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Michael George Dean (born March 1, 1965) is an American record producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his synthesizer-heavy instrumentation and audio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. Beginning his career in 1992, he was first credited on releases for Texas-based rappers such as Scarface, Willie D, and Geto Boys, although he has since worked with artists including The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake, Madonna, Selena Gomez, Playboi Carti, and Lana Del Rey, among others. As a non-performing lead artist, Dean has released five solo studio albums: 4:20 (2020), 4:22 (2021), Smoke State 42222 (2022), 4:23 (2023), and 424 (2024).
Mike Dean | |
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| Birth name | Michael George Dean |
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| Born | March 1, 1965 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1983–present |
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| Website | therealmikedean |
Dean started doing collaborations with numerous Texan artists, including Selena, for whom Dean served as musical director and producer. He began his career in hip hop while producing two albums as a part of the Houston-based group, Def Squad, along with group member Norris Burse (Champ) and Kenny Bomer (KB) under the Mr. Henry/ Ichiban labels. Dean first became widely known for pioneering the Dirty South sound in the 1990s, particularly in work for artists from Rap-A-Lot Records.[1][2] Dean has most notably worked alongside Scarface of the Geto Boys, Do or Die, Tha Dogg Pound, Yukmouth of the Luniz, C-Bo, Nate Dogg, Tech N9ne, UGK, Z-Ro, Devin the Dude, Outlawz, and 2Pac.[3]
Dean went on to mix, produce, and master widely throughout American hip hop. He has become known for producing work with Kanye West. After initially contributing to the mixing of West's albums The College Dropout and Late Registration, Dean contributed as producer on West's albums Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus, The Life of Pablo, Ye, and Donda.[4] He also co-produced with West on his collaboration album with Jay-Z, Watch the Throne. Dean was an additional producer on "Mercy" and "Higher" on GOOD Music's 2012 compilation album Cruel Summer. Dean has made particularly heavy contributions on West's last albums and is credited on most tracks. Despite a fallout in 2022 with West, Dean is credited to have worked on at least the first of West's expected 3 studio albums with the song "Back To Me" on Vultures 1 featuring Freddie Gibbs.
In recent years, Mike Dean has served as a regular guitarist and keyboardist for West and Travis Scott at their live performances, headlining numerous music festivals, the Watch the Throne Tour, the Yeezus Tour, and Scott's Birds Eye View Tour as well as the Astroworld – Wish You Were Here Tour. Dean has also been a frequent collaborator with Scott. Dean's production has appeared on every one of Scott's musical bodies of work since 2013. In 2016, Dean mastered Frank Ocean's visual album Endless, wrote and produced tracks on Desiigner's mixtape New English, and produced Desiigner's single "Tiimmy Turner".[5][6]
In May 2017, Dean announced he was launching a record label by the name of M.W.A.[7] When asked what made him decide that now would be the best time to unveil his new record label, Dean responded: "Just a lot of new young artists that's been asking to get down with me and have me work on their projects and help them get deals. I figured I'd start a label and sign some new acts. Seems like a good time to start it. I got a studio out here [in Los Angeles] and I'm able to meet a lot of new artists."[7] When asked the meaning of M.W.A, Dean answered: "That's just what I call myself when I DJ. Mexican Wrestling Association. It's something that I've done with the merch, so I just figured I'd keep the name going."[7] He also revealed Dice Soho the first artist he signed to M.W.A: "One of my homies Gustavo Guerra brought [Dice Soho] to me. I think he's gonna be the next wave out of Houston. I picked him up. Dice has a nice swag."[7]
He released an instrumental mixtape, 4:20, on April 20, 2020.[8] On May 20, 2021, Lana Del Rey's single "Wildflower Wildfire" was released, which was produced by Dean. In an interview with Anthony Fantano before the song's release, Dean said that he was "planning on working with [Del Rey] a lot".[9]
Since 2022, Dean has had several further collaborations with the Weeknd, who Dean has worked with on the Weeknd's 2015 album Beauty Behind the Madness, as well as his single "Where You Belong" for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. Dean contributed live arrangements to the Weeknd's co-headlining performances with Swedish House Mafia at the 2022 Coachella festival. Dean has since been an opening act on the Weeknd's After Hours til Dawn Tour, during which his arrangements have been included in the Weeknd's shows. Dean also created a remix for the Weeknd's song "Starry Eyes" from his album Dawn FM, which Dean has performed live in his opening sets on the tour; he later filled in for LJ Jones, The Weeknd's bass and keyboards player during the European and Latin American legs of the tour. He played synthesizers and saxophone. Dean contributed the musical arrangements for the "After Hours Nightmare" Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses at Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood. In 2023, Dean contributed live arrangements to Metro Boomin's performances at Coachella, during which the Weeknd appeared as a special guest; Dean also appeared as a guest musician during 070 Shake's performance during the second weekend of the festival. He co-wrote and produced the Weeknd's single "Double Fantasy" (featuring Future) for the soundtrack of the Weeknd's HBO series The Idol, which Dean is part of the starring cast of, and premiered on June 4. Dean released his fourth mixtape, 4:23, which the Weeknd co-produced, on April 29.
Studio albums
Live albums
- Echoplex (Live 2021) (2021)
1980s
- Def Squad, Texas
1990s
1992
1993
1994
- 5th Ward Boyz – Gangsta Funk
- Big Mello – Wegonefunkwichamind
- Big Mike – Somethin' Serious
- Blac Monks – Secrets of the Hidden Temple
- Odd Squad – Fadanuf Fa Erybody!!
- Scarface – The Diary
1995
- 5th Ward Boyz – Rated G
- Jamal – Last Chance, No Breaks
- Menace Clan – Da Hood
1996
- 3-2 – The Wicked Buddah Baby
- Do or Die – Picture This
- Facemob – The Other Side of the Law
- Ganksta NIP – Psychotic Genius
- Geto Boys – The Resurrection
1997
- 3X Krazy – Stackin Chips
- Big Mike – Still Serious
- Scarface –The Untouchable
- Seagram – Souls on Ice
1998
- A-G-2-A-Ke – Mil-Ticket
- Devin the Dude – The Dude
- Do or Die – Headz or Tailz
- Ganksta NIP – Interview with a Killa
- Yukmouth – Thugged Out: The Albulation
2000s
2000
- C-Bo – Enemy of the State
- Outlawz – Ride wit Us or Collide wit Us
- Scarface – The Last of a Dying Breed
2001
- Oz (soundtrack)
- Tha Dogg Pound – Dillinger & Young Gotti
- Yukmouth – Thug Lord: The New Testament
- Sherm – Sherm Smoke[13]
2002
- Big Syke – Big Syke
- Daz Dillinger – This Is the Life I Lead
- Devin the Dude – Just Tryin' ta Live
- E-40 – Grit & Grind
- Hussein Fatal – Fatal
- Kastro & E.D.I. Mean – Blood Brothers
- King T – The Kingdom Come
- Scarface – The Fix
- Young Noble – Noble Justice
2003
- Yukmouth – Godzilla
2004
2005
- Geto Boys – The Foundation
- Pimp C – Sweet James Jones Stories
- Z-Ro – Let the Truth Be Told
- Kanye West – Late Registration
2006
- Juvenile – Reality Check
- Pimp C – Pimpalation
- Z-Ro – I'm Still Livin'
2007
- Kanye West – Graduation
- Scarface – Made
2008
- Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak
2009
- Mike Jones – The Voice
- UGK – UGK 4 Life
2010s
2010
- Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
- Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
- Z-Ro – Heroin
2011
- Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
2012
2013
- Beyoncé – Beyoncé
- Jay-Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail
- Kanye West – Yeezus
- Angel Haze – Dirty Gold
- Travis Scott – Owl Pharaoh
2014
- Travis Scott – Days Before Rodeo
- Freddie Gibbs & Mike Dean – "Sellin’ Dope"
2015
- Madonna – Rebel Heart
- Travis Scott – Rodeo
- The Weeknd – "Where You Belong"
- Freddie Gibbs – Shadow of a Doubt
- The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
- Justin Bieber – No Sense
2016
- Beyoncé – Lemonade
- Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
- Desiigner – New English
- Frank Ocean – Endless
- Frank Ocean – Blonde
- Travis Scott – Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
- Ty Dolla Sign – Campaign
- Yung Lean – Warlord
- 2 Chainz – Hibachi for Lunch
- Kid Cudi – Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'[14]
- Z-Ro – Legendary
2017
- 2 Chainz – Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
- Vic Mensa – The Autobiography
- Lunice – CCCLX
- Ty Dolla Sign – Beach House 3
- Huncho Jack – Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho
2018
- AJ Mitchell – "Used to Be"
- Migos – Culture II
- Desiigner – L.O.D.
- Pusha T – Daytona
- Kanye West – Ye
- Dermot Kennedy – Mike Dean Presents: Dermot Kennedy
- Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts
- Christina Aguilera – Liberation
- Nas – Nasir
- The Carters – Everything Is Love
- Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E.
- Travis Scott – Astroworld
- Genetikk – Y.A.L.A
2019
- 2 Chainz – Rap or Go to the League
- Madonna – Madame X
- Maxo Kream – Brandon Banks
- Kanye West – Jesus Is King
- City Morgue – City Morgue Vol 2: As Good as Dead
- Smokepurpp – Deadstar 2
- Sunday Service Choir – Jesus Is Born
- JackBoys & Travis Scott – JackBoys
2020s
2020
- Selena Gomez – Rare[15]
- 070 Shake – Modus Vivendi[16]
- Don Toliver – Heaven or Hell[17]
- Teyana Taylor – The Album
- Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon[18]
- Burna Boy – Twice as Tall[19]
- Spillage Village, JID & EarthGang – Spilligion
- 2 Chainz – So Help Me God!
- Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon III: The Chosen[20]
2021
- Kanye West – Donda[21]
- Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters[21]
- Don Toliver – Life of a Don[22]
- Mike Dean & Rich the Kid – "Blue Cheese"[23]
- Aaliyah featuring the Weeknd – "Poison"
2022
- FKA Twigs – Caprisongs[24]
- Kanye West – Donda 2
- Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E.[25]
- Pusha T – It's Almost Dry[26]
- Megan Thee Stallion – "Plan B"[27]
- Weiland – Vices
- Kanye West & XXXTentacion – "True Love"
- 070 Shake – You Can't Kill Me
- XXXTentacion – Look at Me: The Album
- The Weeknd – "Starry Eyes" (Mike Dean remix)
- Beyoncé – Renaissance
- The Game – Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind
- Nav – Demons Protected by Angels
- Christine and the Queens – Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue)[28]
2023
- Quavo – "Without You"
- The Weeknd featuring Future – "Double Fantasy"
- Christine and the Queens – Paranoia, Angels, True Love
- Metro Boomin – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (soundtrack)
- The Weeknd, Playboi Carti & Madonna – "Popular"
- The Weeknd – "Take Me Back"
- The Weeknd & Suzanna Son – "Family"
- The Weeknd, Jennie & Lily-Rose Depp – "One of the Girls"
- Travis Scott – Utopia
- 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – Welcome 2 Collegrove
2024
- Future & Metro Boomin – We Don't Trust You
- Future & Metro Boomin – We Still Don't Trust You
- Mau P – On Again
- The Weeknd & Playboi Carti – "Timeless"
- Duki – Ameri
- The Weeknd & Anitta – "São Paulo"
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The College Dropout (as engineer/mixer) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [30] |
| 2006 | "Gold Digger" (as engineer/mixer) | Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| Late Registration (as engineer/mixer) | Best Rap Album | Won | ||
| Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2008 | Graduation (as engineer) | Nominated | ||
| Best Rap Album | Won | |||
| "Good Life" (as songwriter) | Best Rap Song | Won | ||
| 2012 | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (as engineer/mixer) | Best Rap Album | Won | |
| 2013 | "Niggas in Paris" (as songwriter) | Best Rap Song | Won | |
| "Mercy" (as songwriter) | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | "New Slaves" (as songwriter) | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | "Bound 2" (as songwriter) | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | "All Day" (as songwriter) | Nominated | ||
| Beauty Behind the Madness (as producer) | Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | Lemonade (as producer) | Nominated | ||
| Purpose (as producer) | Nominated | |||
| "Famous" (as songwriter) | Best Rap Song | Nominated | ||
| "Ultralight Beam" (as songwriter) | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | "Sicko Mode" (as songwriter) | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Jesus Is King (as engineer/mixer) | Best Contemporary Christian Music Album | Won | |
| 2022 | "Jail" (as songwriter) | Best Rap Song | Won | |
| Donda (as producer/songwriter) | Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | Renaissance (as producer/songwriter) | Nominated |
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