Fredro Starr facts for kids

Fred Lee Scruggs Jr. (born April 18, 1971), known as Fredro Starr, is an American rapper and actor. He is famous for being a member of the hardcore rap group Onyx.

Fredro Starr was discovered by the famous hip hop artist Jam Master Jay from Run-D.M.C.. Jam Master Jay signed Onyx to his record label, JMJ Records. Onyx then released three very popular albums. As part of Onyx, Fredro Starr was nominated for "Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop New Artist" at the American Music Awards of 1994. He also won "Best Rap Album" at the 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.

Fredro Starr has acted in over 55 movies and TV shows. His first acting role was in the HBO drama Strapped. He has also appeared in movies like Spike Lee's Clockers, Sunset Park, Save the Last Dance, and Torque. He even sang the theme song "Shining Through" for Save the Last Dance with Jill Scott.

On TV, Starr appeared in Law & Order and New York Undercover. He is well-known for playing Quentin 'Q' Brooks on UPN's show Moesha, which starred R&B singer Brandy. He also had roles in HBO's The Wire, NYPD Blue, Blade, and CSI: Miami. Fredro also helped host Dance 360, a TV show about urban dance competitions.

Early Life and Beginnings

Fred Lee Scruggs Jr. was born on April 18, 1971, in Brooklyn. He grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn. In 1984, when he was 13, he moved to South Jamaica, Queens with his brother, David Scruggs.

Between 1984 and 1988, Fredro Starr went to John Adams High School (Queens). Other students there included Marlon Fledtcher (who became Big DS) and Tyrone Taylor (who became Sonny Seeza). Fredro first met Sonny Seeza at a rap battle in Ajax Park in Jamaica, New York.

Music Journey

Starting Out in Music (1984–1988)

Fredro Starr first started as a breakdancing dancer after watching the movie "Beat Street" (1984). Back then, he was known as Magic.

In late 1985, Fredro Starr decided to become a street poet, which means a rapper. He was inspired by the rapper LL Cool J after watching the movie "Krush Groove" (1985).

Fredro first used a microphone in 1986 at a basketball court in Baisley Park in Queens. He rhymed with his friends, including Cocheeks (who became Mr. Cheeks) and Freaky Tah. They performed with live music from GrandMasta Vic and CutMasta JT. This park was a popular spot for music jams. Fredro was known as Kool Fredro at this time.

In 1986, Fred started working at "Nu Tribe Barbershop" in Queens. His younger cousin, Kirk Jones (known as Sticky Fingaz), joined him there three years later. At this barbershop, Fred and Kirk cut hair for famous people like Kool G Rap and Rakim. They earned money there until they heard their own song "Throw Ya Gunz" on the radio in 1992.

Forming Onyx

In 1988, after finishing school, Fredro Starr created the rap group Onyx. He formed it with his school friends Big DS and Suavé (who became Sonny Seeza). Big DS chose the name Onyx, named after the black stone. They started making their first songs in a basement using drum machine beats.

In 1989, Onyx got a manager, Jeffrey Harris. He helped them get a contract with Profile Records. In 1990, they recorded their first song, "Ah, And We Do It Like This." It was released in April 1990 but did not sell many copies.

Fredro Starr, Big DS, and Sonny Seeza met Jam Master Jay at a festival in July 1991. Jay asked them to make a demo song. However, Big DS and Sonny Seeza could not make it to the studio. So, Onyx's manager asked Fredro to bring his cousin, Kirk Jones (Sticky Fingaz), who was working on his own music. Fredro and Sticky Fingaz made two songs, "Stik 'N' Muve" and "Exercise."

Jam Master Jay loved these songs. He said, "If Sticky ain't in the group, it ain't no group!" This is how Sticky Fingaz joined Onyx. Jay signed the group to his label, JMJ Records.

In 1993, Onyx released their first album, "Bacdafucup". It was a huge success and sold millions of copies, especially because of the popular song "Slam". Onyx then released two more albums on JMJ Records: All We Got Iz Us and Shut 'Em Down.

Solo Music Career

In 2000, Fredro Starr signed with Koch Records. He released a mixtape called "Firestarr" that same year. The next year, he released his first solo album, also called "Firestarr". From this time, people started calling him Firestarr. He also helped create the soundtrack for the movie Save the Last Dance with Jill Scott. Starr's next album, Don't Get Mad Get Money, came out in 2003.

In 2003, Fredro Starr started a new music group called "100 Mad." In 2019, "100 Mad" released an album.

In 2011, Fredro Starr started his own record label called "Mad Money Movement" in Los Angeles. The first album released by his label was his solo album "Made In The Streets," which he made with producer Audible Doctor. This album came out on December 25, 2013. His label also released Onyx albums like "Against All Authorities" (2015) and "Black Rock (Onyx album)" (2018).

On November 26, 2013, Starr released "What If 2," the first song from his third album, The Firestarr 2. He released the music video for it in January 2014.

On October 4, 2015, Fredro Starr won a rap battle against Keith Murray in Brooklyn.

On March 9, 2018, Fredro Starr released his fourth solo album, "Firestarr 2". He had announced this album back in 2011.

In April 2020, he released a song called "Corona Freestyle."

Yung Onyx Group

In 2006, Starr started a new music group called Yung Onyx. However, the group later broke up.

Acting Career

Fredro Starr's manager, Jeff Harris, encouraged him to try acting. Fredro quickly got a role in a TV pilot called B Boys (1992), but the show was not continued. Less than a year later, he got his first big role as Bamboo in the HBO movie Strapped. For this role, he was nominated for an award called the CableACE Award for "Best Supporting Actor."

Fredro Starr also starred in the drama Clockers. He then got his first main role as Shorty in Sunset Park. Besides acting in Sunset Park, Fredro also helped write and perform the movie's main song, "Thangz Changed."

Other movies he appeared in include Ride, Light It Up, and Save the Last Dance.

On television, Starr had a regular role on Moesha as the main character's boyfriend. He also appeared in three episodes of HBO's The Wire as Marquis "Bird" Hilton. Starr also co-hosted Dance 360, a daily dance competition show, with actor Kel Mitchell.

Starr also made guest appearances on TV shows like NYPD Blue, Law & Order, Blade: The Series (where Sticky Fingaz played the main role), and Promised Land. He played Ricky Gannon on an episode of CSI: Miami in 2009 and appeared on New York Undercover.

Fredro produced a documentary about his mentor, Jam Master Jay, called Two Turntables and a Microphone: The Life and Death of Jam Master Jay. He also helped as an executive consultant for the hip hop movie A Day In The Life, which he also starred in.

Between 2009 and 2010, Starr appeared in 12 episodes of a web series called Tales Of The Industry. In 2012, he starred in 20 episodes of another web series called 16 Bars with Fredro Starr.

Starr played the main character in the movie Diamond Ruff, which first showed in Connecticut in 2013. In 2018, a movie called Firestarr 2 was filmed, which included music videos for songs from his album Firestarr 2.

Other Work

In 2011, Fredro Starr released two children's books: "Lil Freddy: The Red Sock" and "Lil Freddy: The Bully Kid."

Personal Life

His cousin, Sticky Fingaz, is also a member of the group Onyx. Fredro Starr has three children with his wife, Korina Longin, a model from Croatia. They got married in 2007.

Music Albums

Studio albums

• Firestarr (2001)
• Don't Get Mad Get Money (2003)
• Made In The Streets (2013)
• Firestarr 2 (2018)
• Jazz (2022)
• Legends Corner (2023)
• Soul (2025)

EPs

• 6lunt 6rothers (with 6ambu Starr) (2021)
• 6lunt 6rothers, Vol. 2 (with 6ambu Starr) (2024)

Compilation albums

• Soul On Fire (2021)
• Stash Box (2021)
• 16 Bars Wit Firestarr (2021)
• Real Rap Wit Fredro Starr (2021)
• Beats By Dro, Vol. 1 (2023)

Mixtapes

• Firestarr (Mix-Tape) (Hosted & Mixed by DJ Clue) (2000)

Albums as a producer

• Onyx — All We Got Iz Us (produced by Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz, Sonee Seeza, 8-Off Assassin) (1995)
• Phenam — Presto (EP) (produced by Fredro Starr) (2022)
• Smoovth — Project Near You (produced by Fredro Starr) (2022)
• UFO Fev — Strapped (produced by Fredro Starr) (2024)

Awards and Nominations

Selected Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

Music Videos

See also

In Spanish: Fredro Starr para niños