Life and career
Thomas was born in Freeport, New York, to Jamaican parents from Kingston and Mandeville. [3] He began DJing at high school parties and clubs before joining Wyclef Jean’s Refugee Camp, where he toured and performed. [4]
In 2007, Thomas produced "This Is Why I'm Hot" by Mims, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and established him as a mainstream producer. [5] He went on to work with artists including Jim Jones, Fabolous, Jason Derulo, Flo Rida, and Nicki Minaj. [6]
Thomas signed with Nicki Minaj’s publishing company, Pink Friday Records, in 2012. [7] His production on Minaj’s track "Roman Holiday" from Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012) gained wide attention after it was chosen for her performance at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Grammy producers insisted on the track, and the performance’s theatrical religious imagery generated both criticism and praise. [8]
In 2017, Thomas co-founded RecordGram, a mobile music collaboration app. The company won TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco from a wild-card position and was later accepted into the Project Music accelerator in Nashville. [9]
Thomas and RecordGram appeared on Apple’s reality competition series Planet of the Apps, pitching their app to will.i.am and Lightspeed Venture Partners. [10]
In August 2024, Thomas co-founded **Ave Eats**, a community-based on-demand food delivery app serving Ave Maria and surrounding areas. The platform was launched with Lucas Jaramillo and focuses on supporting local restaurants and creating jobs while also donating a portion of each order to US Hunger. During its soft launch, the app recorded over 350 downloads in its first two days. Restaurants on the platform included Oasis The Kitchen Lounge, Blue Agave, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Vicky Bakery. [11]
As a DJ, Thomas has performed internationally at festivals in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, and at prominent clubs in Miami’s South Beach. [12]
Production style
Thomas produces afrohouse, hip hop, R&B, dancehall, and dance music, often citing his Jamaican heritage as an influence. He uses Akai MPC systems, Abelton, Pro Tools, and Native Instruments’ Maschine. [13]
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