'Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known by his stage name Diplo, is an American DJ, music
producer, rapper, and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California.
He founded and manages record company Mad Decent, as well as co-founding the non-profit
organization Heaps Decent.
Among other jobs, he has worked as a school teacher in Philadelphia.
He is also the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project,
Major Lazer.
His 2013 EP "Revolution" debuted at #68 on the Billboard 200.
During his rise to fame, Diplo worked with British musician M.I.A., an artist who is
credited with helping expose him in his early career.
Later, he and fellow M.I.A.
producer Switch created a Jamaican dancehall project titled Major Lazer.
Since then, Diplo has worked on production and mixtape projects with many other notable
pop artists, such as Britney Spears, Beyoncé, No Doubt, Justin Bieber, Usher, Snoop Lion,
and G-Dragon.
His alias, short for Diplodocus, derives from his childhood fascination with dinosaurs.
Career DJ and Hooked on Hollertronix
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi and raised in various regions across Southern United States,
Diplo developed an interest in much of the local culture.
He began attending the University of Central Florida in 1997, and then moved to Philadelphia
to continue his studies at Temple University, where he first garnered attention as a DJ.
After frequently running into fellow DJ Low Budget, the two began throwing parties under
the Hooked on Hollertronix moniker in 2003 as a way of maintaining control of what they
were able to play during DJ gigs in Philadelphia.
The success of these parties allowed the two to release mixtapes, both separate and together,
gathering acclaim across the country.
One such mixtape, Never Scared, was named one of the New York Times' top ten albums
of 2003, and the Hollertronix name became synonymous with parties featuring guests like
Bun B, Spank Rock, M.I.A., among others.
Hollertronix's sound has been described as "disparate genres to be smashed together for
maximum attention-grabbing impact" an aesthetic which takes from the "organic, cohesive, whole"
aesthetic of acts such as Bun B, Lil Jon, Drama, M.I.A., Björk, Busta Rhymes, and others.
Diplo accentuated the club aesthetic of his Hollertronix music for a more reflective sound
on his solo debut, Florida, which was released on the Ninja Tune imprint, Big Dada Records.
The album Florida was pressed twice, first with a CD and the second with a CD and DVD.
The DVD was created by System D-128, another artist who has collaborated with Diplo on
some audio and video projects.
Before Florida’s DVD accompaniment, another DVD surfaced called Diplo: "Banned in Libya"
which was released by Money Studies, the first label to release a solo project by Diplo under
his original DJ name Diplodocus.
It was a 45 rpm record called "Thingamajawn" for which there is also a music video System
D-128 directed.
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.
His particular affinity for one genre of music called baile funk would spawn a series of
mixtapes, which served to bring the Brazilian dance music of the ghettos to the United States.
It was not long before his Hooked on Hollertronix parties would provide him the success necessary
to move to the next logical step and build a studio where music would become his full-time
focus.
With this goal in mind, Diplo built "The Mausoleum," a video studio, recording studio, record label
office, gallery, and event space in Philadelphia.
Since its inception, The Mausoleum has become the home to recordings by artists like Christina
Aguilera, Shakira, M.I.A., Santigold, Spank Rock, Plastic Little, Blaqstarr, Paper Route
Gangstaz, and hosted concerts by Glass Candy, Skream, Boys Noize, Nicos Gun, and more.
M.I.A.
After hearing one of his songs in 2004, M.I.A.
approached Diplo when he was DJ'ing one night at the Fabric Club in London.
Regarding their first meeting, M.I.A. said "It had that same homelessness about it.
It didn't have a particular genre, which is what people always say to me: Your song doesn't
fit anywhere.
So I went on a mad mission to find other people like that, because then we could make a home."
Coincidentally, Diplo was playing her songs "Galang" and "Fire Fire" as she entered the
club, which he got from a worker at i-D magazine.
Diplo added, "She came through and she wanted to meet me 'cause she'd heard my single and
the funk mix from one of her A&Rs and she just thought I was right up her alley.
Besides me being a white dude from Florida and her being a Sri Lankan girl in England,
everything else was the same: [We were both] film graduates, [listened to] all the same
music when we were kids, were going in the same direction right now in music, it was
amazing...
I always wanted to make a beat with her, but all my beats were really shitty at the time."
The two eventually collaborated on a mixtape, Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1., where Arular
track acapellas were mashed with other artists' songs and was mentioned as ‘Albums of the
Year’ from the New York Times and Pitchfork Media.
The two became romantically involved for five years and continued to work together after
the release and he toured as a DJ on her 2005 Arular Tour.
Diplo would continue to work with M.I.A. and, through her, meet London DJ Switch; together
they created the Grammy nominated track ‘Paper Planes’, peaking at No.4 on the Billboard
US Hot 100.
Producer and Mad Decent From this, Diplo went from an unknown DJ to
taking off as a producer, landing him collaborations with artists like Shakira, Robyn, Kid Cudi,
Bruno Mars, No Doubt and Snoop Dogg, as well as work with Maluca, Kid Sister, Die Antwoord,
Alex Clare, Rolo Tomassi, Amanda Blank and Dark Meat.
After taking a trip to Brazil to investigate the favela music scene, and fascinated with
the energy the scene had to offer, Diplo decided to import a dance-funk group Bonde do Rolê
from Brazil for release on his Mad Decent record label.
This group would serve to define funk carioca in the United States, spawning a host of others
to join the movement.
Diplo also spent some time documenting the music, and the favelas of Brazil
Although favela funk remained an interest, his Mad Decent imprint would serve as a blank
palette for Diplo to showcase the myriad different sounds he’d come across while touring around
the world.
September 2009 even saw Diplo travel to China to play with Steve Aoki at a show organised
by promoters Split Works.
Diplo quickly developed a reputation for his extensive touring.
In the April 2010 issue of Rolling Stone, Diplo was touted as one of ’40 Reasons to
be Excited About Music’.
This kind of jet setting pushed his label far beyond the favela funk genre with which
it initially began.
Since its foundation in 2005 Diplo’s Mad Decent label has released music by Santigold,
Lil’ Jon, Gucci Mane, Peter Bjorn and John, Bosco Delrey, Rusko, Buraka Som Sistema, Savage
Skulls, Oliver Twizt, Jamie Fanatic, Douster, Boy 8-Bit, and Popo.
Beyond the scope of their own releases, there is Mad Decent Worldwide Radio, a mixtape/podcast
series showcasing artists who have seen release on Mad Decent, but also many more who may
have caught the attention of the label.
Additionally, Diplo and Mad Decent have put together an annual block party, showcasing
talent from the label.
While the first three years of the festival only occurred in the label hometown of Philadelphia,
2010 saw the party spread to include Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas, Washington
D.C, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Dallas, Detroit, New Braunfels, San Diego and Canada.
Major Lazer
Diplo’s first collaborative full-length record was with Switch, this time under the
guise Major Lazer.
After landing a deal with Downtown Records before even recording a note of music, Diplo
& Switch set out for Jamaica to record a project that, like most of Diplo’s projects before
it, would highlight the little-known subgenres, this time of Jamaica’s dancehall scene.
The two received support by many already established Jamaican artists such as Vybz Kartel, Elephant
Man and Ms. Thing, and the resulting record Guns Don't Kill People...
Lazers Do also featured vocals from Santigold, Amanda Blank, Nina Sky, Ricky Blaze and more.
When discussing the Major Lazer project, Diplo described the dancehall sound as being " the
end of the world, all the little influences—house, soca, oldies, R&B, jazz—it all ends up in
Jamaica."
The track "Pon De Floor" from Guns Don't Kill People...
Lazers Do was sampled for Beyoncé's single "Run the World".
Major Lazer's first album was followed up with an EP, Lazers Never Die, which was released
in 2010.
A second album, Free The Universe, was scheduled to be released in November 2012 but was delayed
to February 2013, and then to April 15.
It features artists such as Ezra Koenig, Bruno Mars, Ward 21, Wyclef, The Partysquad, Shaggy,
Tyga, Flux Pavilion, Dev, and Wynter Gordon.
Additional projects Beyond Major Lazer and Mad Decent, Diplo has
continued to show support for 'all the little influences', the lesser-known music scenes
around the globe.
Most recently his focus shifted to the ‘Bounce’ scene in New Orleans, Louisiana for a television
piece commissioned by Current.tv.
Diplo was nominated for Non-Classical Producer of the Year at the 55th Grammy Awards.
Diplo has collaborated with dubstep artist Skrillex to form the duo Jack U.
As of 2012 Diplo has a late night show on BBC Radio 1 / 1Xtra on Sundays 0100 – 0300
called 'Diplo & Friends' where he curates mixes from some of biggest names in dance
music.
Diplo also has several syndicated Diplo & Friends shows in the United States in Boston, Bakersfield,
Cleveland, Columbus, Las Vegas, Spokane, Albuquerque, Lafayette, Denver, and most notably on Los
Angeles' 98.7 every Sunday at 9pm.
In 2013, Diplo was announced as one of the headline acts for the Ultra Music Festival
2014, alongside the likes of M.I.A., deadmau5, David Guetta, Kaskade, Tiësto and Armin Van
Buuren.
Personal life He previously dated British-Sri Lankan singer
and rapper M.I.A.
for five years, from 2003 to 2008.
He also has a son named Lockett, born in 2010.
In July and August 2013, he was in a publicized Twitter feud with rapper Flo Rida.
Diplo claimed that Flo Rida's video for the track "Can't Believe It", featuring Pitbull
copied his video for the track "Butter's Theme" featuring Gent & Jawns.
Flo Rida responded, claiming that he had never seen the video.
Discography
Solo albums Sound and Fury
Florida Decent Work For Decent Pay
Riddimentary Random White Dude Be Everywhere
EPs and singles "Newsflash"
Epistemology Suite "Thingamajawn"
"Back End" "Diplo Rhythm"
"Blow Your Head" "Get Off"
"Hey" "U Don't Like Me"
"C'Mon" "C'Mon"
"Que Que" "Go"
"Pick Your Poison" "El Tigeraso"
"Make You Pop" "Express Yourself"
Express Yourself "Rasclat Riddim"
"About That Life" "Coup D'Etat "
Express Yourself Remix EP "Keep It Gully"
"P.O.V.
2.0" "Up"
"Earthquake" Revolution EP
"Revolution" "Elastic Heart"
Revolution "Freak"
"Dirty Vibe" Singles released for free
"Boy Oh Boy" "Booty Drop"
"Crown" Mixes
AEIOU AEIOU Pt. 2: Making Music Your Own
Piracy Funds Terrorism Favela on Blast
Favela Strikes Back FabricLive.24
Mad Decent Radio, Vol. 1 I Like Turtles
Top Ranking: A Diplo Dub Benzi & Diplo Present: Paper Route Gangstaz:
Fear and Loathing in Hunts Vegas 2009 Rewind
Diplo Presents: Free Gucci Major Lazer & La Roux present: Lazerproof
Blow Your Head – Diplo Presents: Dubstep Benzi & Diplo Present: Mansions on the Moon:
Paradise Falls Riddimentary: Diplo Selects Greensleeves
Trapgold "#SwayInTheMorning Mix"
Diplo – got stoned and mixed really old records for half an hour
Diplo & Friends TWONK Takeover Soundtracks
ATV Offroad Fury 4 – "Tambo" & "Newsflash" SSX on Tour – "Big Lost, "Indian Thick Jawns"
NBA 08 – "Way More" NBA 09: The Inside – "Do It Like That"
Midnight Club Los Angeles – "Wassup" Kick-Ass 2 – "Earthquake"
Saints Row IV – Mad Decent 106.9 radio station – "Express Yourself"
Podcasts Mad Decent
Diplo & Friends References
External links Diplo on Twitter
Diplo and Friends at BBC Programmes Mad Decent
Diplo's bio on Mad Decent Philadelphia Weekly article