Mike Dean (record producer)

Mike Dean (record producer)
Michael George Dean (born March 1, 1965) is an American record producer, audio engineer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his synthesizer-heavy instrumentation and audio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. He began his career in 1992, producing albums for rappers such as Scarface, Willie D, and Geto Boys, but has since worked on records for artists including the Weeknd, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake, Madonna, Selena Gomez, and Lana Del Rey, among others. As a non-vocal lead artist, Dean has released four solo studio albums: 4:20 (2020), 4:22 (2021), Smoke State 42222 (2022), and 4:23 (2023).
Career
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 for 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. 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 albums Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus, The Life of Pablo, Ye, and Donda. 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, 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".
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 [in Los Angeles] and 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 [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."
He released an instrumental mixtape, 4:20, on April 20, 2020. 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".
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. 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.
Discography
Studio albums
4:20 (2020)
4:22 (2021)
Smoke State 42222 (2022)
4:23 (2023)
Live albums
Echoplex (Live 2021) (2021)
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 NIP – 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 – 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
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
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 – 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
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 – "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
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
070 Shake – Modus Vivendi
Don Toliver – Heaven or Hell
Teyana Taylor – The Album
Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon
Burna Boy – Twice as Tall
Spillage Village, JID & EarthGang – Spilligion
2 Chainz – So Help Me God!
Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon III: The Chosen
2021
Kanye West – Donda
Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters
Don Toliver – Life of a Don
Mike Dean & Rich the Kid – "Blue Cheese"
Aaliyah featuring the Weeknd – "Poison"
2022
FKA Twigs – Caprisongs
Kanye West – Donda 2
Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E.
Pusha T – It's Almost Dry
Megan Thee Stallion – "Plan B"
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)
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"
Travis Scott – Utopia
Filmography
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
!
|-
|2005
| The College Dropout (as engineer/mixer)
| Album of the Year
|
|rowspan="23"|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2006
| "Gold Digger" (as engineer/mixer)
| Record of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|Late Registration (as engineer/mixer)
| Best Rap Album
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| Album of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2008
|rowspan="2"|Graduation (as engineer)
|
|-
| Best Rap Album
|
|-
|"Good Life" (as songwriter)
|Best Rap Song
|
|-
|2012
|My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (as engineer/mixer)
|Best Rap Album
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2013
|"Niggas in Paris" (as songwriter)
|rowspan="5"|Best Rap Song
|
|-
|"Mercy" (as songwriter)
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|2014
|"New Slaves" (as songwriter)
|
|-
|rowspan="1"|2015
|"Bound 2" (as songwriter)
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2016
|"All Day" (as songwriter)
|
|-
|Beauty Behind the Madness (as producer)
|rowspan="3"|Album of the Year
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|2017
|Lemonade (as producer)
|
|-
|Purpose (as producer)
|
|-
| "Famous" (as songwriter)
| rowspan="3"|Best Rap Song
|
|-
| "Ultralight Beam" (as songwriter)
|
|-
|2019
|"Sicko Mode" (as songwriter)
|
|-
|2021
| Jesus Is King (as engineer/mixer)
| Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|2022
| "Jail" (as songwriter)
| Best Rap Song
|
|-
|Donda (as producer/songwriter)
| rowspan="2"| Album of the Year
|
|-
| 2023
| Renaissance (as producer/songwriter)
|
See also
Houston hip hop
Kanye West
References
External links
Official website
NPR: Mike Dean on working with Selena, Scarface, and Kanye
Mike Dean at Grammy.com
1965 births
Living people
Musicians from Houston
American hip hop record producers
American audio engineers
American electronic 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
American multi-instrumentalists