Dave Free

David Isaac Friley[1][2] (born November 13, 1986), known professionally as Dave Free, is an American filmmaker, record executive, and former record producer. He is best known for his creative partnership with rapper Kendrick Lamar, with whom he founded the entertainment company PGLang. He has co-directed several music videos and films alongside Lamar under the collective name The Little Homies.[3][4]

Dave Free
Birth nameDavid Isaac Friley
Also known as
  • Miyatola
  • Dee.Jay.Dave
Born (1986-11-13) November 13, 1986
Inglewood, California, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Filmmaker
  • record executive
Years active2004–present
OrganizationPGLang
Labels
Formerly ofDigi+Phonics

Early life

David 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]

Career

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" entertainment 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]

Production discography
List of production (songwriting and arrangement) credits
Track(s) Year Credit Artist(s) Album
— 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

References
  1. "David Isaac Friley, Born 11/13/1986 in California". California Birth Index. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  2. "Dave Free". Discogs. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  3. "Here's How Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free Became Super Duo 'The Little Homies'". MTV.
  4. "The Little Homies Have the Best Creative Vision in Rap".
  5. Jackson, Mitchell S. (December 27, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar's Unconstrained Next Chapter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  6. Yoo, Noah (October 4, 2019). "Dave Free No Longer Co-President of Top Dawg Entertainment: Report". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  7. Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Meet Dave Free, Kendrick Lamar's 30 Under 30 Manager". Forbes. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  8. Droke, Carolyn (October 5, 2019). "Dave Free Reportedly Steps Down As Top Dawg Entertainment's President". UPROXX. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  9. "Kendrick Lamar: The West Coast Got Somethin' To Say". HipHopDX. January 6, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  10. Ducker, Eric (July 23, 2014). "A Rational Conversation: The Sound Of TDE's Success". NPR. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  11. "25 New Producers To Watch Out For". Complex. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  12. "10 Young Producers On the Rise". BET. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  13. "More Levels, The Brains Behind Top Dawg Entertainment [September 2012 Story] - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  14. "Kendrick Lamar Addresses Macklemore Text, Will Reportedly Release His New Album In September". Complex. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  15. Phillips, Yoh. "The Little Homies Have the Best Creative Vision in Rap". DJBooth. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  16. "Here's How Kendrick Lamar And Dave Free Became Super Duo 'The Little Homies'". MTV. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  17. "Grammy Awards Winners: The Complete List". Variety. January 28, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  18. Berry, Peter A. "Kendrick Lamar's 'Humble' Wins Best Hip-Hop at 2017 MTV Video Music Awards - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  19. Leight, Elias (October 4, 2019). "Dave Free Leaves Top Dawg Entertainment". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  20. Mamo, Heran (March 5, 2020). "Kendrick Lamar Announces Mysterious 'pgLang' Project: What Does It All Mean?". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  21. Holmes, Charles (March 5, 2020). "Kendrick Lamar Launches… Something (And Says It's Not a Record Label)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  22. Dunn, Frankie (January 14, 2021). "Kendrick Lamar's pgLang has collaborated with Calvin Klein". i-D. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  23. Inman, DeMicia (May 4, 2022). "A Closer Look At The "pgLang For Converse" Collaboration". VIBE.com. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  24. "Kendrick Lamar Links With Billionaire Ray Dalio for New pgLang-Produced Video Promoting Financial Literacy". Complex. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  25. Grobar, Matt (January 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar, Dave Free & 'South Park' Duo Matt Stone And Trey Parker To Produce Comedy Penned By Vernon Chatman For Paramount". Deadline. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
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