Instead, Cowell heard the rap producer's work as he walked up to accept a 2010 International Emmy Award. The AI judge and label executive was so impressed that he stopped his speech to have the music replayed and proclaimed, "That's a hit record." Born and raised in Brooklyn, Fraud (real name Rory William Quigley) started composing music for the International Emmy Awards a few years earlier, and it wasn't until 2009 and 2010 that he truly broke through with productions for French Montana and Lil' Cease. French Montana's "Shot Caller," released in 2011, exemplified the young beat-maker's combination of hard-hitting and lackadaisical qualities and displayed his knowledge of hip-hop history. Over the course of the next few years, Fraud's profile increased through wide-ranging collaborations with Curren$y, Fat Trel, Prodigy, Wiz Khalifa, and Ab-Soul. He was especially prolific in 2013, a year in which releases from Funkmaster Flex, the Weeknd, and Talib Kweli featured his work. Additionally, he set up his Surf School label (aka SRFSCHL), remixed Sam Smith's "Nirvana," produced the entirety of Action Bronson's Saaab Stories EP, collaborated with Eddie B on the Horsepower EP, and released Royal Palm (a set of instrumentals), Adrift (a mixtape), and High Tide (for Scion A/V). The following year brought tracks for Fat Trel, Styles P, and Riff Raff, among others. ~ Andy Kellman