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David Swagg R'Celious Harris

Music Adjunct Faculty

Music and Performing Arts Professions

Grammy Award-winning producer, songwriter, executive, and professor Swagg R’Celious continues to build an innovative and creative mark on the music industry. The Sony/ATV-signed producer/writer has had career-defining opportunities to work with artists, writers and producers such as: H.E.R., Kehlani Baby Face, American Authors, Wale, Alicia Keys, Neyo, Brandy, Zhavia Ward, Cash Cash, K. Michelle, Elle Varner, Tiara Thomas, Livre, Kery James, Busta Rhymes, Coko of SWV, B.O.B, Dawn Richard, and many more. Respected beyond the genres of hip hop and R&B music, R’Celious, whose humble beginnings rooted in the church have evolved across cultural lines, from the Korean pop star Hyo Lee to writing the score for the motion picture “Stick Up Kids.” R’Clious also has a strong passion for music education in music technology and has been featured as a guest lecturer at high schools, colleges and universities. Born David Arcelious Harris on August 27, 1986, in Manchester Georgia, Swagg R’Celious received his name “Swagg” in undergrad at Lagrange College studying creative music & technology when an anonymous girl wrote a letter to him about his undeniable charisma, confidence, and swag. Succeeding in his experience at LaGrange, he continued to follow the path to knowledge in New York City, eventually attending NYU for his Masters in Music Technology. Having the always had the dream of becoming the best producer at the forefront of his mind, coupled with his ceaseless determination, within three months in a city he had never visited Swagg landed an internship at the production studio of MBK Entertainment, where he caught the eye of Conrad Robinson, brother of MBK CEO, Jeff Robinson. Conrad came to the studio in need of a worship record for the now-top charting gospel group, Livre’. R’Celious used his musical roots in gospel to volunteer a song he wrote for the chapel band back at LaGrange. Conrad was impressed and by the following week the group was recording the record. After that moment, CEO Jeff Robinson and managing partner, Suzette Williams, took note of Swagg’s writing and production skills. But it was his ability to create and do multiple genres of music that led them to take him under their tutelage. R’Celious’s multi-dimensional cross-genre approach is changing music today and has earned him chart-topping success in hip-hop, Gospel and R&B. Given his way with words, it is not shocking that the ever evolving producer also enjoys speaking about his experiences and passion for music in workshops settings at the Berklee School of Music, Seoul Music Institute’s Summer Music Program, LaGrange College’s Music department, and at his alma mater, where Director of Songwriting, Phil Galdston, recently named him a member of The Steinhardt School’s prestigious Songwriting faculty. Most recently R’Celious has ventured out, starting a new production company, Progressive Musik Group (PMG) whose mission statement is something he lives by daily: “Greatness is not a destination it’s a way of life: Everyday strive to be better than you were the day before.”

Programs

Songwriting

NYU Steinhardt Songwriting will help you become the best songwriter you can be, in the genres, styles, and approaches you define.

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