Prolyfic

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Prolyfic
File:Treated Rack.jpg
Prolyfic In The Studio
Background information
Birth name David Lemar Ewing Jr.
Also known as Prolyfic, Pro
Born April 2nd
Origin Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Hip hop, R&B, Pop
Occupation(s) Record producer, Songwriter
Instruments synthesizer, keyboards, drums, sampler
Years active 1996 – present
Associated acts Lupe Fiasco, No I.D., Jay-Z, Kanye West, Jeremih, Gemini, Jazmine Sullivan, Drake

Prolyfic (born David Lemar Ewing Jr. in Chicago, IL) is a Grammy Nominated American Hip-Hop record producer, and Songwriter best known for his work[1][2][3] with the Grammy Award Winning hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco.

Early life

David Lemar Ewing Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois the son of Anita Logan and David Lemar Ewing Sr. As a teenager, Ewing became interested in hip hop, performing amateur raps at age fourteen under the name Prolyfic. Although a student at Simeon Career Academy on the southside, he frequently participated in freestyle battles at local parties across town, he made way to gain the approval of hip hop underground audiences, alongside fellow members of his Inner Circle/I.C.U squad.

As Ewing's reputation grew, more popular crew's sought out to acquire him as a member. In 1997 he joined the group ILL Nature, and merged a union between the groups he had already led, and the new group he was a part of, to create the "360 Click", a crew that consisted of Inner Circle, I.C.U., & ILL Nature. They then went on to win several local, as well as All City Rap Battles, including Ewing winning 2 himself, and placing runner up in his very first attendance against local legend Profound.

As Ewing started to mature, his focus leaned more in the favor of hip hop production, purchasing his first MPC2000XL by the age of 18. Fellow Chicago producer Boogz heard his material and, taken by Ewing's unique sense of sample selection, began working with him, as well as introducing him to the circle of chi-town producers Ewing would later become a part of. Including No I.D., Kanye West, Brian "Allday" Miller, & few others. Prolyfic recalls: "I started working on my craft and getting better and better and there was this cat named Boogz, who I hooked up with at the time. We used to always hang out at the Point over on 55th and Lake Shore – that was Hip Hop land..... Boogz looked at me as a smaller version of himself.... He saw that I had a good ear for samples, but he knew I needed help on certain things. He showed me how to chop the samples up.... The way Dion "(No I.D.)" and Kanye do it. He showed me that style of chopping. He introduced me to people like Icedrake, Kanye West, No I.D. and Dug Infinite. So Boogz is really the person who is responsible for bringing me into the circle."[4]

Career

In 2000, Prolyfic inked his first deal with local production company "Infared Music Group", alongside fellow producer Boogz, and other hip hop acts such as Yung Berg,[5] & L.e.p.. His first production placement[6] was on Dame Dash Presents: Paid In Full/Dream Team Soundtrack[7] with Oschino & Sparks on the song entitled "On and Poppin". After a brief stint at Infared, Prolyfic then became an in-house producer for Lupe Fiasco's 1st & 15th production company, but left shortly after the release of Fiasco's Grammy Award Winning debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor.

Citing "No I.D." as his mentor, teacher, & friend,[4] Prolyfic learns by watching and studying under the legendary Chicago producer's wing. He is currently Executive Producing the release of Detroit-Chicago based recording artist Drey Skonie's debut EP entitled "One Night Stand" slated to be released March 2014.

Discography

Year Artist Album Song Role Notes
2002 Oschino & Sparks Roc-A-Fella Records Presents Paid in Full On & Poppin' Producer Produced with Boogz
2003 Foxy Brown (rapper) Brooklyn's Don Diva Why Producer Not Credited
2004 Lupe Fiasco Fahrenheit 1/15 Part I: The Truth Is Among Us Knockin' at the Door Producer
Boss Playa Producer, Vocals Feat. Gemini & Prolyfic
I Know Why Producer Feat. Gemini
U Don't Know Producer
2005 Lupe Fiasco Fahrenheit 1/15 Part II: Revenge of the Nerd Mean & Vicious Producer
Freestyle Producer Feat. Gemini
2006 Lupe Fiasco Food & Liquor Advance Dedicated Producer Feat. Gemini
Pimp Hand (Make Sure) Producer
Theme Music to a Drive By (intro) Producer
Real Recognize Real Producer
Trials & Tribulations Producer
MTV Presents: My Block Chicago Soundtrack Pills Producer
Gemini Candy Producer
Lupe Fiasco Food & Liquor Retail Just Might Be Okay Producer Feat. Gemini
Pressure Producer Feat. Jay-Z & Gemini
American Terrorist Producer Feat. Matthew Santos
Carrera Lu Producer, Vocals Feat. Prolyfic
2008 Gemini Time Producer
G-4 Producer
Add-2 Tale Of Two's City Vol. 3: The Rise & Fall Pride Producer
2010 Drake You Know, You Know Producer Produced with Kanye West & No I.D. [8]
Mikkey Halsted The Dark Room First Class Producer, Vocals
Frozen Producer, Writer Feat. Kamilah Summer
Jazmine Sullivan Love Me Back Famous Producer Produced with No I.D.
MC Lyte My Story Producer Feat. Anthony Hamilton
What We Been Thru Producer
2012 Scotty ATL The Jiffy Cornbread Experience Too Cool Producer Produced with Soundtrakk
Pay Day Producer Produced with 1120
Cornbread Eatin' Producer Produced with The 2-3
No Sticks, No Seeds Producer
King Mez My Everlasting Zeal Tonight Mixer Feat. Drey Skonie
Play Skool (Shape, Number, Color) Writer, Vocals Performed Hook
The Diadem Producer Feat. Drey Skonie Produced with Face of The 2-3
Yung Berg Chicago Redemption Know Me Producer
Jeremih Late Nights Skit Intro/Jeremih Producer
All Over Me Producer Feat. Sir Michael Rock of The Cool Kids
BJ the Chicago Kid Pineapple Now-Laters Sex Is The Best Breakfast Producer
2014 Scotty ATL Bad Boy '97 Producer Feat. Rich The Kid
Drey Skonie One Night Stand One Night Only Writer
My Lady/Think About it Producer Produced with No Speakers
Busy Makin' Luv Producer Produced with Drey Skonie & iRock
The W Producer
Luv Me Best Writer, Producer Produced with Drey Skonie
One Night Stand Producer Produced with iRock & Drey Skonie
2015 Goody Shawty Swing [9] [10] 21 (ToAnyOne) Producer

Grammy Awards

Year Recipient/Nominated work Award Result
2007 Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor Best Rap Album Nominated [11]

BET Hip-Hop Awards

Year Recipient/Nominated work Award Result
2006 Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor Hip-Hop CD of the Year Nominated[12]

Executive Produced/A&R

Year Artist Project Role
2012 Scotty ATL The Jiffy Cornbread Experience Executive Producer, Sequencer & Arranger
2013 Giftz Position of Power A&R, Sequencer
2014 Drey Skonie One Night Stand Executive Producer, Sequencer & Arranger

References

External links