A look into senior Andrew Fruend’s

OLIVIA HU a physical [process],” Rose said. “When I’m making a staff writer beat, I use these things called plug-ins where there are different chords and keyboards. I just put the drums

Before senior Kobe Jones started producing music, together [and] mix it, and then the beat kind of flows his daily schedule followed a rather bland routine. better together.” Wake up, go to school, hang out with friends and So far, Jones has released four singles, with two being finally, sleep. But after a year filled with inspiring op- released in the past months. Currently, his songs are on portunities, things look a bit different. On top of school, his Soundcloud, @Fina, though he has been featured in

Jones has a move to Los Angeles planned and spends his the songs of other artists too. days developing his music by working with his producer “I made a song called ‘OFF WHITE’ featuring two to create new music for his listeners. of my friends, a song called ‘Wanna’, [and] a song called

Compared to other artists, Jones’s sudden growth ‘Right Way’ and then I just dropped a song called makes his music career unique. As a high school stu- ‘SLIMEY!,’” Jones said. “For the album, I have a lot dent, Jones has always been intrigued by music, from of songs that I have to go back and re-record or piece listening to artists he admired or even freestyling with together perfectly.” his friends. Despite his interest in music, he wasn’t con- Anthony Smiff, one of Jones’s close friends and anfident in his creation abilities until last year, when Jones other aspiring music artist, has known Jones since the met his producer, Ian Rose, at a mutual friend’s party. beginning stages of his career. Smiff is even featured in

“At first, I was thinking I would Jones’s song, “OFF WHITE.” After have to rely on the electronic aspect of frequently spending time together [producing], like the way my vocals sound or the equipment [I’m] using,” Jones said. “But now I’ve met my producer, Ian, so I feel comfortable actually making music.” Since then, more people have discovered his music, with his Spotify account, @Fina, accumulating over 11,000 monthly listeners. Even “ You just have to find a beat and then go from there; your mind just runs free. KOBE JONES | SENIOR and collaborating on several songs, Smiff continues to be impressed with Jones’s work ethic and unwavering commitment to producing music of quality. “It’s amazing since it’s like he doesn’t sleep,” Smiff said. “As soon as it gets dark outside, wherever we are, he just puts in his headphones though Rose and Jones have only and listens to beats. Once we go to known each other for a year, their music has spread all sleep, he would still be up, writing music to whatever over America, amassing listeners in major cities. beat he likes.”

“We’ll just be riding on the street [and] you can hear To expand his network in pursuit of his music career, somebody play our song; that’s like the best feeling Jones is preparing a move to Los Angeles. Even though ever,” Rose said. “You can tell how he’s developed over moving was a significant decision that took months of time. It’s crazy because we really haven’t been taking consideration, Jones seized the chance, hoping to take music seriously for not even a full year.” advantage of the opportunities that could transform his

Not only is his quick rise to fame unique, but Jones’s music career. ability to create music while balancing school shows “I’m living with my friend out there and [Ian’s] gonna his dedication to creating the best product for his fans. be there, too,” Jones said. “It’s the city of dreams. You

Though virtual learning has prompted him to alter his could literally meet someone down there and they could schedule, his music continues to be a top priority. take you down a great path.”

“I would just be in class with my headphones on and Only a year ago, Jones began writing music as a [Rose] would send me a beat,” Jones said. “Once I get out hobby. Now, he’s moving to Los Angeles, has a producer of class, I just listen to it and think about what I’m going and has met countless supporters along the way. Despite to write to it. There was a point in time where I was the challenges of managing school and moving during a writing about five or six times a day.” pandemic, Jones continues to approach his music with a

Although Jones writes lyrics for hours by himself, burning passion. Rose must first send him a beat to create tracks. Rose “[I’m proud of ] seeing how much I’ve changed and usually generates beats with his laptop, experimenting how much I can do now. I listen to old music [and] I’m with different rhythms, instruments and melodies. like, ‘What?,’” Jones said. “You have to personalize it to

“I gotta be in the mood [since] I make a beat depend- yourself so it’s part of what you want to do rather than ing on how I feel; it’s really a mental process more than anyone else.” p

photo illustration by | GRACE HENSLEY

FUNKFRUEND'S GOT FUNK Senior Andrew Fruend begins to add vocals to his own beats

CLAYTON COUGHLIN features editor AA s senior Andrew Fruend’s arms burst through the surface of the water and his lungs inflate with oxygen, his brain is not only focused on reaching the other side of the pool, but is swimming with possible lyrics for his next upcoming song.

Since 2018, Fruend has been producing his own electronic beats with vocals and has developed a multischool following. With the birth of Fruend's rapping career, the current of his life flowed in a new direction.

“I kind of just watched a bunch of YouTube tutorials to try to figure out what I was doing,” Fruend said. “I figured out maybe I should put this drum here and this one there and made a melody ... it was not very good, but it was a good starting place.”

After about 50 beats, Fruend decided to try to market and sell his beats to up-and-coming rappers. Fruend tinkered with his talent and began to put in his own money, buying supplementary equipment like an audio interface and a keyboard.

“Eventually, my beats got to the quality where I wanted to rap over them myself,” Fruend said. “So I just started making rap music.”

Fruend’s friends responded to Fruend's impromptu undertaking with support. Some, like senior Walter “Orion” Kornfeld, help with the idea process, perform alongside him and serve as a backboard for Fruend.

“Like any creative endeavor, there’s a certain goofiness,” Kornfeld said. “Here’s Andrew going to join the ranks of white rappers out there on Soundcloud but, to be honest, it was really cool when I heard Andrew is going to be creating something.”

Fruend’s reluctance to begin rapping came from the fear it would put a negative light on him for colleges and with his peers. But, due to the ease that SoundCloud made it to share music, Fruend officially became Binomial, his new rapper name.

“I was a little nervous about how my first song would be received,” Fruend said. “I didn’t want to get laughed at or memed on in the wrong kind of way, and so that always kind of made me a little afraid.”

Equipped with his musical ability in both guitar and piano, Fruend tackled the first topic that floated to the forefront of his mind and wrote his first and most wellknown song: "Wii Sport Resort." Unable to shake this old Nintendo video game from his brain, he freestyled, rhymed and strung together a song that would be performed at not just one, but two separate school talent shows.

“The first time I remember performing in front of a live audience was at the John Burroughs talent show,” Fruend said. “My best friend snuck me in and got me on stage because he knew the guy running the show and the Burroughs crowd really liked it.”

Fruend and Kornfeld, along with two other friends, brought the Burroughs crowd to their feet in a packed auditorium. Students were jumping up and down with the

beat, waving their phones as flashlights and even rapping try to work in a message more into my songs, but mostly along the chorus of "Wii Sport Resort." now with my current lyric writing and melody abilities, I

“They started going nuts,” Kornfeld said. “And then we think it’s best to stick with less serious themes and ideas.” were also going nuts. Andrew is doing his front man thing Fruend’s audience is no secret underground entourage; [and] really gets people excited; people were just going instead, they text Fruend ideas, give him words of crazy.” encouragement and create an environment that fosters

In addition to the encouragement at Burroughs, his creativity. Fruend plans to continue making music Fruend has an extensive support throughout college and hopes to build a system at Ladue. Among them is successful business. senior Gabe DiAntonio, a long-time friend of Fruend and a witness to his transformation into Binomial. “I don’t just see Binomial performing at Ladue or Burrough functions,” DiAntonio said. “I see Binomial on the big stage at MICDS functions, U. City functions, Clayton functions or potentially wherever he “ “ The most success I've had from my experience has been when I'm just trying to have fun. ANDREW FRUEND | SENIOR “You know that one day, he’ll get a much bigger following,” Kornfeld said. “But I think on a personal level, in the future, he’ll continue to just have a lot of fun doing this, and that it will be a great outlet for him to communicate his ideas to the world.” Fruend’s journey into music has made him vulnerable to the judgment goes to college.” of his peers, but Fruend learned to

Fruend’s music pulls in a wide variety of listeners due focus on the positive feedback and keep doing what he to its clever punchlines, double entendres and irony in loves. Fruend began rapping because of a continued describing topics like one of his favorite video games or interest in music. mumble rappers. Most of Fruend’s intelligent jokes stem “Whenever I’m trying to just grind to make money, from his deep love of the Ladue community. it’s not a very exciting experience, and I don’t get very

“Most of the time, it’s more to entertain the most far,” Fruend said. “The most success I’ve had from my people,” Fruend said. “When I get more experienced I will experience has been when I’m just trying to have fun.” p

Binomial Mumble Rappers 179

1:39

"It's an ironic song where I try to rap really fast to kind of poke fun at rapping elitists and make fun of mumble rappers." Binomial Wii Sports Resort 494

1:23 2:48

"On Halloween, some people on the swim team were like, 'you should make a song out of this' and I just made a full song." Binomial Benihana 15

2:36

"The favorite track I've made is Benihana. What I like about it is the rhythm and how it's different than my other songs."

BINOMIAL'S BEATS BEATS

Andrew Fruend provides his insight on three of his favorite songs

illustration by | JOANNE SUNG