Mike Dean (record producer)
Mike Dean (record producer)
Mike Dean | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael George Dean |
| Also known as |
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| Born | March 1, 1965 Angleton, Texas, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels |
|
| Associated acts |
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| Website | deanslist.net [14] |
Michael George Dean (born March 1, 1965) is an American hip hop record producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist from Houston, Texas. Dean is best known for recording and mixing songs for major artists across the American hip hop industry such as Kanye West, 2Pac, Scarface, Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, Jay-Z, and Desiigner.
Mike Dean | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael George Dean |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | March 1, 1965 Angleton, Texas, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Labels |
|
| Associated acts |
|
| Website | deanslist.net [14] |
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.[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 his 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, and Ye albums.[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.
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, and the Yeezus Tour and Travis Scott’s Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight 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".[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]
Production discography
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 [8]
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
2005
Geto Boys – The Foundation
Pimp C – Sweet James Jones Stories
Z-Ro – Let the Truth Be Told
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
2015
Madonna – Rebel Heart
Travis Scott – Rodeo
The Weeknd – Where You Belong
Freddie Gibbs – Shadow of a Doubt
2016
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
Desiigner – New English
Frank Ocean – Endless
Frank Ocean – Blonde
Ty Dolla Sign – Campaign
Yung Lean – Warlord
2 Chainz – Hibachi for Lunch
Z-Ro – Legendary
2017
2 Chainz – Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
Vic Mensa – The Autobiography
Lunice – CCCLX
Ty Dolla Sign – Beach House 3
Trippie Redd – Dark Knight Dummo
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
Kids See Ghosts – KIDS SEE GHOSTS
Christina Aguilera – Liberation
Nas – NASIR
Beyoncé & Jay-Z as "The Carters" – Everything Is Love
Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E.
Travis Scott – Astroworld
Genetikk – Y.A.L.A
Upcoming
Kanye West – Yandhi
GOOD Music – Cruel Winter
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The College Dropout (as engineer/mixer) | Album of the Year | Nominated | [10] |
| 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 | "Ni**as 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 |
See also
Houston hip hop