Mike Dean | |
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| Born | Michael George Dean (1965-03-01)March 1, 1965 (age 60) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels | |
| Publishers | Sony Music Publishing[1] |
| Website | therealmikedean |
Michael George Dean (born March 1, 1965) is an American record producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for hissynthesizer-heavyinstrumentation andaudio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. Beginning his career in 1992, he was first credited on releases for Texas-based rappersScarface,Willie D, andGeto Boys, though he has since worked withhip-hop and pop artists includingKanye West,the Weeknd,Beyoncé,Kid Cudi,Travis Scott,Jay-Z,Drake,Madonna,Selena Gomez,Playboi Carti, andLana Del Rey, among others. As a non-performing lead artist, Dean has released six solo studio albums:4:20 (2020),4:22 (2021),Smoke State 42222 (2022),4:23 (2023),424 (2024) and425 (2025).
In the 1980s, Dean started doing collaborations with numerousTexan artists, includingSelena, for whom Dean served as musical director and producer. He began his career inhip-hop while producing two albums as a part of theHouston-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 theDirty South sound in the 1990s, particularly in work for artists fromRap-A-Lot Records.[2][3] Dean has most notably worked alongsideScarface of theGeto Boys,Do or Die,Tha Dogg Pound,Yukmouth of theLuniz,C-Bo,Nate Dogg,Tech N9ne,UGK,Z-Ro,Devin the Dude,Outlawz, and2Pac.[4]
Dean went on to mix, produce, and master widely throughout American hip-hop. He has become known for producing work withKanye West. After initially contributing to the mixing of West's albumsThe College Dropout andLate Registration, Dean contributed as producer on West's albumsGraduation,My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,Yeezus,The Life of Pablo,Ye, andDonda.[5] He also co-produced with West on his collaboration album withJay-Z,Watch the Throne. Dean was an additional producer on "Mercy"[1] and "Higher" onGOOD Music's 2012 compilation albumCruel 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 after a musical hiatus with the song "Back to Me" onVultures 1 featuringFreddie Gibbs.
In recent years, Mike Dean has served as a regular guitarist and keyboardist for West andTravis Scott at their live performances, headlining numerous music festivals, theWatch the Throne Tour,the Yeezus Tour, and Scott's Birds Eye View Tour as well as theAstroworld – 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 masteredFrank Ocean's visual albumEndless, wrote and produced tracks onDesiigner's mixtapeNew English, and produced Desiigner's single "Tiimmy Turner".[6][7]
In May 2017, Dean announced he was launching a record label by the name of M.W.A.[8] 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."[8] When asked the meaning of M.W.A, Dean answered: "That's just what I call myself when IDJ. Mexican Wrestling Association. It's something that I've done with themerch, so I just figured I'd keep the name going."[8] 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."[8]
He released an instrumental mixtape,4:20, on April 20, 2020.[9] On May 20, 2021,Lana Del Rey's single "Wildflower Wildfire" was released, which was produced by Dean. In an interview withAnthony Fantano before the song's release, Dean said that he was "planning on working with [Del Rey] a lot".[10]
Since 2022, Dean has had several further collaborations withthe Weeknd, who Dean has worked with on the Weeknd's 2014 promotional single "King of the Fall". In 2015, Dean collaborated with the Weeknd on "Tell Your Friends" from the albumBeauty Behind the Madness, on which he co-produced and played guitar,[1] as well as his single "Where You Belong" for theFifty Shades of Greysoundtrack. Dean contributed live arrangements to the Weeknd's co-headlining performances withSwedish House Mafia at the 2022Coachella festival. Dean has since been an opening act on the Weeknd'sAfter Hours til Dawn Tour, during which his arrangements have been included in the Weeknd's shows.[1] Dean also created a remix for the Weeknd's song "Starry Eyes" from his albumDawn FM, which Dean has performed live in his opening sets on the tour; he has since filled in for LJ Jones, The Weeknd's former bass and keyboards player during the European and Latin American legs of the tour and onward. He plays synthesizers and saxophone. Dean contributed the musical arrangements for the "After Hours Nightmare"Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses atUniversal Studios Florida andHollywood. In 2023, Dean contributed live arrangements toMetro Boomin's performances at Coachella, during which the Weeknd appeared as a special guest; Dean also appeared as a guest musician during070 Shake's performance during the second weekend of the festival. He co-wrote and produced the Weeknd's single "Double Fantasy" (featuringFuture), "Popular" (featuringPlayboi Carti andMadonna), "The Lure (Main Theme," "Family" (featuringSuzanna Son), "Devil's Paradise," "A Lesser Man," "Take Me Back," "One of the Girls" (featuringJennie andLily-Rose Depp), "Jealous Guy," "Fill the Void," "Like a God," "False Idols," "Dollhouse" (featuring Lily-Rose Depp)", and "My Sweet Lord" for the soundtrack of the Weeknd'sHBO seriesThe Idol, which Dean is part of the starring cast of, and premiered on June 4.[1] Dean released his fourth mixtape,4:23, which the Weeknd co-produced, on April 29. Since 2024, Dean has co-written and produced "Young Metro," "We Still Don't Trust You," "All to Myself," and "Always Be My Fault" by Future and Metro Boomin featuring the Weeknd from the respective albumsWe Don't Trust You andWe Still Don't Trust You, on which Dean is also credited with producing "Beat It." On the Weeknd's 2025 albumHurry Up Tomorrow, Dean co-wrote and produced the tracks "Wake Me Up," "Cry for Me," "São Paulo" (featuringAnitta), "Until We're Skin in Bones," "Baptized in Fear," "Opening Night," "Reflections Laughing" (featuring Travis Scott andFlorence and the Machine), "Enjoy the Show," "Given Up on Me," "I Can't Wait to Get There," "Timeless" (featuring Playboi Carti), "Niagara Falls," "Take Me Back to LA," and "Big Sleep" (featuringGiorgio Moroder).
Studio albums
Live albums
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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| 2023 | The Idol | Himself | Guest star | [64] |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The College Dropout(as engineer/mixer) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [65] |
| 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 |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| International | |
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