remix was released featuring rappers
Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
and
Diddy.
2012–present: ''Cigarette Boats'', ''Adrift'' and ''Saaab Stories''
On July 10, 2012, Fraud and rapper
Currensy
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
released a collaborative
EP mixtape titled ''
Cigarette Boats
''Cigarette Boats'' is an EP by American rapper Curren$y and producer Harry Fraud. It was released for online download on July 10, 2012. XXL named it the "2012 EP of the Year."
Track listing
* All songs produced by Harry Fraud
Rory Willia ...
'', which
XXL would go on to award its "2012 EP of the Year." On March 8, 2013, Fraud released his debut
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
titled ''Adrift'', that has 115,000 downloads as of April 21, 2013, on
DatPiff
DatPiff is an online audio distribution platform that was launched in 2005. It is headquartered in Pennsylvania. It specializes in hip-hop, rap, and urban music. The site was founded in the spring of 2005 by Marcus Frasier. It is owned by Media ...
. The mixtape features guest appearances from Action Bronson,
Bun B
Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the southern rap duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work with ...
,
Slim Thug
Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1980), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He initially gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the hit single by rapper Mike Jones, "Still Tippin'". In July 2005, h ...
, Rick Ross, French Montana,
Prodigy
Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to:
* Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer
** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess
Arts, entertainment, and ...
, Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J,
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...
,
Trae tha Truth
Frazier Othel Thompson III (born July 3, 1980), better known by his stage name Trae tha Truth (or simply Trae), is an American rapper and record executive from Houston, Texas. Embarking on a musical career in 1998, he soon established himself ...
,
Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
,
Chinx Drugz
Lionel Du Fon Pickens (December 4, 1983 – May 17, 2015), better known by his stage name Chinx (formerly Chinx Drugz), was an American rapper. He was a member of The Rockaway Riot Squad alongside fellow slain rapper Stack Bundles. Chinx later jo ...
, Currensy,
Chevy Woods
Kevin "Chevy" Woods (born May 13, 1981) is an American rapper and songwriter from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Throughout his career he has been affiliated with rapper Wiz Khalifa and his respective Taylor Gang record label, also serving as Khalifa ...
,
Danny Brown
Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known by his stage name Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He has been described by MTV as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory".
In 2010, after amassing s ...
and
Pusha T
Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...
among many others. The mixtape is entirely self-produced and does not include any vocals of his.
[Harry Fraud "Adrift" Mixtape Download & Stream , Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales , HipHop DX]
/ref>
On April 8, 2013, Fraud and rapper Eddie B released a collaborative EP mixtape titled ''Horsepower'' through Man Bites Dog Records. Fraud also released an EP through Scion AV
Scion Audio/Visual, also known as Scion AV, Scion A/V or SA/V, was an in-house record label and "lifestyle marketing" division of the Scion marque produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market.
Along with the rest of the Sci ...
on May 7, 2013, titled ''Scion A/V Presents: High Tide''. The free EP features guest appearances by Earl Sweatshirt
Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), also known by his stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, ...
, Tech N9ne
Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two m ...
, French Montana, Action Bronson, Riff Raff
Riff Raff, Riffraff, or Riff-Raff, a term for the common people but with negative connotations, may refer to:
In music
* Riff Raff (rapper), from Texas
* Riff Raff (band), a UK progressive rock band
* Riff Raff, a band formed by Billy Bragg
* ...
, Mistah F.A.B., Troy Ave, Smoke DZA
Sean Pompey (born February 8, 1984), better known by his stage name Smoke DZA, is an American rapper and songwriter.
Biography
1984–2007: Early life and career beginnings
Smoke DZA was born February 8, 1984 at Harlem Hospital in New York ...
and Chinx Drugz. On the same day he released an EP on iTunes of instrumentals all produced by himself titled ''Royal Ralm''. On June 11, 2013, Fraud released his collaboration project with Action Bronson titled, ''Saaab Stories
''Saaab Stories'' is the second extended play (EP) by American rapper Action Bronson. The EP was released on June 11, 2013, and is entirely produced by American record producer Harry Fraud. The EP, which was released by Vice and Atlantic Records, ...
''. The project featured collaborations with Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success ...
, WIz Khalifa and Prodigy. It debuted at #63 on the ''Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
''.
On July 22, 2013, it was announced that Fraud's Surf School record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
signed to the new Priority Records
Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice-T, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Big L, Silkk the Shocker and Westside Connection. It also distributed hip hop record labels including Death Row R ...
which operates under Capitol Music Group
Capitol Music Group (CMG) is an American front line umbrella label distributed by Universal Music Group which oversees handling of record labels assigned to UMG's Capitol Records division. It was inherited from UMG's acquisition of EMI's catalog ( ...
. He has promised a project with French Montana to be released after Montana's album '' Excuse My French'' (2013). He also revealed plans to release a collaboration mixtape with Riff Raff and his debut album in late 2013. Fraud and Eddie B also announced they would release a full-length album titled ''Paper, Piff & Polo'' during 2013. On October 6, 2013, Smoke DZA announced he would release a collaboration EP with Currensy, entirely produced by Harry Fraud. He has said he wants to work with New York rappers Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and Cam'ron
Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known by his stage name Cam'ron, is an American rapper, record executive, and actor from Harlem, New York City. Beginning his career in the mid-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed to Lance "Un" ...
in the future. Fraud has called The Alchemist as his favorit
producer
Production style
Harry Fraud's production has been described as "New York tinged, sample heavy, foggy music." Fraud's production leans heavily on samples, and he's become known for turning obscure tracks into hard-knocking beats.[Harry Fraud Talks Sampling, 'Adrift' Mixtape [Download] - XXL]
/ref> 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." 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." He is known for his signature tag at the beginning of his productions by friend an
visual artist/musician Fanesha Fabre
saying "La musica de Harry Fraud".
Surf School Recordings
In 2012, Harry Fraud founded his own record label "Surf School Recordings", the name a tribute to Max B
Charley Wingate (born May 21, 1978), better known by his stage name Max B (short for Max Biggaveli), is an American rapper and singer. He is best known for his solo ''Public Domain'' and ''Million Dollar Baby'' series of mixtapes, and introduc ...
and Fraud's own passion for surfing. 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. In 2013, Fraud signed a deal making it an imprint
Imprint or imprinting may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Imprint'' (TV series), Canadian television series
* "Imprint" (''Masters of Horror''), episode of TV show ''Masters of Horror''
* ''Imprint'' (film), a 2007 independent drama/thriller film
...
under Priority Records
Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice-T, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Big L, Silkk the Shocker and Westside Connection. It also distributed hip hop record labels including Death Row R ...
. In a 2014 interview with Life+Times he noted,
The SRFSCHL label comes from the concept of what Max B
Charley Wingate (born May 21, 1978), better known by his stage name Max B (short for Max Biggaveli), is an American rapper and singer. He is best known for his solo ''Public Domain'' and ''Million Dollar Baby'' series of mixtapes, and introduc ...
brought to the light with "the wave" and his philosophy and what me and French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
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.
Discography
Albums
Mixtapes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraud, Harry
1983 births
American hip hop record producers
American hip hop musicians
East Coast hip hop musicians
Living people
Musicians from Brooklyn
Production discographies
Record producers from New York (state)