Mike Dean is an American producer and audio engineer, known for his synthesizers, his guitar solos, his mixing and his mastering alongside Kanye West, Travis Scott, The Weeknd and Beyoncé. Grammy.com counts seven wins for him, including three Best Rap Album awards (2006, 2008 and 2012). He also releases his own albums, starting with 4:20 (April 20, 2020), and runs the label M.W.A. This profile sticks to his professional career and to credits that several sources can confirm.
At a glance
- Activity: producer, audio engineer (mixing, mastering) and musician (keyboards, synthesizers, guitar).
- Grammys: 7 wins according to Grammy.com (October 23, 2026), no entry for the February 1, 2026 ceremony.
- Collaborations: Kanye West since the 2000s, Travis Scott (all of his music since 2013 according to SPIN), The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Jay-Z.
- Label and publishing: M.W.A., announced in May 2017; publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing (October 30, 2024).
- Solo albums: from 4:20 (2020) to 425 (2025), then the single “Unbound” (June 19, 2026).
- Latest news: the free synth Smoke Mono 1 (April 21, 2026) and the mixing of A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb (January 16, 2026).
Mike Dean in 10 dates
Career: from Houston to Kanye West
Mike Dean started out in Houston studios. According to the law firm Loeb & Loeb, which represented him for his 2024 publishing deal, he worked with Selena in the late 1980s, then with Scarface and the label Rap-A-Lot in the early 1990s. Wikipedia dates his first credits to 1992.
The link with Kanye West began with a mix. Dean told The FADER (July 16, 2015) that he mixed “Guess Who’s Back” (2002, Scarface and Kanye West) in Houston, and that Kanye West contacted him after hearing that mix.
According to SPIN (October 13, 2025), he first did only mixing on the first two Kanye West albums, then added synthesizers and guitar solos, which shaped My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). SPIN also writes that he has worked on all of Travis Scott’s music since 2013.
Verified credits: Kanye West, Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Beyoncé
The roles come from liner notes or platform credits reproduced by Wikipedia, cross-checked with the last column. A row lists the tracks where Dean is credited, not the whole of his contribution.
| Artist | Project and release | Mike Dean’s role | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanye West | The College Dropout (February 10, 2004), Late Registration (August 30, 2005) | Mixing of one track on the first, five tracks on the second. | Wikipedia 2004 ; Wikipedia 2005 ; Grammy.com |
| Kanye West | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (November 22, 2010) | Production, keyboards, piano, bass, guitars, recording, mixing of several tracks. | Wikipedia ; Grammy.com ; SPIN |
| Jay-Z and Kanye West | Watch the Throne (August 8, 2011) | Credited production and mastering (Wikipedia); co-writer of “N****s in Paris” (Grammy.com). | Wikipedia ; Grammy.com |
| Kanye West | Yeezus (June 18, 2013) | Production, engineering, guitar and bass on some tracks. | Wikipedia ; Grammy.com (“New Slaves”) |
| Kanye West | The Life of Pablo (February 14, 2016) | Engineering, mastering of all tracks, keyboards, modular Moog; co-writer and producer on several tracks. | Wikipedia ; DJBooth ; Grammy.com |
| Travis Scott | Rodeo (September 4, 2015) | Executive production, production, drum programming, engineering, mixing, mastering. | Wikipedia ; Revolt |
| Travis Scott | Astroworld (August 3, 2018) | Mixing (tracks 1 to 13, 16 and 17), mastering of all tracks, keyboards, guitar, synthesizer. | Wikipedia ; Grammy.com (“Sicko Mode”) |
| Travis Scott | Utopia (July 28, 2023) | Mastering of all tracks, mixing of nine tracks. | Wikipedia ; The FADER ; Revolt |
| Beyoncé | Renaissance (July 29, 2022) | Production, programming, synthesizers and drums on six tracks. | Wikipedia ; Grammy.com ; SPIN |
| The Weeknd | Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) | Co-production and guitar on “Tell Your Friends”. | Wikipedia ; Grammy.com |
| The Weeknd | Hurry Up Tomorrow (January 31, 2025) | Credited on 21 of the 22 standard-edition tracks: writing, production, synthesizers, engineering. | Complex ; Tape Op ; Wikipedia |
| A$AP Rocky | Don’t Be Dumb (January 16, 2026) | Mixing of seven tracks (Wikipedia); co-production of “Helicopter” (HotNewHipHop). | Wikipedia ; HotNewHipHop |
Wikipedia also lists him among the producers of We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You (Future and Metro Boomin, 2024), a duo we cover in our Metro Boomin profile.
Grammys: 7 wins, the official list
Source: Mike Dean’s page on Grammy.com, checked on October 23, 2026. The header shows 7 wins and 19 nominations, while the detailed table has 23 entries, wins included. The two totals do not match; we follow the table.
| Ceremony | Category | Work | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 (48th) | Best Rap Album | Late Registration (Kanye West) | Engineer and mixer (Wikipedia) |
| 2008 (50th) | Best Rap Album | Graduation (Kanye West) | Engineer (Wikipedia) |
| 2008 (50th) | Best Rap Song | “Good Life” | Co-writer (Grammy.com) |
| 2012 (54th) | Best Rap Album | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Kanye West) | Engineer and mixer (Wikipedia) |
| 2013 (55th) | Best Rap Song | “N****s in Paris” | Co-writer (Grammy.com) |
| 2021 (63rd) | Best Contemporary Christian Music Album | Jesus Is King (Kanye West) | Engineer and mixer (Wikipedia) |
| 2022 (64th) | Best Rap Song | “Jail” | Co-writer (Grammy.com) |
The other 16 entries are nominations: eight Album of the Year, from The College Dropout (2005) to Renaissance (2023), Record of the Year for “Gold Digger” (2006) and seven Best Rap Song, from “Mercy” (2013) to “Sicko Mode” (2019). The page lists no entry for the 68th ceremony (February 1, 2026), and that ceremony’s page on Grammy.com does not name him. Dean told SPIN he has never won Record of the Year or Song of the Year.
The M.W.A. label and music publishing
Dean announced the label M.W.A. in May 2017 (XXL, May 2, 2017), with the Houston rapper Dice Soho as its first artist. He explained that M.W.A. is the name he uses when he DJs and that the acronym stands for “Mexican Wrestling Association”.
On October 30, 2024, Sony Music Publishing announced a deal with Dean (date reproduced by Wikipedia). According to Loeb & Loeb, which represented him, Sony administers his publishing catalog and helps him develop his publishing company, M.W.A. The first writers signed under the partnership are Sean Solymar, Tommy Rush and Sage Skolfield.
Solo albums: the 4:20 series and Mike Dean Presents
| Release | Project | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| April 2018 | Mike Dean Presents: Dermot Kennedy (EP) | Dermot Kennedy EP made with Dean (date: Wikipedia; collaboration told by Grammy.com on September 12, 2018). |
| April 20, 2020 | 4:20 | 28 tracks from Instagram Live sessions during lockdown, with the Moog Grandmother as the main instrument (Consequence, Albumism). |
| 2021 and 2022 | 4:22, Echoplex (Live 2021), Smoke State 42222 | Years confirmed by Apple Music and Wikipedia. Echoplex is a 21-track visual album recorded over two nights in Los Angeles (Complex, September 3, 2021). |
| April 2023 | 4:23 | On M.W.A. and Imperial; The Weeknd as executive producer (Wikipedia). Hypebeast (April 29, 2023) covers four tracks with him. |
| April 26, 2024 | 424 | With a 13-minute short film by Jason Goldwatch; Complex writes “4:24”. |
| 2025 | 425 | Dean told SPIN he started it on April 10 and finished it in 11 days. |
| June 19, 2026 | “Unbound” (single) | Date shown by Apple Music, single source. |
The first album came out on April 20, 2020, a date Consequence presents as chosen for “4/20”. In Rolling Stone Brasil (October 14, 2025), Dean says he is preparing an instrumental album, 426, aimed at April 24, 2026. His Apple Music page lists no project with that name as of October 23, 2026.
Gear and method: what Mike Dean says
In a studio tour filmed by Reverb (MusicTech, February 23, 2024), Dean shows an Oberheim Four Voice, an OB-X, a Rhodes Chroma, a Yamaha CS-80 (mostly for arpeggios), a reissue Minimoog Model D and a Memorymoog. The Moog Matriarch and Grandmother are the base of his live setup.
In 2016, he recorded the instrumental “Grande Faucon” in 48 hours at the Moog factory in Asheville, with six Mother-32 units controlled by a Voyager XL (Complex). Albumism (June 5, 2020) notes that 70% of his studio gear stays in place while 30% rotates.
Dean tells SPIN he avoids overproducing and that his contribution is mostly chord voicings and top notes. He tells The FADER (2015) that he often finishes alone tracks that others started, for Travis Scott for example.
Smoke Mono 1. On April 21, 2026, DLP Audio (Dean’s List Plugins) released this free monophonic synthesizer, presented as developed with Dean (Bedroom Producers Blog, Sonic State). Bonedo, which tested it on July 21, 2026, says it rests on Dean’s workflow and experience, and describes two oscillators, a Moog-style filter and VST3 and AU formats. See also our selection of VST plugins.
Stage and festivals
| Date | Event | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| April 15 to 24, 2022 | Coachella, The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia as headliners | Dean contributes to the live arrangements of the set (Complex, Wikipedia). Festival dates: The FADER, April 6, 2022. |
| June 2022 | After Hours til Dawn Tour | Support slot announced in June 2022 (Wikipedia). Dean told Complex the idea came up during an Instagram livestream: The Weeknd texted him to suggest he open. |
| March 1, 2024 | Wiltern, Los Angeles | Concert by Dean with The Weeknd and Travis Scott as guests (Stereogum, March 2, 2024). |
| 2025 | After Hours til Dawn, North America | Dean and Playboi Carti as support acts, per the January 31, 2025 announcement (Wikipedia). Dean told SPIN he toured for four months after The Weeknd’s album. |
With Kanye West, Wikipedia describes him as guitarist and keyboardist on the Watch the Throne, Yeezus and Saint Pablo tours. Dean told The FADER (2015) that his band adds parts over the recordings, so the show changes from one night to the next.
News up to October 23, 2026
| Date | Fact | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| January 16, 2026 | A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb comes out with Dean mixing seven tracks. | Wikipedia ; HotNewHipHop |
| April 21, 2026 | Launch of the free synth Smoke Mono 1. | Bedroom Producers Blog ; Sonic State ; Bonedo |
| June 19, 2026 | Single “Unbound” on Apple Music. | Apple Music |
| August 28, 2026 | Travis Scott shares an archive studio clip, captioned “Album Otw” and tagging Dean and Anthony Kilhoffer. No release date. | HotNewHipHop ; HipHop-N-More |
Synth and texture sounds for your beats
Do you make music? These HYTRAPE kits bring together synths, textures and one shots. They have no link with Mike Dean.
- ORCHID [BY DAMASK] : a kit with 7 basses, 45 earcandy and phrases, 31 synths and bells, 36 textures, 17 vocals and 9 percloops, plus the FL Orchid patcher and 4 bonus FL patchers for effects, delivered as a 128 MB RAR.
- +200 Luna Sounds One Shot/Texture Kit [BY ASHURA] : a kit with 13 ambient scapes, 80 accents and earcandies, 60 one shots, 19 basses, 11 break/percloops, 10 risers and 10 noises/textures.
- +220 tools*+vol.II° : more than 220 elements: 60 earcandies, 61 textures, 45 fx/ambients, 28 one-shots, 16 basses and 11 percloops, as a 576 MB ZIP.
All HYTRAPE sound design kits.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mike Dean?
Mike Dean is an American producer and audio engineer, also a musician (keyboards, synthesizers, guitar). He is known for his work with Kanye West, Travis Scott, The Weeknd and Beyoncé.
How many Grammys has Mike Dean won?
Seven according to Grammy.com as of October 23, 2026: three Best Rap Album (Late Registration, Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy), three Best Rap Song (“Good Life”, “N****s in Paris”, “Jail”) and one Best Contemporary Christian Music Album (Jesus Is King).
Which Kanye West and Travis Scott albums did he work on?
Wikipedia credits him from The College Dropout (2004) to Donda (2021) for Kanye West, and with the mixing and mastering of Astroworld and Utopia for Travis Scott. According to SPIN, he has worked on all of Travis Scott’s music since 2013.
What gear does Mike Dean use?
Mostly analog synthesizers: Moog Matriarch and Grandmother for the stage, a reissue Minimoog Model D, Memorymoog, Oberheim Four Voice and OB-X, Yamaha CS-80 (MusicTech, February 23, 2024).
What does M.W.A. mean?
M.W.A. is Mike Dean’s label, announced in May 2017. Dean told XXL it is his DJ name and that the acronym stands for “Mexican Wrestling Association”.
What is the latest news on Mike Dean?
As of October 23, 2026: the free synth Smoke Mono 1 (April 21, 2026), the mixing of A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb (January 16, 2026), the single “Unbound” (June 19, 2026) and a post by Travis Scott saying an album is on the way (August 28, 2026), with no release date.
Read next
- Metro Boomin: career, discography, certifications and Grammys
- Travis Scott’s “Utopia” album takes shape
- Vultures, Volume 1: the experience presented by Ye and Ty Dolla $ign
- 10 free VST plugins you should not miss in 2023
Sources
- Grammy.com, page artiste de Mike Dean
- Grammy.com, 68e cérémonie (1er février 2026)
- Grammy.com, Dermot Kennedy et Mike Dean (2018)
- SPIN, entretien (13 octobre 2025)
- Rolling Stone Brasil, entretien (14 octobre 2025)
- The FADER, « Beat Construction » (2015)
- The FADER, crédits d’Utopia (2023)
- The FADER, The Weeknd à Coachella (6 avril 2022)
- Loeb & Loeb, accord avec Sony Music Publishing (2024)
- XXL, lancement de M.W.A. (2 mai 2017)
- MusicTech, studio avec Reverb (23 février 2024)
- Consequence, mixtape 4:20 (2020)
- Albumism, entretien (5 juin 2020)
- Complex, « Grande Faucon » (2016)
- Complex, album 424 (26 avril 2024)
- Complex, Echoplex (Live 2021)
- Complex, première partie de The Weeknd
- Complex, crédits de Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025)
- Hypebeast, titres de 4:23 (29 avril 2023)
- Stereogum, concert au Wiltern (2 mars 2024)
- Tape Op, Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025)
- DJBooth, crédits de The Life of Pablo (2016)
- Revolt, Mike Dean et Utopia (2021)
- HotNewHipHop, crédits de Don’t Be Dumb (2026)
- HotNewHipHop, Travis Scott (29 août 2026)
- HipHop-N-More, Travis Scott (29 août 2026)
- Apple Music, page artiste
- Bedroom Producers Blog, Smoke Mono 1 (21 avril 2026)
- Sonic State, Smoke Mono 1 (23 avril 2026)
- Bonedo, test de Smoke Mono 1 (21 juillet 2026)
- Wikipédia, Mike Dean
- Wikipédia, The College Dropout
- Wikipédia, Late Registration
- Wikipédia, Graduation
- Wikipédia, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
- Wikipédia, Watch the Throne
- Wikipédia, Yeezus
- Wikipédia, The Life of Pablo
- Wikipédia, Jesus Is King
- Wikipédia, « Jail »
- Wikipédia, Rodeo
- Wikipédia, Astroworld
- Wikipédia, Utopia
- Wikipédia, Renaissance
- Wikipédia, Beauty Behind the Madness
- Wikipédia, Hurry Up Tomorrow
- Wikipédia, Don’t Be Dumb
- Wikipédia, 4:23
- Wikipédia, After Hours til Dawn Tour
- Wikipédia, Dermot Kennedy
- Wikipédia, We Don’t Trust You
- Wikipédia, We Still Don’t Trust You
Updated October 23, 2026. Grammys, credits and news checked on this date; the release dates of the album announced by Travis Scott and of a possible 426 album are not known.
Share: