Friendzone
Laurence (left) and Reznick performing in 2012
Background information
OriginEast Bay, California, U.S.
GenresAlternative hip hop, Cloud rap, Chillwave
Years active2010 - Present
Past membersDylan Reznick
James Laurence
Websitefriendzone.bandcamp.com

Friendzone was an American instrumental hip hop duo based in the East Bay of California.[1] It consisted of producers James Laurence and Dylan Reznick.[2] On January 30, 2017, it was announced that James Laurence had died at the age of 27 from undisclosed circumstances.[3][4]

History

Friendzone produced Main Attrakionz' "Chuch" and "Perfect Skies", which were featured on the 2011 mixtape 808s & Dark Grapes II.[5] In 2012, the duo released Collection I, a compilation of rap instrumentals and original songs.[6]

In 2013, Friendzone landed their first major label placement, producing the song "Fashion Killa" for ASAP Rocky, which appeared on his debut album Long. Live. ASAP,[7] and also released the compilation Kuchibiru Network 3, which included contributions by several notable producers including Ryan Hemsworth, Skywlkr, DJ Kenn, and Jerome LOL.[8] In that year, the duo produced Yung Lean's "Solarflare", which was the final track on his mixtape Unknown Death 2002.[9]

On October 9, 2013, Friendzone released the debut album, DX.[10] On that day, Vice premiered the music video for "Poly".[11]

On February 16, 2015, Boiler Room released Upfront 014, which featured nearly an hour of unreleased music from the duo.[12] On May 27, Friendzone released a new EP, While U Wait.[13] Main Attrakionz released 808s & Dark Grapes III, produced by Friendzone in its entirety,[14] on Neil Young's Vapor Records on June 30, 2015.[15]

On January 30, 2017, James Laurence was reported dead at the age of 27.[3] The cause and date of death were not announced.[4] On February 6, Dylan Reznick shared a previously unreleased track, "Sweet Dream", as a tribute to Laurence. The duo had finished the song a few weeks prior to Laurence's death.[16]

Discography

Albums

Mixtapes

  • Get Back (2010)
  • My Wishlist (2010)
  • Kuchibiru Network (2011)
  • Kuchibiru Network 2 (2011)
  • Rose Quartz Mix (2012)
  • Collection I (2012)
  • Champion Sound #11 (2013)
  • Kuchibiru Network 3 (2013)
  • The DX Mix (2013)
  • Upfront 014 (2015)
  • Collection II (2022)
  • Collection III (2023)

EPs

  • While U Wait (2015)

Singles

  • "A.L.L." / "JD" (2010)
  • "No One" (2011)
  • "I Have Nothing" (2012)
  • "!!-Major" (2012)
  • "Retailxtal" (2012)
  • "Rest" (2012)
  • "Moments Pt. 1" (2012)
  • "Moments Pt. 2" (2013)
  • "First Love XOXO" (2013)
  • "Always" (2013)
  • "4 Yia Yia" (2013)
  • "Who Wanna Rumble" (2013) (featuring Mykki Blanco)
  • "Poly" / "8AM" (2013)
  • "Appropriate X" / "Blast Furnace" (2014)
  • "Needs5" (2014)
  • "TCShe" (2015) (featuring Sheera)
  • "Sweet Dream" (2017)

Guest appearances

  • L.W.H. - "All in Your Hands" from The Tape Hiss Hooligan (2011)
  • Gummybear - "Can't Go Wrong" from Time (2011)
  • L.W.H. - "Medus6sa" from CIA TV (2012)

Productions

  • Squadda B - "I Miss Y'all" / "Focus" (2011)
  • Shady Blaze - "Follow Me" (2011)
  • Main Attrakionz - "Chuch" and "Perfect Skies" from 808s & Dark Grapes II (2011)
  • Carios + DKXO - "From Dusk Till Dawn" (2011)
  • Main Attrakionz - "Women We Chase" (2012)
  • Main Attrakionz x Shady Blaze - "Green Ova to the Top" (2012)
  • Lo-Fi-Fnk - "Taking U for Granted" from Maxade Mixtape Vol. 1 (2012)
  • Chippy Nonstop - "Chippy's Theme" (2012)
  • Pepperboy - "Real" from Days of Grace (2012)
  • Main Attrakionz - "Love U" from Tag Champz Bundle (2012)
  • Squadda B - "Cheater" from Northside Bad Guy (2012)
  • Main Attrakionz - "Zombies on the Turf Pt. 2" (2012)
  • Deniro Farrar & Shady Blaze - "All the Way" and "Back/Forth/Back" from Kill or Be Killed (2012)
  • Main Attrakionz - "Rap Paradise" (2012)
  • ASAP Rocky - "Fashion Killa" from Long. Live. ASAP (2013)
  • Deniro Farrar - "Back/Forth/Back" from The Patriarch (2013)
  • Mondre M.A.N. - "Where She At" and "Have Faith" from Cloudd Packk (2013)
  • Squadda B - "Ridin Dirty Past 50" from Streets Killed Us (2013)
  • Squadda B - "Slippin, Kant Get Up" from Triple F.A.T. Goose (2013)
  • Antwon - "Automatic" (2013)
  • Shady Blaze - "Fucked Up" and "Wake 'Em Up" from The 5th Chapter (2013)
  • Nature Boys - "Mansions" (2013)
  • Yung Lean - "Solarflare" from Unknown Death 2002 (2013)
  • Glasspopcorn - "Nightingale" from Don't Worry (2013)
  • Main Attrakionz - "About to Leave" from Best Duo Ever: The Bricktape (2013)
  • Tynethys - "TFZ" from Thyluxe (2014)
  • Eddington Again - "Lyft" from Masturgrape (2015)
  • Main Attrakionz - 808s & Dark Grapes III (2015)

Remixes

  • Former Ghosts - "Chin Up (Friendzone Remix)" (2011)
  • Lo-Fi-Fnk - "Shut the World Out (Friendzone Remix)" (2012)
  • States of Emotion - "The Way That I'm Wired (Friendzone Remix)" from The Way That I'm Wired (2014)[17][18]

References

  1. ↑ Swan, Rachel (May 23, 2012). "Inside the Friendzone - Music - Oakland, Berkeley & the Bay Area". East Bay Express. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  2. ↑ "WRCT: Ain't nothin' but a thang. - MMW: Friendzone". WRCT. February 16, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Welsh, April Clare (January 30, 2017). "James Laurence, one half of trailblazing cloud rap producers Friendzone, has died". Fact. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Strauss, Matthew (January 31, 2017). "A$AP Rocky, Yung Lean Producer James Laurence Dead at 27". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
  5. ↑ Capell, Frances (November 28, 2011). "Laurence & Reznick of Friendzone Release Tracks On Tumblr, Bay Area". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  6. ↑ Ables, Brent (May 19, 2012). "Friendzone: Collection 1 Mixtape - Records - Cokemachineglow". Cokemachineglow. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ Battan, Carrie (December 12, 2012). "Skrillex, Clams Casino, Danger Mouse, More Produced Beats for A$AP Rocky's Long.Live.A$AP". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  8. ↑ Cooper, Duncan (February 26, 2013). "Download Friendzone's Kuchibiru Network 3 Mixtape". The Fader. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ Twells, John (February 2, 2017). "Perfect Skies: How James Laurence and Friendzone helped shape cloud rap". Fact. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Friendzone share new album DX as name-your-price release". Fact. October 9, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Watch the Video for Friendzone's "Poly" and Don't Get Lost in a Trance". Vice. October 9, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  12. ↑ Szatan, Gabriel (February 16, 2015). "Upfront 014: Friendzone". Boiler Room. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Friendzone Drop Surprise "While U Wait" Project In Memory of A$AP Yams". Fact. May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  14. ↑ Ellison, Kyle (February 15, 2013). "Champion Sound #11: Feat. Exclusive Friendzone Mix". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  15. ↑ Golden, Zara (May 11, 2015). "Main Attrakionz Debut Kreayshawn-Directed Video For "Ain't No Other Way"". The Fader. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  16. ↑ Rettig, James (February 6, 2017). "Friendzone – "Sweet Dream"". Stereogum. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Friendzone's Tumblr". Friendzone Official Tumblr.
  18. ↑ "Friendzone's SoundCloud". Friendzone Official SoundCloud.
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