BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Marquél Jeffries, better known by his stage name Francs, has toured with Benny the Butcher, auditioned for the music reality show “Rhythm + Flow,” and just released a new album in August.
Francs has been interested in writing music since he was in third grade, inspired by a CD his uncle made in an after-school program. He said he didn’t really take the art seriously until his early teens.
His latest album, “The Butterfly Effect” came out this summer, and Francs said music videos will be coming soon. He will be hosting his annual virtual performance on Instagram Live while visiting his grandparents for Christmas in Nashville.
Francs said as he grows and puts out more work, his music is becoming deeper, more personal, and more vulnerable.
“Francsis the voice, but Marquél is the person — the kind of genius behind the Franc-enstein,” he said.
In January 2019, Francs auditioned for the music reality show “Rhythm + Flow,” what he described as “a rap ‘American Idol.'” He was flown out to New York, and though he didn’t end up making it on the show, it proved to him that he had a lot of potential, which is what the judges — Cardi B, Fat Joe, and Jadakiss — told him.
Not long after, the Black Soprano Family hosted a showcase at a bar on Main Street in Buffalo for local artists to perform.
“I was just like, ‘I’ve got to give it all I’ve got.’ I had two songs and everybody had five minutes to woo the crowd,” Francs recalled. “I did my thing, and after that, I ended up being first place in that showcase, and (the prize) was being able to go on tour with Benny the Butcher and things like that. So that experience really was a foundational piece in my music career. It showed me that I can really do it.”
How he got his name: When he was younger, Francs and two of his friends were making nicknames based on currencies around the world, with Jeffries landing on the Swiss franc. Since then, he has developed different acronyms for what FRANCS stands for, including:
Frequently Rapping About Nonsense Concerning Society
Family Remains And Never Comes Second
Forever Remembered And Never Considered Stagnant
His dream concert lineup:
- Snoh Aalegra
- J. Cole
- Francs
For more information about Francs and his music, visit the following links:
Music Monday #15 was filmed at Mister Goodbar, a cornerstone of the Elmwood Village since 1968, providing live entertainment and a wide selection of beers from which to choose. To learn more about Mister Goodbar, click here to visit the venue’s website.
Music Monday is a weekly series created and produced by Adam Duke to showcase artists from Western New York and their work. To be considered for a feature, email Adam at adam.duke@wivb.com.
Adam Duke is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of his work here.
