DIPLO
Bio

Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known as Diplo, is one of the most dynamic forces in music today. He is as much an international brand as he is a musician/DJ/producer. Year after year, he’s proven himself to be a ubiquitous cultural figure, consistently bridging high and low, mainstream and underground, with remarkable tact and reverence.

In 2004, after throwing influential parties in South Philadelphia, Pentz cemented himself as a full-fledged artist through his debut album, “Florida.” Receiving praise within the underground community, “Florida” caught the attention of XL Recording’s newest act at the time, M.I.A., who partnered with Pentz to release mixtape “Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1.” Diplo continued to work with M.I.A. on her first and second albums, eventually creating the Grammy nominated track “Paper Planes” in 2007, which hit No. 4 in the U.S. Hot 100 Charts and has sold more than 3 million copies.

In 2005, Diplo founded label/culture lab Mad Decent to serve as a showcasing platform for the myriad of fascinating sounds Pentz encounters while touring the world. The early release of Brazilian group Bonde do Role remains a testament to Diplo’s aspirations, as their music helped define Baile Funk in the United States. Mad Decent has gone on to release music from a dynamic range of artists that include Santigold, Peter Bjorn & John, Rusko, Crookers, Bosco Delrey, Lil’ Jon, Gucci Mane, Buraka Som Sistema, Dillon Francis, RiFF RAFF, Baauer and Major Lazer. Coming full circle from his days of Hollertronix, Diplo has utilized the label to produce the annual and infamous Mad Decent Block Parties – a series of outdoor dance parties/concerts that now span 22 cities across North America.

Diplo founded his global dancehall-influenced project Major Lazer in 2008 to great critical acclaim. Originally a collaboration with fellow DJ and producer Switch, the project currently consists of Diplo along with Jillionaire and Walshy Fire. The group released their debut Guns Don’t Kill People... Lazers Do in 2009, followed by 2013’s Free the Universe.

Diplo’s dropped two collaborative projects in early 2015—Major Lazer’s Peace is the Mission and Skrillex & Diplo Present Jack Ü, with both albums topping the Billboard charts for #1 Dance/Electronic Album. Peace is the Mission debuted at #12 on the Billboard 200, marking Major Lazer’s highest chart debut to date.

2015 has seen new heights of success for the Grammy-nominated producer, with Major Lazer’s collaboration with DJ Snake, “Lean On” featuring Mø spending weeks atop Spotify’s Global Viral chart, becoming the first independent release ever to do so, and reaching more than 565 million streams online. 2015 also saw the launch of Major Lazer’s eponymous animated television series on FXX and the continued success of Diplo’s BBC radio show, “Diplo and Friends.”

Diplo continues to tour the world over, playing 300 shows a year with Major Lazer, Jack Ü and under his own moniker, including headlining Mad Decent Block Parties nationwide, the annual Mad Decent Boat Party cruise and his Vegas residency at Steve Wynn’s XS. In 2014 Diplo released a compilation album, Random White Dude Be Everywhere, featuring his his “Express Yourself” and “Revolution,” in addition to tracks that have been seen in commercials for Doritos and Fiat. A jack of all trades and true cultural powerhouse, Diplo has also contributed to Vanity Fair, modeled for the campaign of fashion designer Alexander Wang, released the coffee table book 128 Beats Per Minute and the documentary film, Favela On Blast, and recently had a cameo role in 22 Jump Street.

As one of pop’s most in-demand producers, Diplo has worked with artists such as Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Wale, Chris Brown, Ariana Grande, 2 Chainz, Travis Porter, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Azealia Banks, Iggy Azalea, Die Antwoord, Robyn, AlunaGeorge, and many more, producing seven tracks on Madonna’s latest, Rebel Heart. Also in 2015, super-duo Jack Ü teamed up with Justin Bieber and released the hit “Where Are Ü Now,” currently climbing charts at pop radio.

For more information, please contact Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000.