Diplo

Thomas Wesley Pentz Jr., professionally known as Diplo, was born on November 10, 1978, in Tupelo, Mississippi. His early life was significantly shaped by the influence of home-grown rap and Miami bass culture, after spending much of his youth in Miami. He pursued higher education at the University of Central Florida in 1997 and later at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he began to gain recognition as a DJ. In 2003, while in Philadelphia, he partnered with fellow DJ Low Budget to host parties under the “Hooked on Hollertronix” moniker. These events quickly gained popularity, leading to the release of mixtapes, including “Never Scared,” which The New York Times recognized as one of the top ten albums of 2003, establishing their reputation nationwide. Diplo’s early career also saw the release of his solo debut album, “Florida,” on Big Dada Records, and a series of mixtapes like “Favela on Blast,” which introduced Brazilian baile funk to American audiences.

His career advanced significantly through a collaboration with British artist M.I.A. after she discovered his music in 2004. This partnership led to their highly acclaimed mixtape, “Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1,” and eventually to the production of the Grammy-nominated hit song “Paper Planes,” peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. This exposure propelled Diplo into mainstream recognition and facilitated his work with numerous high-profile artists. In 2006, he founded his independent record label, Mad Decent, which became a platform for diverse global sounds and artists. He also co-founded the non-profit organization Heaps Decent in 2007, reflecting his commitment beyond music production.

Diplo further diversified his musical ventures by co-creating and leading the electronic dancehall project Major Lazer, a group that has released five studio albums and pioneered ReggaeEDM. He is also a member of the pop supergroup LSD with Sia and Labrinth, and the electronic duo Jack Ü with Skrillex, which won two Grammy Awards in 2016 for “Best Dance/Electronic Music Album” and “Best Dance Recording.” Another notable collaboration is Silk City with Mark Ronson, which earned a Grammy for “Best Dance Recording” in 2019 for their single “Electricity.” Throughout his career, Diplo has consistently pushed musical boundaries, producing for and collaborating with a wide array of artists including Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Britney Spears, Joji, Morgan Wallen, and Ellie Goulding, while maintaining an active touring schedule.