Alex da Kid

Last updated

Alex da Kid
Alex da Kid interview.png
Grant in 2016
Background information
Birth nameAlexander Junior Grant
Also known as
  • Alex da Kidd
  • by.ALEXANDER
Born (1983-08-27) 27 August 1983 (age 41)
Bristol, England
Origin Wood Green, London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
  • record executive
Years active2008–present
Labels

Alexander Junior Grant (born 27 August 1983), [1] professionally known as Alex da Kid or by.ALEXANDER, is a British music producer from Wood Green, London. He has gained recognition for producing several hit singles for artists of multiple music genres (mostly hip hop and alternative rock), such as Dr. Dre ("I Need a Doctor"), Nicki Minaj ("Massive Attack"), B.o.B ("Airplanes" featuring Hayley Williams), Eminem ("Love the Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna), Matthew Koma ("Stars"), Diddy ("Coming Home" with Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey), Imagine Dragons ("Radioactive" "Believer") and Cheryl ("Under The Sun").

Contents

Although he now lives in Los Angeles, the Evening Standard named him one of "London's Most Influential People in 2011." He has been nominated for numerous Grammy Awards including "Album of the Year" for his work on Rihanna's Loud. His record label, KIDinaKORNER, is a subdivision of Interscope Records. [2] [3] In both 2013 and 2014, Grant (as owner of KIDinaKORNER Records) was chosen by Billboard Magazine for their "Top 40 Under 40." [4] In 2020, Grant released a jazz album titled 000 CHANNEL BLACK, under the pseudonym by.ALEXANDER.

Early life

Alexander Junior Grant was born 27 August 1983 in North London, to a Jamaican father and an English mother. Grant was a professional footballer, playing for Bristol City [5] until 19 years of age, at which time a friend introduced him to the digital music editing software FruityLoops, prompting an interest in music production. [6] He then attended University of West London (UWL) to study towards a master's degree in Audio Technology, now called Advanced Music Technology. [7]

Musical career

Universal Music Publishing Group's Jessica Rivera first heard about Grant in 2009 though Grant's lawyer Scott Felcher. On request, Grant sent Rivera some of his music, and the publishing executive later related her reactions to HitQuarters: "It hit me right away that this dude had something different to bring to the table ... He wasn't just straight up hip-hop – his sound was very different and transcended genres." [8]

In 2011, Grant launched his record label, KIDinaKORNER. In 2012, he co-written and co-produced multiple songs for Christina Aguilera's seventh studio album Lotus . [9]

In 2016, Grant released his first solo project as an artist. The single, "Not Easy" features X Ambassadors, Elle King and Wiz Khalifa via KIDinaKORNER/RCA Records. The track was written and produced by Alex da Kid for KIDinaKORNER, Sam Harris, Casey Harris, Adam Levin, Elle King, and Wiz Khalifa. [10] In 2017, Grant released his second track, "American Funeral" which was a co-written collaboration with Joseph Angel. [11]

In a Music Connection magazine cover story from January 2015, Grant said, as a producer, he co-writes everything that he works on with the artists. [12]

On 27 August 2020, Grant released his first full-length project, a jazz album titled 000 CHANNEL BLACK, under the moniker by.ALEXANDER. [13] The album features guest appearances from 070 Shake, Tanerélle, Charles Bukowski, Michèle Lamy, Rainsford and Irina Shayk.

Other ventures

In 2020, Grant founded _by.ALEXANDER, his own luxury fashion label. [14] His debut collection, called "000 CHANNEL BLACK", features a mix of one-off pieces and elevated sportswear styles. Actor Gary Busey and model Irina Shayk star in the first editorial campaign, kicking off the launch. Designed and developed in Los Angeles by Grant himself, the unisex 19-piece collection is full of contrasting details and juxtapositions. [15]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums
TitleAlbum details
000 CHANNEL BLACK [16]

Singles

TitleYearAlbum
"Not Easy"
(Alex da Kid featuring X Ambassadors, Elle King and Wiz Khalifa)
2016non-album singles
"American Funeral" [17]
(Alex da Kid and Joseph Angel)
2017
"Go 2.0"
(Alex da Kid featuring Jorja Smith, H.E.R. and Rapsody)
2018
"Trumpets" [18]
(by.ALEXANDER featuring 070 Shake)
2020000 CHANNEL BLACK
"le merveilleux résumé" [19]

Production discography

Singles produced

List of singles as either producer or co-producer, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released, performing artists and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positions Certifications Album
US US
R&B
US
Rap
AUS CAN FRA GER NZ SWE UK
"Massive Attack"
(Nicki Minaj featuring Sean Garrett)
201012265non-album single
"Airplanes"
(B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore)
2652228981101 B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray
"Love the Way You Lie"
(Eminem featuring Rihanna)
1111111112
  • RIAA: 11× Platinum
    (Diamond) [23]
  • ARIA: 9× Platinum [24]
  • BPI: 2× Platinum [21]
  • BVMI: Platinum
  • IFPI SWI: 3× Platinum
  • RIANZ: 2× Platinum
Recovery
"Coming Home"
(Diddy-Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey)
11832147845264
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum
  • ARIA: 3× Platinum [25]
  • BPI: Gold [21]
Last Train to Paris
"I Need a Doctor"
(Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey)
2011412416128292523568
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum [26]
  • BPI: Silver [21]
non-album single
"Words I Never Said"
(Lupe Fiasco featuring Skylar Grey)
89 Lasers
"Rise Above 1"
(Reeve Carney featuring Bono and The Edge)
7471 Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
"Dance Without You"
(Skylar Grey)
non-album singles
"Invisible"
(Skylar Grey)
8663
"Invincible"
(MGK featuring Ester Dean)
108 Lace Up
"Under the Sun"
(Cheryl)
12 A Million Lights
"C'mon Let Me Ride"
(Skylar Grey featuring Eminem)
20128417 Don't Look Down
"Radioactive"
(Imagine Dragons)
3652844112
  • RIAA: 10× Platinum (Diamond)
  • ARIA: 4× Platinum
  • BPI: Platinum
  • BVMI: Platinum
  • IFPI SWE: 6× Platinum [27]
  • IFPI SWI: Platinum
  • MC: 3× Platinum
  • RMNZ: 3× Platinum [28]
Night Visions
"Demons"
(Imagine Dragons)
20136114151512713
  • RIAA: 5× Platinum
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum
  • BPI: Silver
  • IFPI SWE: 4× Platinum [27]
  • IFPI SWI: Gold
  • MC: Platinum
  • RMNZ: Platinum [29]
"On Top of the World"
(Imagine Dragons)
7910433513104034
  • ARIA: 3× Platinum [30]
  • BPI: Silver
  • IFPI SWE: 2× Platinum [31]
  • RMNZ: Platinum [32]
"Final Warning"
(Skylar Grey)
Don't Look Down
"Monster"
(Imagine Dragons)
7841 Smoke + Mirrors (Deluxe Edition)
"Jungle (Remix)" [33]
(X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons featuring Jay Z)
20148762554418non-album single
"I Bet My Life"
(Imagine Dragons)
28361542652827
  • RIAA: Gold
  • MC: Platinum
Smoke + Mirrors
"Bed of Lies"
(Nicki Minaj featuring Skylar Grey)
6219741134131173 The Pinkprint
"Gold"
(Imagine Dragons)
Smoke + Mirrors
"Burning Bridges"
(Ludacris featuring Jason Aldean)
Ludaversal
"American Oxygen"
(Rihanna)
201578655925391171non-album single
"Renegades"
(X Ambassadors)
1743610107038
  • ARIA: Gold
  • MC: 4× Platinum
  • SNEP: Gold
  • BVMI: Gold
  • BPI: Silver
  • RIAA: Platinum
VHS
"Unsteady"
(X Ambassadors)
209461
  • MC: Platinum
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum
"Sucker for Pain"
(Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Logic, Ty Dolla Sign and X Ambassadors)
20161537191885911
  • ARIA: Platinum
  • SNEP: Gold
  • RMNZ: Gold
  • BPI: Silver
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum
Suicide Squad
"Not Easy"
(Alex da Kid featuring X Ambassadors, Elle King and Wiz Khalifa)
73
[34]
non-album singles
"American Funeral"
(Alex da Kid and Joseph Angel) [17]
2017
"Thunder"
(Imagine Dragons)
4------21820231020
  • FIMI: Gold
  • RMNZ: Gold
  • IFPI: Gold
EVOLVE

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