Sean Leon | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Matthew Sean Leon |
Also known as | Maui Slim [1] |
Born | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | January 30, 1991
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2013–present |
Labels | IXXI Initiative |
Website | seanleon |
Matthew Sean Leon (born January 30, 1991) is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is the founder of the IXXI Initiative, formed in 2012 in Toronto. The collective helped foster the career of Daniel Caesar in tandem with producers Jordan Evans & Matthew Burnett. [3] [4] [5]
In July 2013, Leon released his debut mixtape Ninelevenne, the Tragedy followed by his second project Narcissus, the Drowning of Ego on January 22, 2014. [6] [7] [8] Both projects featured production by Jordan Evans. [9] Shortly after the release of Narcissus, Leon began the year-long roll out of the compilation King Of The Wild Things.
In February 2017, Leon released his first studio album I Think You've Gone Mad (Or the Sins of the Father) . On November 29, 2017, Leon released an audio-film titled "C.C.W.M.T.T". This was followed with Sean Leon (The Death Of) in 2018. [10]
In 2021, God's Algorithm had a non-traditional album release, with no streaming service involved, and only available for purchase on a beta landing page where users interacted through visuals, audio files, NFTs, and apparel. [11] In 2023, he released the soundtrack album In Loving Memory [12] prior to the film's debut.[ citation needed ]
Following his appearance on Daniel Caesar's Pilgrim's Paradise EP in April 2016, Leon released the self-produced "Matthew in the Middle" featuring Caesar with production from Jovi, Jordan Evans and Jack Rochon, it was featured on the soundtrack for HBO's Insecure . Leon and Caesar's collaborations continued on Caesar's 2017 album Freudian and the following release Case Study 01 in 2019. Leon also has released several WondaGurl-produced songs as well as working with fellow Toronto artists like River Tiber and Jazz Cartier. [13] [14]
In 2019, Leon had a demo titled "The Glade" under his own artist project. While working on Daniel Caesar's Case Study 01 in Los Angeles, fellow collaborator River Tiber recommended sharing the demo with Ye at one of West's Sunday Service performances. This led to Leon writing parts of "Selah", "Jesus Is Lord", the chorus on "Use This Gospel" and contributing to the track sequencing for West's 9th studio album Jesus Is King . "The Glade" became "Up from the Ashes" and was released on the deluxe edition release of West's album Donda , garnering him a co-writing and production credit on the track. He also was credited on Justin Bieber's song "Peaches". Leon has also been a guest writer for the TV series Utopia Falls . [11]
He co-wrote the opening track "Stars" from the ¥$ (Ye and Ty Dolla Sign) album Vultures 1 , released on February 10, 2024.
In Loving Memory was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize. [15]
Studio albums
Compilation albums
| Mixtapes
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2019
2021
2024
Award | Year | Work | Category | Result | Ref. |
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Grammy Awards | 2022 | "Peaches" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [16] |
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe) | Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
Polaris Music Prize | 2024 | In Loving Memory | — | Longlisted | [17] |
In Loving Memory is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper and producer Sean Leon. It was released independently on December 1, 2023. It features guest appearances from Kanye West, Daniel Caesar, Jessie Reyez, River Tiber, and Dylan Sinclair.
BadBadNotGood is a Canadian instrumental band and production team from Toronto, Canada. The group was founded in 2010 by bassist Chester Hansen, keyboardist Matthew Tavares, and drummer Alexander Sowinski. In 2016, they were joined by frequent collaborator Leland Whitty. Among other projects, the group has released six solo studio albums, with the latest, Mid Spiral, released in July 2024. They have had critical and crossover success, finding audiences in the hip hop, jazz, and alternative music communities.
Jordan D. C. Evans is a Canadian record producer. His production resume includes working with major recording artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, Drake, John Legend, Ellie Goulding, Chris Brown, and Daniel Caesar.
Matthew Raymond Burnett is a Canadian record producer, musical director and manager from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who has worked with a number of major recording artists in various genres from R&B to soul, hip hop and rap. Burnett has produced for the likes of Daniel Caesar, Drake, Eminem, Nas, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Childish Gambino, Ellie Goulding and Snoh Aalegra to name a few. He has also musically directed Daniel Caesar, Charlotte Day Wilson, Jessie Reyez, Willow Smith and Queen Naija. Alongside longtime music partner Jordan Evans, Burnett previously managed Caesar. Currently, the duo manage Wilson. Matthew Burnett's work has earned him two Grammy Award nominations and five Juno Award nominations. In 2018 he took home a Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for Caesar's debut studio album, Freudian.
Days Before Rodeo is the second mixtape by American rapper Travis Scott. It was released independently on his SoundCloud account on August 18, 2014. The mixtape features guest appearances from Rich Homie Quan, Young Thug, T.I., the 1975, Big Sean, Migos, and Peewee Longway. Production was handled by Scott himself, alongside Mike Dean, WondaGurl, Metro Boomin, DJ Dahi, Southside, Lil' C, AudioKlique, Charlie Handsome, FKi 1st, Vinylz, Allen Ritter, Anthony Kilhoffer, Lex Luger, Oz, Syk Sense, Tane Runo, and J. Hill. The mixtape serves as the follow-up to Scott's debut mixtape, Owl Pharaoh (2013), and serves as the prequel to his debut studio album, Rodeo (2015).
Ebony Naomi Oshunrinde, professionally known as WondaGurl, is a Canadian record producer, songwriter and record executive.
Ashton Dumar Norwill Simmonds, known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two critically acclaimed EPs, Praise Break (2014) and Pilgrim's Paradise (2015), Caesar released his debut studio album, Freudian, in August 2017, which garnered widespread critical acclaim. He released his second studio album, Case Study 01, in June 2019. In March 2021, Caesar was featured alongside Giveon on Justin Bieber's single "Peaches", his first number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100. Caesar released his third studio album, Never Enough, in April 2023 as his first release under Republic Records.
Tommy Paxton-Beesley, also known as River Tiber, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He released his debut studio album Indigo in 2016. As a songwriter, Paxton-Beesley has frequently collaborated with producer Frank Dukes and artists including Kaytranada, Daniel Caesar, and BadBadNotGood. He has co-written the charting songs "No Tellin'" by Drake, "Broken Clocks" by SZA, "AstroThunder" by Travis Scott, and "I Keep Calling" by James Blake.
Freudian is the debut studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar. It was released independently on August 25, 2017, by Golden Child Recordings, with distribution from TuneCore. It includes guest appearances from Kali Uchis, H.E.R., Syd, Charlotte Day Wilson and Sean Leon. Production derives from Caesar, Matthew Burnett, Jordan Evans, BadBadNotGood, Alex Ernewein, Riley Bell and Jordon Manswell. The album succeeds the 2015 EP Pilgrim's Paradise. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the Best R&B Album Category, alongside a nomination for Best R&B Performance with "Get You" at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, with "Best Part" with H.E.R. winning Best R&B Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
"Get You" is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar, featuring Colombian-American singer and songwriter Kali Uchis. It was released on October 20, 2016, as the lead single from Caesar's debut studio album, Freudian (2017), with the b-side, "Japanese Denim". "Get You" was written by Caesar and Uchis, with production of both tracks handled by Jordan Evans and Matthew Burnett in collaboration with BadBadNotGood.
Tremayne Marcell Joiner, also known as Tre Capital, is an American rapper and singer from Los Angeles. The son of rapper Xzibit, he is the founder and a member of the hip hop collective Deluxe or D.lx.
Charlotte Day Wilson is a Canadian contemporary R&B singer-songwriter. She came to prominence in the mid-2010s with her single "Work" and collaborations with other Toronto-based artists like BadBadNotGood and Daniel Caesar. Wilson released her debut album Alpha in July 2021.
Case Study 01 is the second studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar, released on June 28, 2019, through Golden Child Recordings. It features guest appearances from Brandy, Pharrell Williams, John Mayer, Sean Leon and Jacob Collier.
Canadian musician Daniel Caesar has released three studio albums and one studio EP, among many singles including "Get You" featuring Kali Uchis and "Best Part" featuring H.E.R. As a featured artist, his most notable appearance is on the Justin Bieber RIAA 3-times platinum single "Peaches". He often collaborates with other Toronto-based artists like BadBadNotGood, Charlotte Day Wilson, River Tiber, and Sean Leon.
I Think You've Gone Mad (Or the Sins of the Father) is the debut studio album by Toronto rapper and producer Sean Leon. It was released by The IXXI Initiative on February 5, 2017. The album also features collaborations with Daniel Caesar and the deceased Canadian rapper Redway. It was produced by Leon and many producers, such as WondaGurl, Eestbound, Jordan Evans and others.
C.C.W.M.T.T is the second studio album by Canadian rapper and producer Sean Leon. It was released as an audio-film and an album on November 29, 2017. The album was supported by two singles, "Gold" and "Vintage".
"Up from the Ashes" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from the deluxe version of his tenth solo studio album, Donda (2021). The song was initially intended for West's ninth studio album Jesus Is King (2019) and previewed during listening parties in September and October 2019. The original track named was "Glade". West's singing on the song has been compared to his fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song leaked online in February 2020 alongside an alternate version featuring production done by Dr. Dre.
"Aim for the Moon" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke featuring fellow American rapper Quavo. It was posthumously released as a track from the former's debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, on July 3, 2020, as well as the EP For The Night (2020). The song was written alongside producers 808Melo, WondaGurl, and 5ive Beatz, Dez Wright, Dani, and Tyy Beats. Serving as a drill track, it sees Pop Smoke and Quavo rap about their successes.
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