The Dance Music Producers of the Moment
From David Guetta to Afrojack, here are the artists who are responsible for dance's new mainstream popularity
Diplo
Birth name: Thomas Wesley Pentz
Age: 33
Origin: U.S.
About him: In 2003, performing in Philadelphia as Hollertronix with DJ Low Budget, Diplo helped craft the mixtape Never Scared, which featured M.I.A. and Bun B; he also produced the 2004 mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism, featuring Brazilian favela funk-inspired remixes of many of the songs on M.I.A.'s first album, Arular. In addition to producing for the likes of Lil Wayne and Beyonce, he also now helms his own record label, Mad Decent, and is half of the dancehall DJ duo Major Lazer.
Artists he's produced for: M.I.A., Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Robyn
Artists he's remixed: Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, Sleigh Bells, Maroon 5, Feist
His sound: An international flea market of beats and blips; he scours the globe for the tastiest beats and flavors.
Track that best captures his essence: "Paper Planes" (M.I.A).
On staying in the shadows: "We're not the best songwriters, we're not good singers, we're not the best looking," Diplo has said of producers. "We just see the little cracks that need to get filled."
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