Wesley Pentz, also known as DIPLO, is considered a cutting-edge curator in the music industry. Working alongside the world’s most famous producers and DJs, Pentz has come out on top more than once. From his hits that have topped the chart to his presence in the club circuit, Pentz doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. From a record label and unstoppable collaborations to a charity and even a documentary, Pentz simply does it all.
Diplo’s music is distinguished by the electric, 80′s-type mixes and mash ups with some of his sound resembling instrumental hip hop. He first became noticed as a DJ while attending Temple University in Philadelphia. He frequently played with DJ Low Budget and in 2003, the two started playing music and throwing parties under the name Hollertronix so they could maintain control of what they were playing during their gigs.
Diplo has worked with many popular artists such as M.I.A., Shakira, Bruno Mars and Snoop Dogg. While known for his remix capabilities and music talent, he decided to go out on his own and started Mad Decent studios. Mad Decent has released tracks for many musicians, but none as popular as Beyounce’s “Run the World (Girls). He has managed to produce this level of work while still cuting his own albums and tracks. He has released three of his own albums, along with countless EPs and remixes.
Since his rise to fame, Diplo has worked with various well-known artists. Some of these include Snoop Dogg, Robyn, Kid Cudi, Major Lazer, Shakira, Bruno Mars, and Maluca. He’s also signed many new artists to his record label over the years. In addition, Diplo continued to with British artist M.I.A. and she eventually introduced him to London DJ Switch. Together, DJ Switch and Diplo created the track Paper Planes, which peaked at number four on the Billboard U.S. Hot 100 and was also nominated for a Grammy award.
The amazing part of Diplo’s story is his ability to stay cutting edge, and gain fans of young people around the world, while still being able to build on his marketability. Many before him have alienated their fans in trying to become more marketable to larger audiences. This ability to build without alienating is truly a special talent he has perfected. Only he knows what he is planning to do next, but the world should brace for it!
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