Leland Tyler Wayne (born September 16, 1993), known professionally asMetro Boomin, is an American record producer, music executive, and songwriter. Widely acclaimed for his dark and cinematic production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in contemporaryhip-hop andtrap music. He has most notably worked with a string of artists includingFuture,21 Savage,Migos,Gucci Mane,Kanye West,the Weeknd,Young Thug,Drake, andTravis Scott.
Leland Tyler Wayne was born on September 16, 1993, inSt. Louis,Missouri,[6] where he attendedParkway North High School. He is the son of Lamont and Leslie Joanne Wayne. He has four siblings.[7] After a brief stint playing bass guitar in his middle school band, he turned to making beats in the seventh grade at age 13. This happened when his mother bought him a laptop and he got a copy of the music production softwareFL Studio, then known as FruityLoops.[8] Metro is mostly self-taught, and in high school, he produced five beats a day.[9] Initially, Wayne wanted to rap, and started making beats so that he could have music to rap over. However, he eventually turned his full attention toward hip-hop production.[10] As he continued to hone his production skills in high school, he began to utilize social media platforms includingTwitter to network with more established rap artists, as well as beat submissions for potential music placements.[11]
During high school, Wayne's mother would often drive him for over eight hours from St. Louis toAtlanta,Georgia, to collaborate with artists he met with online.[12] One of the first artists he worked with wasBricksquad Monopoly rapper Tay Don, which led to Wayne's acquaintance with label cohortsOJ da Juiceman andGucci Mane. He soon met Atlanta-based rapperFuture, who became one of his frequent collaborators.[10][13] Upon his high school graduation, Wayne moved to Atlanta to attendMorehouse College, studying Business Management. He took a hiatus from school after one semester, due to the struggle of balancing his production and schoolwork.[13]
During this time, Wayne became acquainted with burgeoning Atlanta-based rapper Future. The two first worked together on the song "Hard", which was included onDJ Esco's mixtapeWelcome 2 Mollyworld (2012),[14][8] and following Future's debut album,Pluto (2012), they reunited for his second,Honest (2014). Wayne produced the album's lead single, "Karate Chop", thetitle track alongsideDJ Spinz, and its fifth single, "I Won", which featuresKanye West.[15]
In May 2013, Metro announced his debut mixtape,19 & Boomin.[16] Following several singles, featuring artists such as Trinidad James and Gucci Mane, Metro released the mixtape on LiveMixtapes, on October 7, 2013.[17] The mixtape, all original songs, included "Maison Margiela", featuringFuture, and "Some More", featuringYoung Thug, both of which were subsequently released as music videos.[18][19]
In March 2014, Metro andYoung Thug announced that they would release a collaborative album, performed and released under the moniker "Metro Thuggin". The album was to be self-titled and was planned to be released sometime in 2015. Along with the announcement, the duo released the collaborative track, "The Blanguage".[20] PhotographerCam Kirk claimed to have a copy of the complete, finished album. A few leaked tracks from the project were found circulating the internet in late 2015, yet an official mixtape has never been released.[21]
In 2014, Metro made an appearance onNicki Minaj's third studio album,The Pinkprint, producing the track "Want Some More".[22]
In October 2014, Metro executive producedFuture'sMonster mixtape. This spawned the first appearance of the single "Fuck Up Some Commas".[23] The song became a single a month after the album was released.
Metro served as executive producer forDrake and Future's collaborative mixtapeWhat a Time to Be Alive, released on September 20, 2015. In addition, he produced or co-produced seven of the 11 tracks on the mixtape.[24]
On October 31, 2017, Metro and rappers 21 Savage and Offset released their collaborative studio album,Without Warning, as a surprise release. On the same day, "Ric Flair Drip", performed by Metro and Offset, was released as the lead single. The album features guest appearances fromTravis Scott andQuavo of Migos.[27]
On November 3, 2017, Metro and rapperBig Sean released a single titled "Pull Up n Wreck", featuring rapper 21 Savage, the lead single from their collaborative studio album,Double or Nothing. The project was released on December 8, 2017. It features guest appearances from Travis Scott,2 Chainz, 21 Savage,Kash Doll,Young Thug, andSwae Lee. On February 13, 2018, "So Good", featuring Kash Doll became the lead single.[28]
2018–2021:Not All Heroes Wear Capes andSavage Mode II
In January 2018, Metro Boomin was featured in aGap campaign with singerSZA, alongside a self-produced remix of "Hold Me Now".[29][30] The remix was released to digital platforms on the same day as the campaign.[31][32] In an interview withXXL, explaining the campaign with Gap and the remix, he stated;
To remix the song, it was really about the [original] track leading the direction, I kept the rhythm of the song more uptempo, more of their style, with that old-school feel. But I put the 808s on it just to have that bounce. It was about mixing both worlds but not really losing the essence of the original.[30]
In April 2018, Metro Boomin announced his "retirement" from rap on his Instagram page, changing his bio to "Retired record producer/DJ".[33] However, he since garnered production credits onNicki Minaj's fourth studio album,Queen, as well as Minaj's labelmateLil Wayne, on his twelfth studio album,Tha Carter V, which both debuted in the top 2 of theBillboard 200.
On September 29, 2020, Metro and 21 Savage announced their fourth collaborative project,Savage Mode II, a sequel to their EP,Savage Mode (2016). It features guest appearances from Drake, Young Thug, andYoung Nudy. On October 13, 2020, the dual lead singles became "Runnin" and "Mr. Right Now", the latter of which features Drake.[40] The album was released on October 2, 2020, and debuted atop on theBillboard 200 chart, earning both artists their second number-one albums, which were also back-to-back for both artists.[41]
2022–2023:Heroes & Villains andSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
On November 22, 2022, Metro announced the title of his upcoming second studio album:Heroes & Villains, which released on December 2.[42] On November 30, he released an accompanying short film preview for the album. The film was directed by Gibson Hazard and featured appearances by Metro,Gunna,LaKeith Stanfield,Morgan Freeman, andYoung Thug.
On March 22, 2024, Metro releasedWe Don't Trust You, a collaborative studio album withFuture.[50] The album contained guest appearances fromThe Weeknd,Travis Scott,Playboi Carti,Kendrick Lamar, andRick Ross. The album debuted atop the USBillboard 200 with the biggest opening week of 2024 at the time of its release. A single from the album, "Like That" with Kendrick Lamar, was quickly met with commercial success, debuting atop theBillboard Hot 100,Global 200, andHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts simultaneously. It was both Future and Lamar's third number-one single on the former chart, and Metro's first as a credited artist.
Specializing in thetrap sub-genre ofhip-hop, Metro Boomin utilizes a distinctive mix of heavy, booming bass, rattling synthetic percussion and dark, gothic melodies.[54] He usually produces songs for hip-hop, although he produced four tracks for Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd's fourth studio album,After Hours (2020), which is primarily an 80s-inspired R&B album;[55] in addition, he has remixed pop songs such as "Hold Me Now" (produced as a Gap marketing collaboration).[30]
In hip-hop, producers may choose to mark their work with a producer tag, a catchy shout-out usually placed at the beginning of a song which allows listeners to recognize and appreciate certain producers. Metro has been credited for making this technique more compelling on specific tracks.[56]
His first producer tag was "This beat is so, so Metro" and it was used in songs like "Karate Chop (Remix)", "Ugly" by Soulja Boy and "Chanel Vintage" in 2013–2014.
One of Metro's more viral tags, "Metro Boomin want some more, nigga",[57] originates from vocals of the Boomin-produced song "Some More" byYoung Thug, and received widespread attention in early 2016.
Metro's most prominent and iconic tag, "If Young Metro don't trust you, I'm gon' shoot you", is performed byFuture. The tag originates in the song "Right Now" byUncle Murda, also produced by Boomin. The tag appeared first inDrake and Future's 2015 song, "Jumpman", from the collaborative mixtapeWhat a Time to Be Alive,[58] and gained widespread attention after its use in theKanye West song "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1".[59]
Another well-known tag is "Young Metro, young Metro, young Metro" spoken by his longtime collaborator Future. Boomin often references "3x" or "Young Metro 3x" as a nod to this particular tag.[60]
Another one of Metro's tags is just "Metro!", originally spoken by Young Thug on his song "Hercules". The tag can be most prominently heard at the beginning of the Metro-produced song "Mr. Right Now" by21 Savage andDrake, off the tapeSavage Mode II, as well as appearing various times inHeroes & Villains.[citation needed]. The tag was featured extensively on Metro's soundtrack albumSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This tag was also recently used in the "Re-OG" Fortnite lobby music which went viral on social media.
Another one of Metro's tags, "Metro in this bitch goin' brazy", can be heard in the track "More M's" from 21 Savage's and Drake's albumHer Loss. The tag originated from the track "No Opp Left Behind" fromSavage Mode II.[61]
The latest version of Metro's tag, "Metro!" with the vocals from Playboi Carti, is featured on Carti's latest studio album,MUSIC, on the song "RADAR".[62]
Wayne's mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, was killed in amurder-suicide by her husband on June 3, 2022.[63][64] Later that year, Wayne partnered with theSteve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation to launch the "Single Moms Are Superheroes" initiative.[65] The program provides financial assistance, community resources, and family programming for single mothers in the greaterMetro Atlanta area.[66]
In August 2024, Wayne announced the "Leslie Joanne Single Moms Are Superheroes" grant-giving program. In conjunction with Wayne andFuture'sWe Trust You Tour, the grant offered $20,000 and concert tickets to non-profit organizations supporting single mothers in each city on the tour.[68][69]
On October 29, 2024, Wayne was sued forsexual assault of a woman, named Vanessa LeMaistre, which allegedly happened inLos Angeles in September 2016.[70] In the lawsuit that was filed in theSuperior Court of Los Angeles, the woman alleged that she visited the producer at a recording studio inCalifornia, where she was given analcoholic beverage and swallowed half aXanax, an anxiety medication she was taking after the loss of her son. After consuming both substances, she lost consciousness and woke up in a hotel room inBeverly Hills, while Wayne was allegedly raping her. The woman claimed she passed out again, and woke up to Wayne performingoral sex on her. A few weeks after the alleged assault, LeMaistre found out she was pregnant and underwent anabortion due to her deteriorating mental health. The lawsuit also referred to the lyrics of a song "Rap Saved Me" by21 Savage,Offset, Metro Boomin andQuavo, which include the lines: “She took a Xanny, then she fainted/ I’m from the gutter, ain’t no changing/ From the gutter, rap saved me/ She drive me crazy, have my baby.” The woman believes the lyrics recount the alleged assault and resulting pregnancy. It also pointed totweets posted by Wayne, including the deleted ones, that are indicative of "his intentions to hurt women".[71][72][73] One of the tweets quoted in the lawsuit appeared to refer to sexual activity under the influence of a party drug,MDMA: "She gon suck me whether she like it or not. That’s what the molly for."[74] LeMaistre sought compensation for mental anguish and legal punishment for Wayne.[75]
Wayne's lawyer, Lawrence Hinkle II, denied the accusations and said Wayne will defend himself in court, and "file a claim formalicious prosecution once he prevails." In response to Hinkle's statement, Michael J. Willemin, one of LaMaistre's attorneys, said that "makingdefamatory remarks is not going to help Metro Boomin’s case".[76][77]
On 25 September 2025, Wayne was unanimously found not liable on all counts after an hour of deliberation by jurors, with one juror citing a lack of evidence brought forward by LaMaistre as a key factor behind the decision.[78] Wayne said in a statement later that day that he was ‘grateful and thankful to God [to] put all of this nonsense behind [him]’.[79]
Boominati Worldwide is a record label founded by Wayne in June 2017. It was launched as an imprint ofRepublic Records, a division ofUniversal Music Group. That same month, Wayne stated that:
"Launching Boominati Worldwide is the next step in my career as a producer, an artist and a businessman. I created the label to represent a collective of highly gifted individuals who have the shared gift of being able to influence the world through culture and art".[80]
Notable producers who work for Boominati includeDre Moon,Doughboy Beatz, Chris Xz, Mike McTaggart, Scriptplugg, Bbykobe, Notinbed, and Peter Lee Johnson.
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