Symbolyc One (S1)

Symbolyc One (S1)
Birth name	Larry D. Griffin Jr.
Born	(1976-08-03) August 3, 1976 Waco, Texas, United States
Origin	Waco, Texas, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Producer, rapper, musician
Instruments	Vocals, keyboards, sampler, percussion, synthesizer
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Roc Nation, Very GOOD Beats, Om Records
Associated acts	Strange Fruit Project, Illmind, Braille, Kanye West, Juice, Talib Kweli, The Dividends, Sarah Jaffe, Phonte
Website	symbolycone.com

Larry D. Griffin Jr. (born August 3, 1976), professionally known as Symbolyc One or S1, is an American music producer from Waco, Texas. He founded the group Strange Fruit Project and is signed to Kanye West's Very GOOD Beats as a producer.

Origin

Griffin was born in August 1976 in Waco, Texas, and grew up there in a Christian household. In junior high school, he learned alto saxophone and played piano throughout his teen years, including for Sunday school at his local church. After forming a hip hop group in 1996 with his cousin, Myth, Griffin started making beats and producing recording. In 1999, he received his associate degree in audio engineering from McLennan Community College. From 2007-2008, S1 competed in national U.S. beat competitions such as iStandard, Red Bull Big Tune, and Sha Money’s One Stop Shop.

Music career

In his role as main producer of the group Strange Fruit Project, Griffin's style and production range includes R&B, soul, underground and urban/crossover pop. As a platinum-selling producer, S1 has worked with artists such as Beyoncé, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Madonna, Babyface, Talib Kweli, The Game, Stat Quo, Rhymefest, Rah Digga, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Little Brother, Big Sean, Lecrae, and Erykah Badu, as well as being a core member in Badu’s electronic band The Cannabinoids.

Prominent collaborations include Kanye West's “Power” from the Grammy-winning album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and Beyoncé’s “Best Thing I Never Had” off her album 4, both tracks certified platinum. He also worked on West's Grammy-nominated albums Yeezus and Watch the Throne, a joint project with Jay-Z. As half of the duo The Dividends (with Dallas-based singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe), Griffin co-wrote and co-produced the Eminem single "Bad Guy" from The Marshall Mathers LP 2, another Grammy-winning album. He also worked on the Madonna album Rebel Heart.

Discography

Main articles: Symbolyc One (S1) production discography and Strange Fruit Project

Studio albums

• 2008: The Music Box

Collaboration albums

• 2005: The Art of Onemind (with Illmind)
• 2009: Cloud Nineteen (with Braille)

External links

• Official website