David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris

Grammy and Emmy Award-winning producer, songwriter, executive, and professor.

Swagg R’Celious continues to build an innovative and creative mark on the music industry. The Sony Music publishing -signed producer/writer has had career-defining opportunities to work with artists, writers and producers such as: H.E.R., Kehlani, Snoh Aalegra, Baby Face, American Authors, Wale, Alicia Keys, Brandy, Zhavia Ward, Tiara Thomas, Kery James, Coko of SWV, 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 master’s in music technology. Having 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 G. Flowers 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 then 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. Swagg is passionate about music education. He is a Professor at both Berkeley College of Music and at his alma mater, where Director of Songwriting, Phil Galdston, recently named him a member of The Steinhardt School’s prestigious Songwriting faculty NYU and has developed courses for both music curriculums - Contemporary RnB and African American Music - Its Origins and Influence on Pop Music. His wider vision is to develop a platform that provides equal opportunities for black and brown creatives and magnifies the excellence they bring to the music industry.

Currently Swagg  is serving his second year as a Trustee for the Recording Academy and has ventured out, starting a production company Progressive Musik Group (PMG) and new record label, Water II Wine. His mission is to partner with, cultivate and help artist find their voice. Embracing disrupters and aspire to push the creative envelope while providing an environment and infrastructure for creatives to develop their ideas and grow.