Farley Flex (born Farley Fridal, August 9, 1962) is a Media Consultant, music promoter, artist manager, and motivational speaker. He is best known for being a judge on the reality television series Canadian Idol.
Farley Flex | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Farley Fridal August 9, 1962 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Music promoter, artist manager |
| Notable credit | Canadian Idol |
Early life
editCareer
editFlex was instrumental in founding FLOW 93.5 in Toronto, the first urban music-format radio station in Canada when it first went on the air in 2001,[2] and where he was the station's first Music Director and Vice President of Business Development. His success as an artist manager, radio personality and executive along with the success of the station prompted Canadian Idol's producers to select him as a judge before its 2003 launch. He is the recipient of the Bob Marley Day Award (2009),[3] a Harry Jerome Award (2007), the Urban Music Association of Canada's Special Achievement and Media Personality of the Year Awards, and was inducted into the Scarborough Walk of Fame.[2] Flex is the founder of R.E.A.L. School - Reality Education & Applied Life Skills a not for profit organization that engages primarily youth from inner city and marginalized communities worldwide. "What celebrity does is that it creates an umbrella under which you can do all those things with a higher level of impact."[4]
Flex was the original manager of Maestro Fresh Wes, Canada's first mainstream rapper,[5] and has also taken several former Idol contestants under his wing to promote their albums, such as Gary Beals and Toya Alexis.[6]
In 1994 he was featured in Andrew Munger's documentary film Make Some Noise.[7]
Flex currently operates FUSE Restaurant Entertainment Emporium, a restaurant in the historic district of Corktown in specializing in global cuisine and live entertainment.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ New Canadian station seeks Caribbean TV/film content Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
- ^ a b "Music promoter Farley Flex to be honoured at Scarborough Walk of Fame". Inside Toronto. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- ^ "Eight Get Bob Marley Day Awards in Toronto". February 9, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ Keung, Nicholas (April 27, 2007). "Many know him only as Canadian Idol's most popular judge, but here's what else we should know about Farley Flex...". Toronto Star. pp. B7.
- ^ "Maestro Fresh Wes". exclaim. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ^ "Farley Flex". CTV.ca Canadian Idol. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ Craig MacInnis, "Hip-hop culture makes some noise". Toronto Star, April 22, 1995.
External links
edit- CTV.ca Canadian Idol biography
- Farley Flex speaker profile at The Lavin Agency