Dave Free facts for kids

Dave Free, born David Isaac Friley on November 13, 1986, is an American filmmaker and music producer. He grew up in Inglewood, California. Many people know him as the manager and creative partner of the famous rapper Kendrick Lamar.

When he was a co-president at Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar worked together as "The Little Homies" to direct music videos and short films. After leaving TDE in 2019, he started a creative company called pgLang with Kendrick Lamar. Dave Free has won many awards, including two Grammy Awards and three MTV Video Music Awards.

Early Life

David Isaac Friley was born on November 13, 1986. His hometown is Inglewood, California. He is the youngest of three children. Dave Free and rapper Kendrick Lamar became friends in high school.

After high school, Dave Free worked as a computer technician. He also helped Kendrick Lamar start his music career. He used his job to show Lamar's music to Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Tiffith was the founder of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). This led to Lamar signing a music contract with TDE in 2007.

Career in Music and Film

Starting at Top Dawg Entertainment

Soon after Lamar joined TDE, Dave Free also joined the label as a producer. He became part of a hip hop production team called Digi+Phonics. Other members included Sounwave, Willie B, and Tae Beast. They worked a lot on projects for the hip hop supergroup Black Hippy. This group included Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul.

Their production work was highly praised. In November 2012, Complex magazine named Digi+Phonics as one of the top 25 new producers to watch. BET also named them one of the top ten young producers on the rise in July 2013.

Leading Roles and The Little Homies

Dave Free's business career at TDE began as the social media director. In 2007, he became a co-president of the label, working alongside Terrence "Punch" Henderson. During this time, Dave Free also became Kendrick Lamar's manager.

Together, they co-directed several of Lamar's studio albums and their music videos. They did this under the group name "The Little Homies." Their filmmaking work received a lot of praise. This duo won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video and the MTV Video Music Awards for Best Hip Hop Video and Video of the Year.

Founding pgLang

On October 4, 2019, Rolling Stone magazine reported that Dave Free had left TDE. He was working on his own and also helping rapper Baby Keem gain recognition. He also shared his goal of "getting heavily into the film game."

On March 5, 2020, Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar launched a new creative company called pgLang. Through this company, Dave Free has written and directed many music videos and advertising campaigns. These campaigns were for big brands like Calvin Klein, Converse, and Cash App.

On January 13, 2022, Free and Lamar announced they were producing an untitled comedy film. They are working with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Paramount Pictures.

Awards and Recognition

Dave Free has received many awards for his work in music and film. Here are some of his notable achievements:

Discography

Dave Free has worked on many music projects as a producer and creative director. Here are some of them: