Uruguay born Valentino Canzani Mora, grew up in southern Paris listening to the sounds of West-Coast Hip-Hop and Southern Crunk blaring through his headphones. So when it came time to chose a DJ name, he chose a beloved US food, French Fries. With his father being a sound-engineer and producer of Latin music, by the age of 10, French Fries was already making rap beats in his dad’s studio. It wasn’t until he was 14 that he would start DJing.
French Fries recalls, “…this guy, Ministre X – Tchiky Al Dente, use to date my sister years ago, and he’s a DJ. And I was like ‘Eh, DJ. That looks so cool!’ I was like ‘Can you teach me [how to] scratch and stuff?’ And I just went to his club, Favela Chique and he taught me how to play. I stayed there for basically two years — had a residency.” French Fries immediately received bookings playing everything from Brazillian Baile Funk to hip-hop. During this time, he began to take an interest in house music production, developing that signature ghetto sound he is known for today.
French Fries has been called “a name at the forefront of the ‘nouvel scene’ of bass-orientated beats sweeping through the clubbing world.” In 2011, his debut Champagne/Hugz EP on his own imprint ClekClekBoom, charted in Beatport’s Top 10 and sold out on vinyl almost as soon as it had been released. His track “Yo Vogue,” co-released with the Bay Area’s dirtybird label in 2012 is one of his most successful releases to date, featuring an equally popular remix by another label boss, Claude Vonstroke.
We’re hoping to see some vogue-ing on the dance floor when French Fries makes his way to Sun City Music Festival this coming Labor Day weekend. Have you bought your tickets yet?
