Mike D

Michael Louis Diamond (born November 20, 1965),[1] better known as Mike D, is an American rapper, musician, and music producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys.[2]

For other people named Michael Diamond, see Michael Diamond (disambiguation).

Mike D
Diamond in 2007
Diamond in 2007
Background information
Birth nameMichael Louis Diamond
Also known as
  • Mike D
  • Mike Diamond
  • Country Mike
  • The King of Lunch
  • Meshach
  • Sweet Lou
  • Malibu Mike
Born (1965-11-20) November 20, 1965
New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • percussion
  • keyboards
Years active1979–present
Websitebeastieboys.com

Early life

Diamond was born in New York City[3] to Harold Diamond, an art dealer, and Hester (née Klein) Diamond, an interior designer and art collector. He grew up on the Upper West Side surrounded by artwork, including pieces by Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Barnett Newman.[4][5][6] He attended the arts-oriented Saint Ann's School and Walden School.[5]

Career
Mike D singing with the Beastie Boys at Trans Musicales 2004 in Rennes
Mike D singing with the Beastie Boys at Trans Musicales 2004 in Rennes

In 1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981, Adam Yauch, (known professionally as MCA), a friend and follower of the band, became their bass player, and on the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry, the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys.[7] By 1983, Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) joined, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip hop.[8]

In 1992, Diamond founded the Beastie Boys' now-defunct record label Grand Royal Records. He is also interested in interior design, and designed Brooklyn-themed toile wallpaper; it was used in the renovation of the Marquee nightclub in Chelsea, which reopened in January 2013.[9][10]

A year after the death of Yauch in 2012, Diamond told Rolling Stone he was "excited about making new stuff again" and released "Humberto Vs the New Reactionaries (Christine and the Queens Remix)" in July 2013.[11] A remix of Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band's "Bad Dancer" by Diamond and Adam Horovitz was streamed online in August 2013. The pair is credited with "additional beats, programming and other curve balls".[12] In October 2014, Diamond stated that he had been working in the studio with American rock band Portugal. The Man as a producer.[13] He has also produced English punk duo SOFT PLAY's (formerly Slaves) second studio album, Take Control, which was released on September 30, 2016.[14]

He hosts the Apple Music podcast The Echo Chamber.[15]

Personal life

In 1993, Diamond married film, television and music video director Tamra Davis; they have since legally separated.[16] They have two children, Davis Diamond and Skyler Diamond who formed the group Very Nice Person.[17] They lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.[18]

He grew up on Central Park West.[4] He later lived in Brooklyn and Tribeca,[18] and as of 2016 was living in Malibu, California.[19]

Discography
Main article: Beastie Boys discography

with Beastie Boys

References
  1. "Beastie Boys Biography". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  2. "Beastie Boys MTV Bio". MTV. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
  3. Weiner, Jonah (November 23, 2016). "Mike D's Endless Summer: How Ex-Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  4. Pappademas, Alex (January 14, 2021). "Mike D Is Cleaning Out the Family Attic". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. Grant, Sarah (May 18, 2014). "Original Beastie Boys Member John Berry Dead at 52". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  6. "New York art dealer gets six years prison for fraud". Reuters. August 3, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  7. "More Rhymes Than Grey Hairs". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on July 14, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
  8. "Beastie Boys Biography". Xfm London. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
  9. Mulcahy, James (January 17, 2013). "Marquee Unveils Complete Remodel on Ten-Year Anniversary". Zagat. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  10. Zara, Janelle (January 17, 2013). "Beastie Boy Mike D's Designs Embellish Marquee's Bathroom Walls". Artinfo. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  11. "Beastie Boys' Mike D: 'I'm Excited About Making New Stuff Again'". rollingstone.com. July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  12. TheFutureHeart (August 5, 2013). "Preview New Iggy Pop Plastic Ono Split 7"; Ono Songs with tUnE-yArDs, Lenny Kravitz". thefutureheart.com. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  13. "A surprising home for a Beastie Boy". CNN. October 13, 2014. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2017 – via YouTube.
  14. "Slaves announce full details of Beastie Boys produced new album Take Control". HMV. August 12, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  15. "Mike D launches new Beats 1 radio show, The Echo Chamber". Fact Magazine. July 17, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  16. "Mike D's Endless Summer: How Ex–Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  17. "Tamra Davis". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  18. Earle-Levine, Julie (June 12, 2013). "Licensed to Grill: Mike D's Brooklyn Town House". The New York Times.
  19. Weiner, Jonah (November 23, 2016). "Mike D's Endless Summer: How Former Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu". Rolling Stone.
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