Mike Dean

Biography

Michael George Dean (born March 1, 1965) is an American audio engineer, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is known for his synthesizer-heavy instrumentation, guitar solos, outros, and audio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. Beginning his career in 1992, he was first credited on releases for Texas-based rappers Scarface, Willie D, and Geto Boys, though he has since worked with hip-hop and pop artists including Kanye West, the Weeknd, Beyoncé, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake, Madonna, Selena Gomez, Playboi Carti, and Lana Del Rey, among others. As a non-performing lead artist, Dean has released six solo studio albums: 4:20 (2020), 4:22 (2021), Smoke State 42222×SMOKE STATE 4222222 April 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 11:272SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 22:133SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 31:384SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 42:205SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 1 STEM 1 (INITIALLY BLANK)1:276SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 2 STEM 12:137SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 3 STEM 11:388SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 4 STEM 12:209SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 1 STEM 21:2710SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 2 STEM 22:1311SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 3 STEM 21:3812SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 4 STEM 22:2013SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 1 STEM 31:2714SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 2 STEM 32:1315SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 3 STEM 31:3816SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 4 STEM 32:2017SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 1 STEM 41:2718SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 2 STEM 42:1319SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 3 STEM 41:3820SMOKE STATE CHAPTER 4 STEM 42:20 (2022), 4:23 (2023), 424 (2024) and 425 (2025).

Career

In the 1980s, Dean started doing collaborations with numerous Texan artists, including Selena, for whom Dean served as musical director and producer. He began his career in hip-hop while producing two albums as a part of the Houston-based group, Def Squad, along with group member Norris Burse (Champ) and Kenny Bomer (KB) under the Mr. Henry/ Ichiban labels. Dean first became widely known for pioneering the Dirty South sound in the 1990s, particularly in work for artists from Rap-A-Lot Records. Dean has most notably worked alongside Scarface of the Geto Boys, Do or Die, Tha Dogg Pound, Yukmouth of the Luniz, C-Bo, Nate Dogg, Tech N9ne, UGK, Z-Ro, Devin the Dude, Outlawz, and 2Pac.

Dean went on to mix, produce, and master widely throughout American hip-hop. He has become known for producing work with Kanye West. After initially contributing to the mixing of West's albums The College Dropout and Late Registration, Dean contributed as producer on West's albums Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus, The Life of Pablo, Ye, and Donda. He also co-produced with West on his collaboration album with Jay-Z, Watch the Throne. Dean was an additional producer on "Mercy" and "Higher" from GOOD Music's 2012 compilation album Cruel Summer.

In recent years, Dean has served as a regular guitarist and keyboardist for West and Travis Scott at their live performances, being West's Watch the Throne Tour, the Yeezus Tour, and Saint Pablo Tour alongside Scott's Birds Eye View Tour and Astroworld – Wish You Were Here Tour. Dean has also been a frequent collaborator with Scott. Dean's production has appeared on every one of Scott's musical bodies of work since 2013. In 2016, Dean mastered Frank Ocean's visual album Endless, wrote and produced tracks on Desiigner's mixtape New English, and produced Desiigner's single "Tiimmy Turner".
In May 2017, Dean announced he was launching a record label by the name of M.W.A. When asked what made him decide that now would be the best time to unveil his new record label, Dean responded: "Just a lot of new young artists that's been asking to get down with me and have me work on their projects and help them get deals. I figured I'd start a label and sign some new acts. Seems like a good time to start it. I got a studio out here [in Los Angeles] and I'm able to meet a lot of new artists." When asked the meaning of M.W.A, Dean answered: "That's just what I call myself when I DJ. Mexican Wrestling Association. It's something that I've done with the merch, so I just figured I'd keep the name going." He also revealed Dice Soho the first artist he signed to M.W.A: "One of my homies Gustavo Guerra brought [Dice Soho] to me. I think he's gonna be the next wave out of Houston. I picked him up. Dice has a nice swag."
He released an instrumental mixtape, 4:20, on April 20, 2020. On May 20, 2021, Lana Del Rey's single "Wildflower Wildfire" was released, which was produced by Dean. In an interview with Anthony Fantano before the song's release, Dean said that he was "planning on working with [Del Rey] a lot".
Since 2022, Dean has had several further collaborations with the Weeknd, who Dean has worked with on the Weeknd's 2014 promotional single "King of the Fall" as a co-writer. In 2015, Dean collaborated with the Weeknd on "Tell Your Friends" from the album Beauty Behind the Madness, on which he co-produced and played guitar, as well as his single "Where You Belong" for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. Dean contributed live arrangements to the Weeknd's co-headlining performances with Swedish House Mafia at the 2022 Coachella festival. Dean has since been an opening act on the Weeknd's After Hours til Dawn Tour, during which his arrangements have been included in the Weeknd's shows. Dean also created a remix for the Weeknd's song "Starry Eyes" from his album Dawn FM, which Dean has performed live in his opening sets on the tour; he has become a touring musician for The Weeknd since the 2023 European and Latin American legs of the tour and onward. He plays synthesizers and saxophone. Dean contributed the musical arrangements for the "After Hours Nightmare" Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses at Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood. In 2023, Dean contributed live arrangements to Metro Boomin's performances at Coachella, during which the Weeknd appeared as a special guest; Dean also appeared as a guest musician during 070 Shake's performance during the second weekend of the festival.
He co-wrote and produced the Weeknd's single "Double Fantasy," "Popular," "The Lure (Main Theme," "Family," "Devil's Paradise," "A Lesser Man," "Take Me Back," "One of the Girls," "Jealous Guy," "Fill the Void," "Like a God," "False Idols," "Dollhouse," and "My Sweet Lord" for the soundtrack of the Weeknd's HBO series The Idol, which Dean is part of the starring cast of, and premiered on June 4. Dean released his fourth mixtape, 4:23, which the Weeknd co-produced, on April 29.
Since 2024, Dean has co-written and produced "Young Metro," "We Still Don't Trust You," "All to Myself," and "Always Be My Fault" by Future and Metro Boomin with the Weeknd from the former two's respective albums We Don't Trust You and We Still Don't Trust You, on which Dean is also credited with producing "Beat It." On the Weeknd's 2025 album Hurry Up Tomorrow, Dean co-wrote and produced the tracks "Wake Me Up," "Cry for Me," "São Paulo," "Until We're Skin in Bones," "Baptized in Fear," "Opening Night," "Reflections Laughing," "Enjoy the Show," "Given Up on Me," "I Can't Wait to Get There," "Timeless," "Niagara Falls," "Take Me Back to LA," and "Big Sleep".

1990s

1992

Bushwick Bill – Little Big Man
UGK – Too Hard to Swallow
Willie D – I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier
1993

5th Ward Boyz – Ghetto Dope
Ganksta NIP – Psychic Thoughts
DMG – Rigormortiz
Abdullahi A - "Crashin'"
1994

5th Ward Boyz – Gangsta Funk
Big Mello – Wegonefunkwichamind
Big Mike – Somethin' Serious
Blac Monks – Secrets of the Hidden Temple
Odd Squad – Fadanuf Fa Erybody!!
Scarface – The Diary
1995

5th Ward Boyz – Rated G
Bushwick Bill - Phantom of the Rapra
Immature - "Just a Little Bit (We Got It)"
Jamal – Last Chance, No Breaks
Menace Clan – Da Hood
Monica - "Before You Walk Out of My Life (Remix)"
Poppa LQ - "Housen the Scene"
5th Ward Juvennilez - Deadly Groundz
1996

Various Artists - High School High (soundtrack)
Various Artists - Original Gangstas (soundtrack)
3-2 – The Wicked Buddah Baby
Quindon - "Dream About You"
Do or Die – Picture This
Facemob – The Other Side of the Law
Rappin' 4-Tay - Off Parole
Ganksta NIP – Psychotic Genius
Geto Boys – The Resurrection
1997

3X Krazy – Stackin Chips
5th Ward Boyz - Usual Suspects
Big Mike – Still Serious
Eternal - "Dreams (Mike Dean Remix)"
Immature - The Journey
Luniz - Lunitik Muzik
Scarface –The Untouchable
Scarface - "Mary Jane (Mike Dean's Xtra Remix)"
Seagram – Souls on Ice
1998

Various Artists- Caught Up (soundtrack)
A-G-2-A-Ke – Mil-Ticket
Devin the Dude – The Dude
Do or Die – Headz or Tailz
Ganksta NIP – Interview with a Killa
Geto Boys - Da Good da Bad & da Ugly
Scarface - My Homies
Yukmouth – Thugged Out: The Albulation

2000s

2000

C-Bo – Enemy of the State
Do or Die - Victory
Outlawz – Ride wit Us or Collide wit Us
Scarface – The Last of a Dying Breed
2001

Jennifer Lopez & Daz Dillinger – Play (Jennifer Lopez song) Mike Dean Remix
Kurupt - Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey
Oz (soundtrack)
Tha Dogg Pound – Dillinger & Young Gotti
Yukmouth – Thug Lord: The New Testament
Sherm – Sherm Smoke
2002

Big Syke – Big Syke
Daz Dillinger – This Is the Life I Lead
Devin the Dude – Just Tryin' ta Live
E-40 – Grit & Grind
Hussein Fatal – Fatal
Kastro & E.D.I. Mean – Blood Brothers
King T – The Kingdom Come
Scarface – The Fix
Young Noble – Noble Justice
2003

Scarface - Balls and My Word
Yukmouth – Godzilla
2004

Devin the Dude - To Tha X+Treme
Z-Ro – The Life of Joseph W. McVey
Shyne – Godfather Buried Alive
Kanye West – The College Dropout
2005

Bun B - Trill
Geto Boys – The Foundation
Pimp C – Sweet James Jones Stories
Z-Ro – Let the Truth Be Told
Kanye West – Late Registration
2006

Juvenile – Reality Check
Pimp C – Pimpalation
Scarface - My Homies Part 2
Z-Ro – I'm Still Livin'
2007

Kanye West – Graduation
Scarface – Made
2008

Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak
2009

Mike Jones – The Voice
UGK – UGK 4 Life

2010s

2010

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Pimp C - The Naked Soul of Sweet Jones
Z-Ro – Heroin
2011

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
2012

GOOD Music – Cruel Summer
2013

Beyoncé – Beyoncé
Big Sean - Hall of Fame
Jay-Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail
Kanye West – Yeezus
Angel Haze – Dirty Gold
Travis Scott – Owl Pharaoh
2014

Rick Ross - Mastermind
Travis Scott – Days Before Rodeo
Freddie Gibbs & Mike Dean – "Sellin' Dope"
2015

The Weeknd - "Where You Belong"
ASAP Rocky - At. Long. Last. ASAP
Madonna – Rebel Heart
Travis Scott – Rodeo
Freddie Gibbs – Shadow of a Doubt
Scarface - Deeply Rooted
The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
Justin Bieber – No Sense
2016

Beyoncé – Lemonade
D.R.A.M. - Big Baby DRAM
Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
Desiigner – New English
Frank Ocean – Endless
Frank Ocean – Blonde
Travis Scott – Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
Ty Dolla Sign – Campaign
Yung Lean – Warlord
2 Chainz – Hibachi for Lunch
Kid Cudi – Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'
Z-Ro – Legendary
2017

2 Chainz – Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
Vic Mensa – The Autobiography
Lunice – CCCLX
Ty Dolla Sign – Beach House 3
Huncho Jack – Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho
2018

AJ Mitchell – Skyview
Migos – Culture II
Desiigner – L.O.D.
Pusha T – Daytona
Kanye West – Ye
Kanye West – "Lift Yourself"
Dermot Kennedy – Mike Dean Presents: Dermot Kennedy
Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts
Christina Aguilera – Liberation
Nas – Nasir
The Carters – Everything Is Love
Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E.
Travis Scott – Astroworld
Genetikk – Y.A.L.A
2019

2 Chainz – Rap or Go to the League
Madonna – Madame X
Maxo Kream – Brandon Banks
Kanye West – Jesus Is King
Pusha T - "Coming Home"
City Morgue – City Morgue Vol 2: As Good as Dead
Smokepurpp – Deadstar 2
Sunday Service Choir – Jesus Is Born
JackBoys & Travis Scott – JackBoys

2020s

2020

Selena Gomez – Rare
070 Shake – Modus Vivendi
Gorillaz - Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
Don Toliver – Heaven or Hell
Teyana Taylor – The Album
Future - High Off Life
Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon
Burna Boy – Twice as Tall
Spillage Village, JID & EarthGang – Spilligion
2 Chainz – So Help Me God!
Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon III: The Chosen
2021

Kanye West – Donda
Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters
Don Toliver – Life of a Don
Mike Dean & Rich the Kid – "Blue Cheese"
Aaliyah – "Poison"
2022

FKA Twigs – Caprisongs
Kanye West – Donda 2
Fivio Foreign – B.I.B.L.E.
Pusha T – It's Almost Dry
Megan Thee Stallion – Traumazine
Weiland – Vices
070 Shake – You Can't Kill Me
XXXTentacion – Look at Me: The Album
Beyoncé – Renaissance
The Game – Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind
Nav – Demons Protected by Angels
Christine and the Queens – Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue)
2023

Quavo – "Without You"
The Weeknd - The Idol (TV) & soundtrack
Christine and the Queens – Paranoia, Angels, True Love
Metro Boomin – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (soundtrack)
Travis Scott – Utopia
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – Welcome 2 Collegrove
2024

Future & Metro Boomin – We Don't Trust You
Future & Metro Boomin – We Still Don't Trust You
Mau P – On Again
Duki – Ameri
2025

The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow
Playboi Carti - Music
2026

ASAP Rocky - Don't Be Dumb
Don Toliver - Octane
Brent Faiyaz - Icon