Mike Dean (record producer)

Michael George Dean (born March 1, 1965) is an American hip hop record producer, audio engineer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Houston, Texas. He is best known for recording and mixing songs and synthesizers for major artists across the American hip hop industry such as Kanye West, Kid Cudi, 2Pac, Scarface, Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Desiigner, Drake, Madonna, Selena Gomez, Lana Del Rey, and The Weeknd. He has released three solo studio albums: ''4:20'' on April 20, 2020, ''4:22'', on April 22, 2021, and ''Smoke State 42222'' on April 22, 2022.

Career

Mike Dean started doing collaborations with numerous Texan artists, including Selena, for whom Dean served as musical director and producer. Dean first became widely known for pioneering the Dirty South sound in the 1990s, particularly in work for artists from Rap-A-Lot Records. 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.

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 ''Graduation'', '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', '' Yeezus'', ''The Life of Pablo'', Ye, and Donda albums. 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.

In recent years, Mike Dean has served as a regular guitarist and keyboardist for Kanye West and Travis Scott at their live performances, headlining numerous music festivals, the Watch the Throne Tour, the Yeezus Tour and Travis Scott's Birds Eye View tour as well as the Astroworld - Wish You Were Here Tour. Dean has also been a frequent collaborator with Travis Scott. Dean's production has appeared on every one of Scott's musical bodies of work from 2013 to the present. 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".

In May 2017, Dean announced he was launching a record label by the name of M.W.A. 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 n Los Angelesand I'm able to meet a lot of new artists." 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." He also revealed Dice Soho the first artist he signed to M.W.A: "One of my homies Gustavo Guerra brought ice Sohoto me. I think he's gonna be the next wave out of Houston. I picked him up. Dice has a nice swag."

He released an instrumental mixtape, ''4:20'', on April 20, 2020. On May 20, 2021, the Lana Del Rey 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 el Reya lot".

Discography

As featuring artist

* 2020: Together (with Carnage and The Martinez Brothers featuring Elderbrook and Mike Dean)

Production discography

1980s

Def Squad, Texas

1990s

1992
*Bushwick Bill – '' Little Big Man''
* UGK – ''Too Hard to Swallow''
* Willie D – ''I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier''

1993
*5th Ward Boyz – '' Ghetto Dope''
*Ganksta N-I-P – ''Psychic Thoughts''
* DMG – '' Rigormortiz''

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 – '' Wicked Buddah Baby''
* Do or Die – '' Picture This''
*Facemob – '' The Other Side of the Law''
*Ganksta N-I-P – ''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 N-I-P – ''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 – '' Last of a Dying Breed''

2001
*Oz (soundtrack)
*Tha Dogg Pound – '' Dillinger & Young Gotti''
*Yukmouth – '' Thug Lord: The New Testament''
*Sherm – Sherm Smoke

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. – '' Blood Brothers''
*King Tee – '' Thy Kingdom Come''
*Scarface – '' The Fix''
* Young Noble – '' Noble Justice''

2003
*Yukmouth – ''Godzilla''
2004
*Z-Ro – ''The Life of Joseph W. McVey''
* Shyne – ''Godfather Buried Alive''
*Kanye West - ''The College Dropout''

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 – '' 808's and 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
*Kanye West & Jay-Z – ''Watch the Throne''

2012
*GOOD Music – '' Cruel Summer''

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 – GTA 5 :Radio Los Santos - “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

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'''
*Z-Ro – ''Legendary''

2017
*2 Chainz – '' Pretty Girls Like Trap Music''
*Vic Mensa – '' The Autobiography''
* Lunice – ''CCCLX''
*Ty Dolla Sign – ''Beach House 3''
* Travis Scott & Quavo – '' 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''
*Trippie Redd — '' Life's a Trip''
*Genetikk – Y.A.L.A

2019
*2 Chainz – Rap or Go to the League
*Madonna – ''Madame X''
*Maxo Kream – ''Brandon Banks (album), 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''
*Cactus Jack Records, JackBoys and Travis Scott – ''JackBoys''

2020s

2020
*Selena Gomez – ''Rare (Selena Gomez album), Rare''
*070 Shake – ''Modus Vivendi (070 Shake album), Modus Vivendi''
*Don Toliver – ''Heaven or Hell (Don Toliver album), Heaven Or Hell''
*Mike Dean – ''4:20''
*Pop Smoke – ''Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon''
*Burna Boy – ''Twice As Tall''
*Kid Cudi – ''Man on the Moon III: The Chosen''

2021
*Mike Dean – ''4:22''
*Kanye West – '' Donda''
*Lana Del Rey – ''Blue Banisters''
*Maxo Kream - ''Weight of the World''
*Don Toliver – ''Life of a Don''
*Rich the Kid, Rich The Kid - BLUE CHEESE
*Aaliyah feat. The Weeknd - "Poison (Aaliyah song), Poison"

2022
*FKA twigs - ''Caprisongs''
*Pusha T - ''It's Almost Dry''
*Mike Dean ''-'' ''Smoke State 42222''
*Megan Thee Stallion - "Plan B (song), Plan B"
*Weiland (musician), Weiland - ''Vices''
*Kanye West - Donda 2
*The Weeknd - "Starry Eyes (Mike Dean Remix)"
*Beyoncé – ''Renaissance (Beyoncé album), Renaissance''

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

!
, -
, 47th Annual Grammy Awards, 2005
, ''The College Dropout'' (as engineer/mixer)
, Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Album of the Year
,
, rowspan="22",
, -
, rowspan="3", 48th Annual Grammy Awards, 2006
, "Gold Digger (Kanye West song), Gold Digger" (as engineer/mixer)
, Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="2", ''Late Registration'' (as engineer/mixer)
, Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Album
,
, -
, rowspan="2", Album of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="3", 50th Annual Grammy Awards, 2008
, rowspan="2", ''Graduation'' (as engineer)
,
, -
, Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Album
,
, -
, "Good Life (Kanye West song), Good Life" (as songwriter)
, Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, Best Rap Song
,
, -
, 54th Annual Grammy Awards, 2012
, '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (as engineer/mixer)
, Best Rap Album
,
, -
, rowspan="2", 55th Annual Grammy Awards, 2013
, "Niggas in Paris, Ni**as In Paris" (as songwriter)
, rowspan="5", Best Rap Song
,
, -
, "Mercy" (as songwriter)
,
, -
, rowspan="1", 56th Annual Grammy Awards, 2014
, "New Slaves" (as songwriter)
,
, -
, rowspan="1", 57th Annual Grammy Awards, 2015
, "Bound 2" (as songwriter)
,
, -
, rowspan="2", 58th Annual Grammy Awards, 2016
, "All Day (Kanye West song), All Day" (as songwriter)
,
, -
, ''Beauty Behind the Madness'' (as producer)
, rowspan="3", Album of the Year
,
, -
, rowspan="4", 59th Annual Grammy Awards, 2017
, ''Lemonade'' (as producer)
,
, -
, ''Purpose (Justin Bieber album), Purpose'' (as producer)
,
, -
, "Famous (Kanye West song), Famous" (as songwriter)
, rowspan="3", Best Rap Song
,
, -
, "Ultralight Beam" (as songwriter)
,
, -
, 61st Annual Grammy Awards, 2019
, "Sicko Mode" (as songwriter)
,
, -
, 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, 2021
, ''Jesus Is King'' (as engineer/mixer)
, Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
,
, -
, rowspan="2", 64th Annual Grammy Awards, 2022
, "Jail (song), Jail" (as songwriter)
, Best Rap Song
,
, -
, ''Donda'' (as producer and songwriter)
, Album of the Year
,

See also

*Houston hip hop
*Kanye West

References

External links

Official websiteNPR: Mike Dean on working with Selena, Scarface, and KanyeMike Dean at Grammy.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dean, Mike
Living people
1965 births
People from Houston
American hip hop record producers
American audio engineers
Southern hip hop musicians
20th-century American guitarists
21st-century American guitarists
Guitarists from Texas
20th-century American pianists
Grammy Award winners for rap music
American male pianists
21st-century American pianists
Record producers from Texas
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American male musicians
Trap musicians
American multi-instrumentalists