Frenchie (rapper)

Greg Hogan (born May 15, 1985), better known by his stage name Frenchie, is an American rapper from Queens, New York. He is best known as one of the original members of Gucci Mane's So Icey Entertainment and 1017 Brick Squad and Waka Flocka Flame's Brick Squad Monopoly. Growing up Frenchie frequently travelled back and forth between Queens, Atlanta and Riverdale where he has family, before signing with manager Debra Antney. Frenchie is also credited for introducing fellow East Coast rappers Nicki Minaj and French Montana to Debra's Mizay Entertainment before their mainstream breakouts.^[1] He released French Connection in 2009.

Early life

Frenchie was born and raised in South Jamaica, Queens.^[2] He spent much of his life travelling back and forth between Queens and Atlanta, where he has family including aunt Debra Antney and her sons Waka Flocka Flame and Wooh Da Kid. His cousins had lived in Queens before moving to Atlanta and Riverdale in the mid 90's. He also grew up with childhood friend Lloyd Banks, and his neighbors included other members who founded G-Unit namely Tony Yayo and 50 Cent.^[3][4] According to interviews, Hogan's father Big Frenchie was a notable gangster and drug dealer in the borough in the early 90's, whom 50 Cent has referenced and idolized in his earlier work most notably on "50 Bars" and "Ghetto Quran".^[5][4] Hogan wanted to become a rapper having been inspired after watching Kris Kross' song "Jump" on Video Music Box at an early age.^[6] He is of Guyanese ancestry.^[7]

Music career

Frenchie hails from a musical family background with several of his relatives in the industry. His cousin Bimmy was an A&R for Def Jam Recordings while his uncle from his father's side DJ Hurricane worked with the Beastie Boys.^[8][9] His cousin/aunt Debra Antney was manager to Southern rappers Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman. Frenchie began rapping when he was 19 years old, and would go on to record his first professionally produced track "Shirt Off" in late 2008.^[2] Prior to the record, he had appeared in various "street DVDs" performing freestyles and cyphers.

2008 - 2011: So Icey Entertainment and 1017 Brick Squad

During a trip to Atlanta to attend a family reunion, Frenchie's aunt Debra Antney had introduced him to rapper Gucci Mane who then signed him to his So Icey Entertainment.^[10] The song "Shirt Off" from Gucci Mane's The Movie mixtape released in September 2008 – which featured Frenchie, Wooh Da Kid and OJ Da Juiceman as "So Icey Boyz" – would be Frenchie's breakout track becoming a hit on Atlanta radio.^[4] Since then, he had been managed by Debra Antney's Mizay Entertainment.

Frenchie released his debut mixtape French Connection on February 22, 2009 hosted by DJ Big Mike and Trap-A-Holics.^[11] Later in the year, his camp would go on to form 1017 Brick Squad. His second mixtape Chicken Room, released on September 15,^[12] would be his first under the new imprint. Frenchie would be featured on "Candy Lady" from Gucci Mane's The Burrprint released in October 2009 – alongside OJ Da Juiceman, Wooh Da Kid and Waka Flocka Flame – which would be the second and last time all members of 1017 Brick Squad collaborated on one song since "Shirt Off" the year prior.^[10]

According to interviews, Frenchie had been the one to introduce Nicki Minaj to Debra Antney who then became her manager, prior to the latter's mainstream breakout.^[1] In an interview with DJ Lazy K in December 2009, Frenchie announced plans for an upcoming collaborative tape with French Montana.^[13] Although the tape never materialized, Montana would go on to collaborate with Frenchie and others from Brick Squad the following year. Frenchie had introduced Montana to Debra who would sign him later in the year.^[1][14] In March 2010, Frenchie's friend and frequent collaborator Brooklyn rapper G-Baby was shot to death in Queens, New York.^[15][16] The two had collaborated on several tracks off of Frenchie's fifth mixtape Trap To The Future released on March 29,^[17] and his sixth mixtape French Connection Part 2 released on July 18.^[18]

2011 - 2014: Brick Squad Monopoly

Starting in 2011, Frenchie would spend most of his time in Atlanta and touring with 1017 Brick Squad and Mizay Entertainment. That year, Waka Flocka Flame would go on to form Brick Squad Monopoly with Frenchie as one of the original members. He released his eighth mixtape Bringing Gangsta Back on June 25,^[19] and his ninth mixtape Concrete Jungle on October 17.^[20] In December 2011, fellow BSM member Slim Dunkin was shot to death during an altercation.^[21] In 2012, Frenchie released his tenth mixtape French-Elo Anthony on March 10,^[22] and his eleventh mixtape Concrete Jungle 2 on December 17.^[23]

On May 21, 2013, he released his twelfth mixtape Long Over Due,^[24] aptly titled so having felt the need to showcase a solo effort with fewer guest features compared to his previous records.^[25] Later that year, Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame would become embroiled in a rather public falling-out, with Frenchie noticeably on the side of his cousin Waka Flocka.^[26][27] However, when asked about the incident a year later, Frenchie affirmed that the event was blown out of proportion by the media, and they were all currently on good terms.^[2][10] In 2013, Frenchie released the singles "Power Moves" and "Don't Know Em" which peaked at Mediabase urban charts at #44 and #89, respectively. He appeared on MTV's RapFix Live on March 27,^[28] and on the VH1 show Black Ink Crew which aired on October 7.^[29] On December 29, his cousin and fellow BSM member KayO Redd committed suicide.^[30] KayO, who is Debra's youngest son, had died from a self-inflicted gunshot.

In 2014, Frenchie released a collaborative mixtape entitled Underrated with rapper D-Dash on January 14,^[31] and released his fourteenth mixtape Long Over Due 2 on March 3.^[32] It would be his last releases under Brick Squad Monopoly and manager Debra Antney, with Frenchie venturing off under his own label later in the year. Having accompanied Waka Flocka, Steve Aoki and Borgore on tour the year before, he also showed a new-found interest in EDM which he expressed plans to pursue in the future.^[33]

2014 - present: Protekted Records

On September 9, 2014, Frenchie announced he was joining Protekted Records, an independent label he helped found with Karen Fraiberg and Jon Gornbein.^[34][35] Under the new management, he would go on to release his fifteenth mixtape on September 16 entitled Fukk Fame.^[36] That year, he released the single Ain't Goin Nowhere, featuring B.o.B and Chanel West Coast, which peaked at #29 on Mediabase urban charts.^[9] In 2015, Frenchie released a collaborative mixtape entitled Phil Jackson with his Artist rapper/producer Jusjoose on November 8.^[37] His seventeenth mixtape Chicken Room 2 came out in 2015.

Discography

References

External links

• Official Twitter
• Official Instagram
• Official Youtube
• Official Soundcloud