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Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, is an American DJ and music producer. He is a co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD, and a member of the electronic duo Jack Ü, among other groups. Diplo has worked with several artists, including M.I.A., with whom he produced the breakout single Paper Planes, and has released music under his own record company Mad Decent. He is also known for his extensive touring and has gained recognition from publications such as Rolling Stone.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Thomas Wesley Pentz |
| Known as | Diplo |
| Date of Birth | November 10, 1978 |
| Place of Birth | Tupelo, Mississippi |
| Parents | Barbara Jean and Thomas Pentz |
| Descent | German and English |
| Education | Hendersonville High School, University of Central Florida, Temple University |
| Career | DJ, music producer, founder of record company Mad Decent |
| Pseudonym | Diplodocus |
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What You'll Learn
Diplo's early life
Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, came into the world on November 10, 1978, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Barbara Jean (née Cox) and Thomas Pentz. With German and English roots, Diplo spent most of his youth in Miami, where he developed a taste for the local bass. This, along with home-grown rap, would later influence his production style.
Diplo attended Hendersonville High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee, before enrolling at the University of Central Florida in 1997. During his time at UCF, he began his journey as a DJ at the local radio station, WPRK, based at Rollins College. He then moved to Philadelphia to study at Temple University, where he started to gain recognition as a DJ.
At the age of 20, Diplo embarked on a journey to India with little money and a used Enfield Motorcycle. He travelled across the Indian territories of Ladakh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Gujarat. This trip, along with his world tours, exposed Diplo to a diverse range of music and sounds, which he would later incorporate into his work.
In 2005, Diplo founded his label, Mad Decent, which initially focused on the favela funk genre. However, as he continued to tour the world, his label expanded beyond its initial genre, collaborating with artists like Santigold, Baauer, Lil' Jon, and Gucci Mane, among others.
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Diplo's career as a DJ
Thomas Wesley Pentz, known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. Diplo was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1978, and is of German and English descent. He spent most of his youth in Miami, where he was exposed to Miami bass, which influenced his production style. During his time at the University of Central Florida, Diplo became a DJ at the local radio station WPRK, at Rollins College. He continued his studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, where he first gained attention as a DJ.
At the age of 20, Diplo moved to India, where he travelled across various Indian territories on a used Enfield Motorcycle. During his time in India, he collected records and listened to local music, including the sitar and tabla. After returning to the US, Diplo and a friend began throwing parties under the "Hooked on Hollertronix" moniker in 2003, allowing them to maintain control over the music they played during their DJ gigs in Philadelphia. The success of these parties enabled Diplo to release mixtapes, both solo and collaborative, that gained acclaim across the country. One such mixtape, "Never Scared", was named one of The New York Times' top ten albums of 2003.
Diplo's solo debut, "Florida", marked a departure from the club aesthetic of his Hollertronix music, showcasing a more reflective sound. He built "The Mausoleum" in Philadelphia, a studio space that served as a recording studio, record label office, gallery, and event space. Diplo has produced songs for numerous artists, including M.I.A., No Doubt, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Robyn, Usher, and Bruno Mars. He has also found success as a solo artist, with his EP "Revolution" debuting at number 68 on the US Billboard 200. The title track was featured in a Hyundai commercial and on the WWE 2K16 soundtrack.
In addition to his solo work, Diplo has been a part of several high-profile groups. He co-created and is a lead member of Major Lazer, an electronic dancehall music project. He is also a member of the supergroup LSD with Labrinth and Sia, the electronic duo Jack Ü with Skrillex, and Silk City with Mark Ronson. Diplo has a reputation for extensive touring and has been recognised by Rolling Stone as one of the "40 Reasons to be Excited About Music". His collaborations have resulted in chart success and critical acclaim, including a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for the single "Where Are Ü Now" with Skrillex and Justin Bieber.
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Diplo's work as a music producer
Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, is an American DJ and music producer. He is a co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with Labrinth and Sia, and a member of the electronic duo Jack Ü with producer and DJ Skrillex. Diplo is also a member of Silk City, alongside Mark Ronson.
Diplo's career in music began in his youth, when he was influenced by the Miami bass scene. He started as a DJ at the local radio station WPRK while attending the University of Central Florida. Diplo's production style was heavily influenced by home-grown rap, which he encountered during his time in Miami. At the age of 20, he moved to India, where he travelled between the territories of Ladakh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Gujarat on a used Enfield motorcycle.
Diplo founded the record company Mad Decent in 2006, which served as a platform for him to showcase the diverse sounds he had encountered during his extensive world tours. His Mad Decent imprint initially began with the favela funk genre, but quickly expanded beyond it. Diplo has worked with a variety of artists, including Steve Aoki, Santigold, Baauer, Lil' Jon, and Gucci Mane. He has also produced music for television and commercials, with his track "Revolution" featured in a Hyundai commercial and on the WWE 2K16 soundtrack.
One of Diplo's most notable collaborations was with British musician M.I.A., whom he also dated. He produced her 2008 breakout single "Paper Planes", which gave him initial mainstream exposure. Diplo has also formed several groups, including Major Lazer, which has its own namesake cartoon series, and Silk City, which he formed with Mark Ronson.
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Diplo's record label
Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, is an American DJ and music producer. He founded the record company Mad Decent in 2006, as well as the non-profit organization Heaps Decent the following year. Diplo also built "The Mausoleum", a video studio, recording studio, record label office, gallery, and event space in Philadelphia.
Mad Decent is an American record label founded by Diplo. The label has helped introduce Brazilian baile funk and Angolan kuduro to clubs around the world. In the early 2010s, it popularized moombahton, a genre of electronic dance music created by DJ Dave Nada. The genre on the label was mostly popularized by Dillon Francis after collaborating with Diplo on Francis' 2012 track "Que Que". The label is also known for its series of concerts in major cities known as the Mad Decent Block Party.
Since its foundation in 2005, Diplo's Mad Decent label has released music by a variety of artists, including Santigold, Baauer, Lil' Jon, Gucci Mane, Peter Bjorn and John, Rusko, Bosco Delrey, and Buraka Som Sistema. As Mad Decent continues to grow and release tracks by big-name artists, Diplo's solo career continues to flourish alongside it. He has produced for artists such as Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Britney Spears, and Ariana Grande, to name a few.
Mad Decent has also released several Christmas albums and EPs, including A Very Decent Christmas in 2013 and Major Lazer's "Lean On" in 2015, which became Spotify's most streamed song of that year. In 2016, the label launched a sub-label, Good Enuff, with the song "Echoes" by Fossa Beats.
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Diplo's TV and film work
Thomas Wesley Pentz, known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. Diplo has worked on several audio and film projects. He has also collaborated with several artists and has been a part of multiple music groups.
Diplo's first solo project was released under his original DJ name, Diplodocus, by Money Studies. It was a 45 rpm record called "Thingamajawn" for which there is also a music video directed by System D-128. Similar to the Florida DVD, "Banned in Libya" is an experimental audio and video mix of some of Diplo's original music blended with a number of other unidentified sources. Diplo's affinity for baile funk or favela funk music led to the creation of a series of mixtapes (Favela on Blast, Favela Strikes Back), which brought Brazilian dance music to the United States.
Diplo's Mad Decent imprint served as a platform to showcase the diverse sounds he encountered during his extensive world tours. His label expanded beyond its initial favela funk roots, releasing music by various artists. Diplo has also travelled to China to perform with Steve Aoki at a show organized by Split Works promoters.
In 2013, Diplo's extended play (EP) "Revolution" debuted at number 68 on the US Billboard 200. The title track was featured in a Hyundai commercial and on the WWE 2K16 soundtrack. Diplo's work with British musician M.I.A. resulted in the production of her breakout single "Paper Planes", which gave him initial mainstream exposure. Diplo also formed the electronic musical group Major Lazer and its namesake cartoon series for FXX, which aired for one season.
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Frequently asked questions
Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz, is an American DJ and music producer. He is a co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer. He has also worked with artists such as M.I.A., Labrinth, Sia, and Skrillex.
Diplo has a diverse range of musical influences, including rap, Miami bass, and baile funk (also known as favela funk). He is known for his extensive touring and has developed a reputation for showcasing a wide range of sounds from around the world.
Diplo has had a number of successful releases, including the extended play (EP) "Revolution" in 2013, which debuted at number 68 on the US Billboard 200. He has also worked on several collaborative projects, including the Major Lazer album "Peace Is the Mission," which featured artists such as Ariana Grande, Ellie Goulding, and Pusha T.
