User:Fazer

Richard Rawson
Origin	Great Britain
Occupation(s)	Rapper, DJ, Producer, Actor
Instruments	vocals, keyboard, drums.
Years active	2000—present
Labels	With N-Dubz Polydor Records (2006-2007) Island Records(2008-present) Def Jam (2010-present) As Solo Artist Island Records (2008-Present)
Associated acts	Dappy, Tulisa, N-Dubz, Mr Hudson, Chipmunk, Wiley, Gary Barlow, Tinie Tempah, Boy Better Know, Mz Bratt, Kano

Richard 'Fazer' Rawson (born February 5th 1987) is a British rapper, producer, DJ and actor, probably best known as a member of the British hip-hop/gargage trio N-Dubz.

N-Dubz have been mostly successful in the UK, released three top twenty studio albums and seven top twenty singles. Their total UK album sales stand at 1.2 million in the UK alone including their four extended plays which were released without major label support.

In 2009, Fazer released his debut solo album, the extended play "Introducing Fazer". The EP was a big success in the UK, charting at #2 there and at #9 in Ireland. The album also featured four UK top twenty singles, including three top ten and two UK #1 singles. His first full length solo album was due for release in April 2010 under the title "No Mercy". Due to his N-Dubz commitments, the album was pushed back until October 2010 and then later until January 2011. It was confirmed in January 2011 that the album title had been changed to "Paper Trail" and would be released in April 2011. The album became an international success, selling 3.5 million copies worldwide and reaching #1 in the US and in the top ten in the UK, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand.

Combining his solo sales and N-Dubz sales, Fazer has sold 5.26 million albums worldwide.

Career

N-Dubz (1999-Present)

In January 1999, after realising they had a lot in common, Dappy and Fazer began writing bars together. Six months later, Fazer and Dappy realised they needed a female voice to sing on tracks to compliment their rapping skills. Dappy's cousin Tulisa, who was eleven years old, joined the group who began to call themselves NW1 after the Camden postcode. Before signing to a major label, the group released four EP's, "Bad Man Riddims" (2000), "NW1" (2001), "The Beatz" (2002) and "N-Dubz" (2004). Tracks from these EP's were released to the local public and sent to pirate radio stations around London.

It 2007, the group signed to Polydor Records and released their first major label release, an EP entitled "The Next Chapter". The EP was released on August 28th 2006. It reached #30 in the UK, and had three singles "You Betta Not Waste My Time", "I Swear" and "Feva Las Vegas". They were minor successes and led to the group being axed from the label in 2008. They later signed to Island Records in 2008 and released their debut studio album "Uncle B". It was a top twenty hit in the UK and featured three top thirty UK singles. In 2009, they released their second studio album "Against All Odds". This album was more successful, peaking at #6 in the UK and being home to four UK top twenty singles including their first UK top ten single "I Need You".

In 2010, N-Dubz signed a US recording contract with Def Jam Records. They will release a compilation of tracks from their first two albums as their US debut, with four new tracks which will be released as singles in the UK. The first of these singles "Bad Behaviour" was released in late 2010, becoming their third UK top ten single. The second single "Girls" peaked at #18 upon it's release. The album was a success, peaking at #7 in the UK and #33 in Ireland.

Solo Career (2008-Present)

Signing To Island Records (2008)

In July 2008, Island Records showed interest in signing Rawson as a solo artist. The deal was signed in August 2008.

Introducing Fazer (2009)

In January 2009, Fazer released his debut solo single "Take Me Back" which featured Taio Cruz. The track reached #3 in the UK and #16 in Ireland. Second single "Number 1" was a collaboration with his N-Dubz band mates Dappy and Tulisa. Upon it's release in April 2009, the track debuted at #1 becoming the first track in UK chart history entitled Number 1 to reach the top spot. Third single "Never Leave Ya" was released as a duet with Sugababes' Amelle Berrabah and became his second UK #1 single. Fourth and final single "You're Not Alone" was released in October 2009 and sampled the track of the same name by Olive. It reached only #14 in the UK becoming his first solo single to not reach the UK top ten.

In August 2009, Fazer released his debut solo album "Introducing Fazer". The album debuted at #2 in the UK and #9 in Ireland becoming his first album to reach both the UK and Irish top ten. It has currently sold over 500,000 copies in the UK and is certified platinum there.

Signing To Def Jam (2009)

Following the success of the album, Def Jam records signed Fazer to a US record deal. Def Jam, an affiliated label of Island Records who release his music in the UK, signed him to a three album solo deal.

Paper Trail (2010-2011)

In preparation for the album, Fazer released three promotional singles which found success in the US, entering the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The album was due for release in April 2010 but was pushed back by Fazer due to touring with N-Dubz. A further two promotional singles were released, after planning to release the once postponed album in October 2010. Due to further N-Dubz commitments, the album was once again postponed.

In December 2010, Fazer confirmed the first official single "Whatever You Like" would be released on January 17th 2011. The track debuted at #1 on the Irish, US, US R&B, US Rap and New Zealand singles chart whilst reaching #4 in the UK, #12 in Canada and #13 in Australia. The second single "Live Your Life" featured Bayesian singer Rihanna and became his second US #1 single. It also hit the top ten in over 15 countries. Third single "Dead and Gone" was a collaboration with Justin Timberlake which was his third consecutive US Billboard Rap 100 #1 single. It was also an international success, reaching the top ten in over 20 countries and the top five in 10 of those. The fourth and final single "Remember Me" featured rap/R&B legend Mary J. Blige but was less successful than it's predecessors internationally but still reached #4 and #2 in the UK and Ireland.

In April 2011, a full year after it's intended release, the album was released as "Paper Trail" on April 25th 2011. The album debuted at #1 in the US selling 568,000 copies in it's first week. It reached #4 in the UK, #2 in Canada, #16 in Australia and #9 in New Zealand. It reached #1 on the Billboard Albums 200, Billboard Rap Albums 200 and US R&B Albums 200.

The album has sold 4 million copies worldwide, 2 million of which were sold in the US certifying the album 2x Platinum. In the UK, the album has sold 800,000 copies which earns it a 2x Platinum certification there.

Troubled Man (2012)

In early December 2011, Fazer confirmed he had been working on his third studio album since June 2011. He revealed the first promotional single would be entitled "Got Your Back" and would feature Keri Hilson. The track will be released on January 2nd 2012.

Personal Life

Early Life

Fazer was born as Richard Rawson on February 5th 1987 to a Jamaican father, Delroy Rawson, and an English mother, Julie Cartlidge. He is the eldest of three children born to the couple, Scott Rawson (March 6th 1990) and Liam Rawson (April 7th 1993). He is also half-brother to twins Ryan and Nathan Morris (23 March 1994). Rawson live in a Camden council flat with his parents and siblings in the same area as his N-Dubz bandmate and writing partner Dappy.

Fazer, along with Dappy, attended Haverstock High School between September 1998 and June 2003. When the duo was in their fourth year at the school, Dappy was expelled from Haverstock due to multiple incidents including truancy, attitude issues and fighting. Whilst Rawson was never expelled from school, he has admitted to being badly behaved in school, claiming he did the same as Dappy but "was clever enough to not get caught".

Realising they had so much in common at the age of 11, they began writing and recording bars together. Realising they needed a female voice to add to the recordings. Dappy's cousin Tulisa was added to the group who became known as NW1, after the postal code of Camden Town. At the age of 13, the trio began performing around Camden.

Later Life

Between April 1998 and September 2005, Fazer had a on-off relationship with Jodie Bailey. The couple had a volatile relationship in which Bailey has claimed Fazer was both physically and mentally abusive towards her as she was towards him. "Richard and me did have a good relationship, we grew up together. Every now and again we would have a massive argument which would end in an all-out brawl between us both. He hit me and I hit him, that was just our relationship." Between 2006 and 2010, Fazer dated his "Dubplate Drama" co-star Jade Morgan. The couple split due to Morgan feeling Fazer wanted to be in a relationship with his bandmate Tulisa Contostavlos. In October 2011, Fazer confirmed he was dating Contostavlos whom he had a sexual relationship with in their teenage years whilst he was still dating Bailey.

Fazer was involved in controversy in January 2009 after he and Dappy were hauled off a flight to London, following their "disorderly behaviour". In November 2009, it was reported he had been banned from driving for six months after failing to provide valided insurance, which was later confirmed by Tulisa who said they had been on tour when Fazer found out. He gets teased by his bandmates as Tulisa passed her driving test before he did, despite being younger, and that he has "no sense of direction and some crazy driving skills". In the skit song Public Transport by N-Dubz, the lyrics are:

"Public transport?... Bus? Train? DLR? Bicycle? Don’t be stupid... Do it the Fazer way, No tax, No licence, And no insurance, And earn yourself a one way ticket to jail..."

Rawson has never admitted how many times he failed his driving test.

In January 2010, police raided Rawson's flat in Chelsea, West London looking for a gun that had been allegedly used in a nearby shooting. They also raided Sensible Studio, where N-Dubz have recorded a large amount of their material but detectives failed to find the weapon and no arrests were made. The same happened to Dappy, about a year earlier after someone had reported to Police that he had been making death threats with a firearm. Due to this, Rawson brought his mother and brothers a 3 bedroom house in the middle of Camden.

Discography

With N-Dubz

EP's

• 2001: The Crew Takes Over
• 2002: The Time Is Now
• 2004: Let's Go
• 2006: Moving On

Studio Albums

• 2008: Uncle B
• 2009: Against All Odds
• 2010: "Love.Live.Life"

As Solo Artist

Year	Title	Peak chart positions
		UK	UK R&B	IRE	EU
2009	[ Released: 9 November 2009 Label:	1	1	1	8