Chris Harris—better known as DJ $crilla—has spent the last decade building a music licensing empire, soundtracking everything from Netflix trailers to Super Bowl commercials.
Listeners might not recognize him at first, but chances are, they've heard his music.
"Pretty much anything that you might hear on YouTube to cable television, streaming television, I make songs for that type of content," Harris said.
It's a long way from where he started as a kid in Cleveland Heights, passing the time playing arcade games at the bowling alley.
In high school, Harris expressed interest in becoming a DJ. A gift from his mother set him on a new path.
"My mom at the time got me this DJ-in-a-box setup. It was this Christmas gift — two turntables and a mixer," Harris said. "Maybe after about six to eight months, I didn't wanna just play the music. I wanted to record the music."
The drive to pursue music in this way evolved into a recording career, with albums dating back to the early 2000s.
Harris spun records, freestyled with friends, and crafted his stage name, DJ $crilla, with "scrilla" being slang for "money."
An unexpected opportunity knocks
In 2015, after a harsh rejection at a meeting with a major label, Harris nearly left music altogether.
"It was at Jive Records, and this A&R just ripped me to shreds. "I just left feeling like I don't want to feel like this anymore."
"The same game that I loved growing up, now my name will always be associated with that."Chris Harris
A friend convinced Harris to take a break rather than give up music. After taking a breather, Harris got to work on a new album.
Then came an unexpected lifeline.
"I reach out on all places—on Craigslist—to find a graphic designer," he said. "Well, this graphic designer happened to be someone who worked in the TV and film space."
The designer asked Harris if he'd be interested in composing songs for this type of media.
"I said, 'I mean, why not?' And here we are today," Harris said.
Over the last decade, Harris has quietly become a go-to producer for sync licensing -creating custom music for film, television, advertising and video games.
His music has been featured in HBO shows, ESPN promos, a Super Bowl ad and WWE's "SummerSlam."
A highlight was contributing to the 2023 "Street Fighter VI" soundtrack.
"It was just this full-circle moment," he said. "The same game that I loved growing up, now my name will always be associated with that in 'Street Fighter' history."
This growing catalog of accomplishments is still being created outside of his day job. Harris works full-time as the spokesman for the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.
Music happens on lunch breaks, after bedtime stories with his son, Major, and during late nights in the studio.
"When I get off work, there's family time with my son. And then when I can put him to bed, I'm working on music," he said. "It's not 'party studio time.' It's all business. I get in, lay the vocals and get back to work."
Releasing 'The Impact'
This year, Harris' work culminated in something more personal — his first full-length album in several years.
What started as a few collaborations with local artists turned into something deeper.
"I didn't set out to make an album," Harris said. "But I did one song… and then another, and I thought, 'OK, this is turning into something.' That's when it clicked."
The result is a soulful, funky record that infuses elements of West Coast hip-hop with lyrics that reflect on how relationships of all types shape us.
It features a slew of Northeast Ohio musicians, including Akron soul singer Wesley Bright, Cleveland rocker Ray Flanagan and singer-songwriter Autumn Traub, recognized for her collaborations with Kahrin Spear and Elijah Bisbee.
The album, titled "The Impact," was released in May. It closes with an unexpected guest: Harris's 9-year-old son.
"I write a lot of music in the car," he said. "My son is in the backseat, and I just have this beat playing, and I just hear him humming. I pulled over and said, 'Can you do that again?' That harmony made it onto the final track."
It's a moment that captures what this chapter of Harris's life is all about — making time for creativity, family and the dream he nearly gave up a decade ago.
Feeling validated and paying it forward
Harris said he's finally starting to see the possibility of doing music full-time.
"I think one of the best pieces of advice that I received when I first started this is you can do this full-time, but you need to put in about 10 years," he said. "We're getting there."
Harris has a habit of proving doubters wrong, like when he decided to produce a holiday album despite everyone telling him not to.
"One of those songs ended up in a 'Home Alone' trailer on Disney+," he said. "That was validation. I knew we could do this."
With over 500 songs across more than 50 albums under his belt, along with a slew of awards for his compositions, Harris is ready to help support other rising musicians in their journeys.
"If you are an artist who just has some questions, feel free to reach out," he said. "I wanna make sure I pay it forward because there are people who have paid it forward to help me, so that's really, really important."
