Diplo

<p>Thomas Wesley Pentz was born on November 10, 1978, in Tupelo, Mississippi, and raised in Florida. Fascinated by dinosaurs as a boy (inspiring his stage name Diplo, short for Diplodocus), he studied film at Temple University in Philadelphia. In the early 2000s, he gained underground acclaim through his eclectic 'Hollertronix' club nights, blending Miami bass, electro, 80s pop, and punk.</p><p>His creative partnership with British-Sri Lankan artist M.I.A. led to the international Grammy-nominated smash 'Paper Planes' (2007). In 2006, Diplo founded the independent record label Mad Decent, introducing baile funk from Rio de Janeiro and dancehall from Kingston to global audiences. In 2008, he launched the collaborative dancehall project Major Lazer, producing 'Lean On' (with DJ Snake and MØ) in 2015, which became one of the most-streamed tracks in global music history.</p><p>Diplo formed the supergroup Jack Ü with Skrillex, winning two Grammy Awards for their collaborative album and the multi-platinum single 'Where Are Ü Now' featuring Justin Bieber. In 2018, he paired with Mark Ronson to form Silk City, winning another Grammy for 'Electricity' featuring Dua Lipa. Spanning electronic, hip-hop, pop, and country music, Diplo remains one of the most prolific and influential producers of modern sound.</p>