Mike D

{{other people||Michael Diamond (disambiguation){{!}}Michael Diamond}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Mike D

| background = solo_singer

| image = Michael Diamond 2 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Diamond performing in 2007

| birth_name = Michael Louis Diamond

| alias = {{hlist|Mike Diamond|Country Mike|The King of Lunch|Meshach| Sweet Lou| Malibu Mike}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|11|20}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|rap rock|hardcore punk|alternative hip hop}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|musician|songwriter}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|drums|percussion|keyboards}}

| years_active = 1979–present

| label =

| associated_acts = {{hlist|Beastie Boys|The Latch Brothers|The Young Aborigines|Slaves|Del The Funky Homosapien|Dinosaur Jr|Cat Power|Cassius|Jon Spencer Blues Explosion|Portugal. The Man|Sonic Youth|Chuck D|Beck}}

| website = {{URL|beastieboys.com}}

| module = {{Infobox person|embed=yes

| signature = Mike D signature, Billboard Open Letter 2016.png

}}

Michael Louis Diamond (born November 20, 1965),{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/beastie-boys/biography |title=Beastie Boys Biography |publisher=Rolling Stone |access-date=May 24, 2011}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/beastie_boys/artist.jhtml#bio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051218061945/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/beastie_boys/artist.jhtml#bio |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 18, 2005 |title=Beastie Boys MTV Bio |publisher=MTV |access-date=June 3, 2009}}

Early life

Diamond was born in New York City{{Cite magazine|last=Weiner|first=Jonah|date=2016-11-23|title=Mike D's Endless Summer: How Ex-Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mike-ds-endless-summer-how-former-beastie-boy-found-new-peace-in-malibu-126975/|access-date=2021-06-29|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite news|last=Pappademas|first=Alex|date=2021-01-14|title=Mike D Is Cleaning Out the Family Attic|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/style/hester-diamond-art-auction.html|access-date=2021-01-14|issn=0362-4331}}{{cite magazine|first=Sarah |last=Grant |title=Original Beastie Boys Member John Berry Dead at 52 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/original-beastie-boys-member-john-berry-dead-at-52-20160519 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=2014-05-18 |access-date=February 26, 2019}}{{cite news |title=New York art dealer gets six years prison for fraud |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-newyork-art/new-york-art-dealer-gets-six-years-prison-for-fraud-idUSTRE6724UC20100803 |access-date=10 November 2019 |work=Reuters |date=3 August 2010}} He attended the arts-oriented Saint Ann's School and Walden School.

Career

File:Mike D singing with the Beastie Boys at Trans Musicales 2004 in Rennes.jpg

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=59&csid2=9&fid1=3028 |title=More Rhymes Than Grey Hairs |publisher=Exclaim! |access-date=June 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714043519/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=59&csid2=9&fid1=3028 |archive-date=July 14, 2009}} By 1983, Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) joined, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip hop.{{cite web |url=http://www.xfm.co.uk/artists/beastie-boys/biography |title=Beastie Boys Biography |publisher=Xfm London |access-date=June 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204224459/http://www.xfm.co.uk/artists/beastie-boys/biography |archive-date=December 4, 2008}}

In 1986, the group's debut album Licensed to Ill was released on Def Jam Records and became a huge success. Though it spawned several singles, only one would reach the top twenty of the US Hot 100, the number 7 "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)". Sales of Licensed to Ill were extremely strong, going multi-platinum during the time of its run. Several years later, it would be certified diamond status. The group would release several albums, some attaining platinum or multi-platinum status.

In 1992, Diamond had 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 the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City, which reopened in January 2013.{{cite news |url=http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/marquee-unveils-complete-remodel-on-ten.html |title=Marquee Unveils Complete Remodel on Ten-Year Anniversary |last=Mulcahy |first=James |date=January 17, 2013 |work=Zagat |access-date=January 24, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606212907/http://blog.zagat.com/2013/01/marquee-unveils-complete-remodel-on-ten.html |archive-date=June 6, 2014}}{{cite news |url=http://blogs.artinfo.com/objectlessons/2013/01/17/beastie-boy-mike-ds-designs-embellish-marquees-bathroom-walls/ |title=Beastie Boy Mike D's Designs Embellish Marquee's Bathroom Walls |last=Zara |first=Janelle |date=January 17, 2013 |work=Artinfo |access-date=January 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105132128/http://blogs.artinfo.com/objectlessons/2013/01/17/beastie-boy-mike-ds-designs-embellish-marquees-bathroom-walls/ |archive-date=January 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beastie-boys-mike-d-im-excited-about-making-new-stuff-again-20130715 |title=Beastie Boys' Mike D: 'I'm Excited About Making New Stuff Again' |website=rollingstone.com |date=July 15, 2013 |access-date=July 8, 2017}} 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".{{cite web |url=https://thefutureheart.com/2013/08/05/plastic-ono-collabs/ |title=Preview New Iggy Pop Plastic Ono Split 7"; Ono Songs with tUnE-yArDs, Lenny Kravitz |last=TheFutureHeart |date=August 5, 2013 |website=thefutureheart.com |access-date=July 8, 2017}} In October 2014, Diamond stated that he had been working in the studio with American rock band Portugal. The Man as a producer.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfp3cgvC5bo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/wfp3cgvC5bo |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=A surprising home for a Beastie Boy |date=October 13, 2014 |publisher=CNN |access-date=July 8, 2017 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} He has also produced English punk duo Soft Play's (formerly Slaves) second studio album, Take Control, which was released on September 30, 2016.{{cite web |title=Slaves announce full details of Beastie Boys produced new album Take Control |url=http://www.hmv.com/music/slaves-announce-full-details-of-beastie-boys-produced-new-album-take-control |website=HMV |access-date=September 3, 2016 |date=August 12, 2016}}

He hosts the Apple Music podcast The Echo Chamber.{{Cite web|date=2016-07-17|title=Mike D launches new Beats 1 radio show, The Echo Chamber|url=https://www.factmag.com/2016/07/17/mike-d-speaks-with-ezra-koenig-for-the-debut-of-his-beats-1-show-the-echo-chamber/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Fact Magazine|language=en-US}}

Personal life

In 1993, Diamond married film, television and music video director Tamra Davis; they have since legally separated.{{Cite magazine|title=Mike D's Endless Summer: How Ex–Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/how-exbeastie-boy-mike-d-found-new-peace-in-malibu-w451725|access-date=2018-04-01}} They have two children, Davis Diamond and Skyler Diamond who formed the group Very Nice Person.{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tamra-davis |title=Tamra Davis |publisher=Huffington Post |access-date=May 24, 2011}} They lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/13/greathomesanddestinations/licensed-to-grill-mike-ds-brooklyn-town-house.html | work=The New York Times | first=Julie | last=Earle-Levine | title=Licensed to Grill: Mike D's Brooklyn Town House | date=June 12, 2013}}

He grew up on Central Park West. He later lived in Brooklyn and Tribeca, and as of 2016 was living in Malibu, California.{{cite magazine| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/mike-ds-endless-summer-how-former-beastie-boy-found-new-peace-in-malibu-126975/ | magazine=Rolling Stone | first=Jonah | last=Weiner | title= Mike D's Endless Summer: How Former Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu | date=November 23, 2016}}