Harris was born and raised in Chicago's South Side. He began his music career playing with the city's New Friendship Missionary Baptist Church gospel choir.[3]
Recalling to Modern Drummer Magazine how he started: "Harris survived being thrown to the lions thanks in part to how he got his start behind the kit – playing drums in his church’s band. “I come from a Gospel background,” he explains. “Having to learn songs fast is part of the everyday life of a church musician doing Gospel music. A lot of times we would do concerts where there was no sheet music and we had thirteen songs in different styles. So just being able to absorb music quickly and keep it locked in is how I’ve learned to approach music.”[4]
"At Chicago’s Curie performing arts high school, Harris picked up more important tools of the trade, building his sight-reading chops, honing the keyboard and bass skills he’d picked up in church, mastering concert percussion, and performing blazing drum solos with the advanced jazz band and stage bands. After high school, Harris attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating with a degree in production and engineering. Armed with the skills and know-how to succeed on both sides of the music-making process, he relocated to New York to work as an engineer for Bad Boy Records hit maker Richard Younglord Frierson."[5]
DRUM! Magazine says of Harris: "the hottest drummer in hip-hop.. pocket provider."[7]
"Harris produced three tracks on the Peas' smash CD The E.N.D., including the Top Ten hit "Meet Me Halfway," which went Number One on the UK Singles Chart, and "Ring-A-Ling.""Imma Be" is the third single from the Peas record-breaking The E.N.D. to hit Number One. He worked on Fergie's 2006 solo smash The Dutchess.[8]
In 2007 Harris released the album entitled "The Band Behind The Front" with Bucky Jonson on the BBE label.[9]
Filmography
Be Cool (2005)
Cast: Black Eyed Peas
La La Land (2016)
Cast: Cole
Discography
Fergie – Double Dutchess
"Life Goes On" (producer)
Nicki Minaj – The Pinkprint
"Grand Piano" (writer & producer)
will.i.am – It's My Birthday
"It's My Birthday" (writer)
Goapele – Strong As Glass
"Strong As Glass", "Hey Boy", "My Love", "Powerful", "Truth Is" (producer)
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