Michael George Dean is an American record producer,audio engineer,and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his synthesizer-heavy instrumentation and audio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. Beginning his career in 1992,he was first credited on releases for Texas-based rappers such as Scarface,Willie D,and Geto Boys,although he has since worked with 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-performing lead artist,Dean has released five solo studio albums:4:20 (2020),4:22 (2021),Smoke State 42222 (2022),4:23 (2023),and 424 (2024).
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi,also known by his stage name Kid Cudi,is an American rapper,singer,songwriter,record producer,actor,and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland,Cudi moved to New York City in pursuit of a musical career,where he first gained recognition for his song "Day 'n' Nite". Initially self-published on his MySpace page,the song became a hit online and served as a catalyst for Cudi to team up with record producers Plain Pat and Emile Haynie to record his first full-length project,a mixtape titled A Kid Named Cudi (2008). Its release helped Cudi rise to prominence and establish a fanbase,catching the attention of rapper Kanye West—who signed Cudi to his GOOD Music label by late 2008.
Man on the Moon II:The Legend of Mr. Rager is the second studio album by American rapper Kid Cudi. It was released on November 9,2010,through Dream On and GOOD Music,and distributed by Universal Motown Records. It serves as a sequel to his debut studio album Man on the Moon:The End of Day (2009),and is the second installment of the Man on the Moon trilogy. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 at various recording studios and was handled by long-time collaborators Emile Haynie and Plain Pat. It also featured contributions from Anthony Kilhoffer,Blended Babies,Chuck Inglish,Dot da Genius,Jim Jonsin,and Rami Beatz,among others. The album was supported by two singles:"Erase Me" and "Mr. Rager".
Jacques Bermon Webster II,known professionally as Travis Scott,is an American rapper,singer,songwriter,and record producer. Throughout his career,Scott has achieved four number-one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart,along with a total of over one hundred charting songs. Scott has been nominated for ten Grammy Awards and won a Latin Grammy Award,Billboard Music Award,MTV Video Music Award,and multiple BET Hip Hop Awards. As of 2023,Scott has sold over 49 million certified records in the U.S. alone. Scott's musical style has been described as a "blend between traditional hip-hop and lo-fi" and often characterized as "ambient," with a heavily appraised influence from rappers Kanye West and Kid Cudi. His stage name is derived from the latter's real name,Scott Mescudi,combined with the name of a favorite uncle.
Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight is the second studio album by American rapper Travis Scott. It was released on September 2,2016,through Grand Hustle Records and distributed by Epic Records. It exclusively premiered through Travis Scott and Chase B's radio show Wav Radio on Beats 1 and Apple Music. The album features guest appearances from André3000,Blac Youngsta,Kid Cudi,Nav,21 Savage,Kendrick Lamar,Bryson Tiller,Young Thug,Quavo,K. Forest,and the Weeknd. Production was handled by a number of record producers,including Nav,Vinylz,Mike Dean,Cardo,Frank Dukes,Allen Ritter,and Murda Beatz,among others.
Passion,Pain &Demon Slayin' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Kid Cudi. The album was released on December 16,2016,through Wicked Awesome Records and Republic Records. It succeeds Cudi's alternative rock album Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven (2015). The album features guest appearances from André3000,Pharrell Williams,Travis Scott and Willow Smith. The production on the album was handled by Cudi himself,alongside Plain Pat,Mike Dean,Dot da Genius,Anthony Kilhoffer,Mike Will Made It and Pharrell Williams,among others.
"Through the Late Night" is a song by American rapper Travis Scott featuring fellow American rapper Kid Cudi. The first of several collaborations between the two rappers,it was released on September 2,2016,as a track from the former's second studio album Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.
Jordan Terrell Carter,known professionally as Playboi Carti,is an American rapper from Atlanta,Georgia. An influential figure among his generation,he has contributed to the progression of trap music and its rage subgenre. He first signed with local underground record label Awful Records in 2014,and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE,in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017),which peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".
"Baptized in Fire" is a song by American rapper Kid Cudi featuring fellow American rapper Travis Scott. It was released on December 1,2016,as a promotional single from the former's sixth studio album,Passion,Pain &Demon Slayin' (2016). The song,which contains a sample of "Deja Vu" by Mort Garson,was produced by Mike Dean,Plain Pat and Kid Cudi. The song marked the third collaboration between Cudi and Scott,following the tracks "Way Back" and "Through the Late Night" from Scott’s album,Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight,also released in 2016.
"Guilt Trip" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West,from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West,Mike Dean,S1,with an additional production credit for Travis Scott and Ackeejuice Rockers for the samples of "Chief Rocka" by Lords of the Underground and "Blocka" by Pusha T featuring Popcaan and Travis Scott. The song's lyrics deal with looking back at a failed relationship,similar to fellow Yeezus track "Blood on the Leaves". West provides his vocals through rapping and singing through an Auto-Tune processor,reminiscent of his 2008 album 808s &Heartbreak. The song includes vocals from rapper Kid Cudi,who later expressed negative opinions about his feature due to his vocals being recorded years prior.
Astroworld is the third studio album by American rapper Travis Scott. It was released on August 3,2018,through Cactus Jack Records and Grand Hustle Records,and distributed by Epic Records. The album features guest vocals from Frank Ocean,Drake,Swae Lee,Kid Cudi,James Blake,Philip Bailey,Juice Wrld,Sheck Wes,the Weeknd,21 Savage,Gunna,Nav,Don Toliver,Quavo,and Takeoff,among others. Production was handled by multiple producers,including Scott himself,Mike Dean,Allen Ritter,Hit-Boy,WondaGurl,Tay Keith,Tame Impala,Frank Dukes,Sonny Digital,Murda Beatz,and Thundercat,among others. The album follows Scott's second studio album,Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016),and his collaborative album with Quavo,Huncho Jack,Jack Huncho (2017).
"Buss It" is a song recorded by American rapper Erica Banks. Written by Banks and produced by Sgt. J,the song was released on May 15,2020,through 1501 Certified Entertainment and later through Warner Records as the lead single from Banks's self-titled fourth mixtape. It became popular on the video-sharing platform TikTok in early 2021 and peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A remix featuring American rapper and singer Travis Scott was released in February 2021.
Caleb Zackery "Don" Toliver is an American rapper and singer. His debut mixtape,Donny Womack (2018) was released a day prior to fellow Houston rapper Travis Scott's album Astroworld (2018),on which Toliver guest appeared on its song "Can't Say". The following week,he signed with Scott's record label,Cactus Jack Records,in a joint venture with Atlantic Records.
Raqhid Jevon Render,known professionally as Lil Keed,was an American rapper. He was signed to Young Thug's record label YSL Records,as well as 300 Entertainment. His song "Nameless" reached number 42 on the Billboard Hip Hop/R&B Songs Airplay chart.
Whole Lotta Red is the second studio album by American rapper Playboi Carti. It was released through AWGE and Interscope Records on December 25,2020. Production was executively handled by Kanye West,who appears on the song "Go2DaMoon" and was primarily handled by F1lthy and Art Dealer alongside several other record producers,including Pi'erre Bourne,Maaly Raw,Lil 88,Ken Carson and Wheezy. The album consists of 24 tracks and features guest appearances from Kid Cudi,Future and Kanye West. Work on the album commenced in late 2018 and concluded in November 2020. The album serves as a follow-up to his debut studio album,Die Lit (2018).
"The Scotts" is a song by American hip hop super-duo the Scotts,composed of rappers and singers Travis Scott and Kid Cudi. It was released in various formats,including on 7-inch vinyl,cassette and as a CD single through Epic,Cactus Jack and Wicked Awesome on April 24,2020. The song release was supported by four different visuals on YouTube.
Man on the Moon III:The Chosen is the seventh studio album by American musician Kid Cudi,released on December 11,2020 by Wicked Awesome Records and Republic Records. It is the final installment of Cudi's Man on the Moon trilogy of albums.
"Show Out" is a song recorded by rappers Kid Cudi,Skepta and Pop Smoke. It was released on December 11,2020,from Kid Cudi's seventh studio album Man on the Moon III:The Chosen. The song was produced by Dot da Genius,Plain Pat,Gravez,Cudi and Dennis Cummings,with co-production from Heavy Mellow.
"Ay!" is a song by American rappers Machine Gun Kelly and Lil Wayne. It was released on March 4,2022 as the third single from the former's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022). The song was produced by Travis Barker,BazeXX,and SlimXX.
Insano is the ninth studio album by American rapper Kid Cudi. It was released on January 12,2024,via Wicked Awesome Records and Republic Records. Kid Cudi had initially announced this would be his last contractual album with Republic,the major-label he had been with since his commercial debut album,Man on the Moon:The End of Day (2009). The album follows his 2022 effort Entergalactic,which was accompanied by its visual component,an award-winning TV special of the same name.
