Dave Free | |
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Born | David Isaac Friley [1] November 13, 1986 Inglewood, California, U.S. |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2004–present |
Title |
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Musical career | |
Also known as |
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Genres | Hip hop |
Labels | Top Dawg (former) |
Formerly of | Digi+Phonics |
David Isaac Friley [1] (born November 13, 1986), known professionally as Dave Free, is an American filmmaker and record executive. [2] Born and raised in Inglewood, California, he is best known for his creative partnership with rapper Kendrick Lamar. Together, they have directed several music videos and films under the collective name the Little Homies, and founded the entertainment company PGLang in 2020. Through their partnership, Free has won a Grammy Award and three MTV Video Music Awards. [3] [4]
David Isaac Friley was born on November 13, 1986, in Inglewood, California; the son of a couple from the North and South Sides of Chicago. [5] He is the youngest of three children. [5] Friley is a childhood friend of rapper Kendrick Lamar, having met while they were both in high school. [6] After graduating, he worked as a computer technician while helping Lamar begin his rap career. [7] He used his job to showcase Lamar's music to Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, founder and CEO of independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), which led to him signing a recording contract with the label in 2007. [8] [9]
Shortly after Lamar signed with TDE, Free joined the label as an in-house producer. He became a member of the hip hop production team Digi+Phonics alongside Sounwave, Willie B and Tae Beast and worked significantly on projects for the hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, composed of Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. [10] Their production work received critical praise; Complex named Digi+Phonics as one of the top 25 new producers to watch out for in November 2012. [11] BET named them as one of the top ten young producers on the rise in July 2013. [12]
Free's business career began as the social media director for TDE. [13] In 2007, he was named the label's co-president alongside Terrence "Punch" Henderson. [14] Free subsequently became Lamar's manager during his tenure and co-directed several of his studio albums and accompanying music videos under the collective name The Little Homies. [15] [16] Their filmmaking work earned praise and led to the duo winning the Grammy Award for Best Music Video and the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Hip Hop Video and Video of the Year. [17] [18]
On October 4, 2019, Rolling Stone reported that Free had left TDE and was working independently. He was also helping rapper Baby Keem as he started gaining recognition and expressed his intention of "getting heavy into the film game." [19] On March 5, 2020, Free and Lamar launched the "multi-lingual" creative company PGLang. [20] [21] Through the company, Free has written and directed several music videos and advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Converse and Cash App. [22] [23] [24] On January 13, 2022, Free and Lamar announced they were producing an untitled comedy film with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Paramount Pictures. [25]
Organization | Year [lower-alpha 1] | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BET Awards | 2023 | Video Director of the Year | Free and Kendrick Lamar | Nominated | [26] |
BET Hip Hop Awards | 2022 | Won | [27] | ||
2023 | Won | [28] | |||
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | 2023 | Film Craft Lion for Direction | We Cry Together – A Short Film | Grand Prix | [29] |
Grammy Awards | 2016 | Best Music Video | "Alright" | Nominated | [30] |
2018 | "Humble" | Won | [31] | ||
2023 | "The Heart Part 5" | Nominated | [32] | ||
2024 | "Count Me Out" | Pending | [33] | ||
Best Music Film | Live From Paris, The Big Steppers Tour | Pending | |||
MTV Video Music Awards | 2015 | Best Direction | "Alright" | Won | [34] |
Video of the Year | Nominated | ||||
2017 | Best Direction | "Humble" | Won | [35] | |
Video of the Year | Won | ||||
2022 | Best Direction | "Family Ties" | Nominated | [36] | |
2023 | "Count Me Out" | Nominated | [37] | ||
Variety Hitmakers | 2022 | Creativity and Impact Award | Himself | Won | [38] |
Track(s) | Year | Credit | Artist(s) | Album |
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— | 2009 | Executive producer | Kendrick Lamar | Kendrick Lamar |
— | 2010 | Overly Dedicated | ||
— | 2011 | Schoolboy Q | Setbacks | |
— | Kendrick Lamar | Section.80 | ||
"The Spiteful Chant" (featuring Schoolboy Q) | Record producer | |||
"#LTM" (featuring Pat Brown) | Record producer (produced with Tae Beast) | Ab-Soul | Longterm Mentality | |
— | 2012 | Executive producer | Schoolboy Q | Habits & Contradictions |
"Tookie Knows (Interlude)" | Record producer (produced with Tae Beast) | |||
"Raymond 1969" | Record producer (produced with Sounwave) | |||
"How We Feeling" | Record producer (produced with Tae Beast) | |||
"Blessed" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) | ||||
— | Associate producer | Kendrick Lamar | Good Kid, M.A.A.D City | |
— | 2013 | Co-executive producer | Ab-Soul | Control System |
"Solo Ho3" (featuring Jhené Aiko) | Record producer (produced with Sounwave) | |||
"Bohemian Grove" | Record producer (produced with Tae Beast) | |||
"Terrorist Threats" (featuring Danny Brown and Jhené Aiko) | Record producer |
Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr., better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, he signed to the local independent label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005. Through the label, he secured a major label record deal with Warner Bros. Records and Asylum Records to release his 2008 debut single, "All My Life ". Failing to chart, the mergers fell through and Rock departed from both of the latter labels shortly after. He then signed with Missouri rapper Tech N9ne's record label Strange Music, in a joint venture deal with TDE in 2011.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he is the only musician outside of the classical and jazz genres to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Lamar's works has been recognized for its continual versatility, characterized by his melodic cadences, cinematic songwriting, and striking visual presentations. His regular infusion of political criticism and social commentary influenced a rise of social consciousness within his generation.
Quincy Matthew Hanley, better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q, is an American rapper from Carson, California. He was a member of the California-based hip hop group Black Hippy, alongside frequent collaborators Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar.
Section.80 is the debut studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on July 2, 2011, by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). In the years leading up to its release, Lamar previously produced various mixtapes under the moniker K.Dot. In 2010, Lamar released Overly Dedicated, his fourth solo mixtape. Shortly after its release, he began working on Section.80.
Black Hippy was an American hip hop supergroup from South Los Angeles, California, formed in 2008. The group is composed of West Coast rappers Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and ScHoolboy Q. Black Hippy was constructed after all of its members had signed to Carson-based indie record label, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an American independent record label. Specializing in hip hop and R&B artists, TDE is based in Carson, California. The label was founded in 2004 by record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, who also serves as the chief executive officer. His son, Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr., and Terrence "Punch" Henderson are the presidents of the label.
Herbert Anthony Stevens IV, better known by his stage name Ab-Soul, is an American rapper. Raised in Carson, California, he signed to indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2007, where he eventually formed West Coast hip hop group Black Hippy, alongside fellow California-based rappers Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q. He is perhaps most known for his introspective lyrics and his five independent albums under TDE, Longterm Mentality, Control System, These Days..., Do What Thou Wilt., and Herbert, which were all released to positive reviews and commercial success.
Digi+Phonics is an African American hip hop production team, composed of California-based record producers Tae Beast, Sounwave, Dave Free and Willie B. They currently serve as the main in-house producers for Carson-based record label, Top Dawg Entertainment. Digi+Phonics work significantly on projects from all the members of hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, who are also signed to Top Dawg and is composed of rappers Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul. Their best known productions include "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" by Kendrick Lamar, "There He Go" by Schoolboy Q, and "Terrorist Threats" by Ab-Soul. They frequently co-produce songs together and put the finishing touches on the projects released by Top Dawg Entertainment.
"Collard Greens" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Schoolboy Q, released on June 11, 2013 as the lead single from his third studio album Oxymoron (2014). The song, produced by production team THC and co-produced by Gwen Bunn, features a guest appearance from his Black Hippy cohort, Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate, and fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar. The song has since peaked at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 36 on the UK R&B Chart. It was met with generally positive reviews from music critics.
Mark Anthony Spears, known professionally as Sounwave, is an American record producer and songwriter. He is a frequent collaborator of rapper Kendrick Lamar, having worked on all of his projects since his 2009 self-titled extended play. Sounwave has also worked with artists such as Taylor Swift, Chloe x Halle, Baby Keem, Mac Miller, and Bleachers. He has won three Grammy Awards, including two for Best Rap Album.
Isaiah Rashad Joel McClain is an American rapper. His mainstream breakthrough followed after his performances on the 2012 Smoker's Club Tour alongside rappers Juicy J, Joey Badass and Smoke DZA. He is a founding member of the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based hip hop collective The House along with fellow Chattanooga rappers YGTUT, Michael Da Vinci (MikeyD), Chris P, and Brian Brown.
"Humble" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 30, 2017, along with its music video, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The song was written by Lamar and producers Mike Will Made It and Pluss. It was provided to rhythmic contemporary radio as the lead single from Lamar's fourth studio album, Damn. "Humble" is Lamar's second number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 after "Bad Blood" and his first as a lead artist. The song received four nominations at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video, winning in the last three categories.
Sir Darryl Farris, known mononymously as Sir, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Inglewood, California, he released his debut album Seven Sundays (2015), via indie label Fresh Selects. He would go on to secure a record deal with Carson-based indie label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), where he released his second album November (2018). His third album, Chasing Summer (2019), was also issued by TDE, in conjunction with major-label RCA Records.
Terrence Louis Henderson Jr., better known by his stage name Punch, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and record executive from Carson, California. He is best known for being the president of independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). He has also executive produced several successful albums, including Kendrick Lamar's Section.80 (2011), Schoolboy Q's Habits & Contradictions (2012), Terrace Martin's 3ChordFold, (2013) and more. Aside from his solo musical career, Punch is a member of hip hop collective A Room Full of Mirrors, alongside fellow rappers Daylyt, Nick Grant, The Ichiban Don, Lyric Michelle, Hari, and more.
American rapper Kendrick Lamar has appeared in 73 music videos, including 37 featured appearances and one uncredited appearance. He has also released three short films and was featured in numerous television shows. For his debut studio album, Section.80 (2011), Lamar released music videos for his debut single "HiiiPower", "Tammy's Song, "A.D.H.D", and "Rigamortis", each helmed by various directors and released in 2011. He followed with a sole music video in 2012 for "Swimming Pools (Drank)", in support of his second album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. He released four more music videos for the album in 2013, and made his debut as a music video director with the video for "Backseat Freestyle". He debuted as a film producer with the short film M.A.A.D (2014), which was directed by Khalil Joseph and inspired by Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.
Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr., known professionally as Baby Keem, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Las Vegas, he gained recognition in the late 2010s with his contributions to Black Panther: The Album, Redemption, Crash Talk, and The Lion King: The Gift. He rose to prominence in 2019 through his sleeper hit single "Orange Soda".
PGLang is an American independent multidisciplinary creative communications company specializing in music and visual media production. It was founded by Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free in 2020, and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The company has won six Cannes Lions Awards, including the Special Award for Independent Agency of the Year – Craft in 2023.
"The Heart Part 5" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was surprise released on May 8, 2022, through pgLang, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, as a promotional single to help anticipate the release for Lamar's fifth studio album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, where it was later included as a streaming bonus track. It is the fifth part in his "The Heart" song series following "The Heart Part 4" in 2017, and his first solo release in over four years. The song received five nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, including for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, eventually winning the latter two.