David Lemar Ewing Jr. (born April 2, 1981), known professionally as Prolyfic, is an American Grammy-nominated hip-hop record producer, and songwriter best known for his work with 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."
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, & L.e.p. His first production placement was on Dame Dash Presents: Paid In Full/Dream Team Soundtrack 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, 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. 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 21 (ToAnyOne) Producer
Grammy Awards
|rowspan="3" | 2007 | Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor | Best Rap Album | (January 9, 2008) Lupe Fiasco Is "The Cool"-est Superstar in Hip-Hop Today; Grammy-Nominated Rapper's Sophomore Album Debuts at #1 on Reuters. Accessed October 6, 2008.
BET Hip-Hop Awards
| 2006 | Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor | Hip-Hop CD of the Year | Henry Adaso. 2006 BET Hip-Hop Awards About.com. Accessed October 6, 2008.
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 Prolyfic's Soundcloud Prolyfic's Myspace