Mark Ronson

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Mark Ronson bigraphy, stories - English-born U.S.-based musician and entrepreneur

Mark Ronson : biography

4 September 1975 –

Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a musician, DJ and a music producer.

While his debut album Here Come the Fuzz failed to make an impact on the charts, his second album, Version included three top ten hits and won Ronson a Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist in 2008.. Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2012 His third studio album, Record Collection, was released on 27 September 2010.

Videos

Ronson created a video, along with Directors Gary Breslin and Jordan Galland: Circuit Breaker, which is a Homage to video game The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.Transmissions, Souterrain. (15 May 2010) . Vimeo.com. Retrieved 3 August 2011.

Career

Ronson went to high school at the private Collegiate School in New York.Caramanica, Jon. (22 April 2007) . New York Magazine. Retrieved 3 August 2011. Attending Vassar College and then New York University (NYU), Ronson became a regular at downtown hip hop spots and made his name as a DJ on the New York club scene in 1993, charging $50 per job. Though a novice with little experience, he became known for his diverse, genre-spanning selection. Influenced by funk, the hip hop scene of New York and the more rock influence of the UK (all of which he incorporated in his sets) he attracted a wider audience. He was soon one of the most respected DJs and was being called on for celebrities’ private parties. In 1999, Ronson was featured in an ad wearing Tommy Hilfiger denim in the recording studio for an ad campaign for the company.Cardona, Mercedes M. (8 February 1999), "Hilfiger’s new apparel lines getting individual ad efforts". Advertising Age. 70 (6):24

He provided the score for the 2011 film Arthur.

Here Comes the Fuzz and initial producing

He moved on, however, to producing music after Nikka Costa’s manager heard one of his gigs and introduced the musicians. He produced her song "Everybody Got Their Something", and soon Ronson signed a record contract with Elektra Records. Mark had produced tracks for Hilfiger ads, and in 2001 used the connection to have Costa’s single "Like a Feather" used in an ad.Hall, Rashaun (5 May 2001), "Virgin’s Nikka Costa Goes Beyond Family Ties". Billboard. 113 (18):14

Ronson’s first album, Here Comes the Fuzz, was released in 2003 and was critically acclaimed and a financial success, despite initially poor sales. On the album, he wrote the songs, made the beats and played guitar, keyboards, and bass. The album featured artists from diverse genres, including Mos Def, Jack White, Sean Paul, Nikka Costa, Nappy Roots and Rivers Cuomo.Swanson, David (24 July 2003) "Mark Ronson". Rolling Stone. (927):27 The best known song from the album, "Ooh Wee", samples "Sunny" by Boney M and features Nate Dogg, Ghostface Killah, Trife Da God, and Saigon. It was featured that year in the movie Honey and its soundtrack. The song was later used in the movies Hitch and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. Two weeks after releasing Here Comes the Fuzz, Elektra Records dropped him. Ronson has since produced multiple songs on the albums of singers Lamya,Paoletta, Michael (13 July 2002), "J Records’ Lamya Experiences ‘Learning’ Curve With Debut Album". Billboard. 114 (28):21 Macy Gray,M. P.; Paoletta, Michael (2 August 2003), "The Trouble With Being Myself". Billboard. 115 (31):35 Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, and Robbie Williams.

Ronson became one of the regular DJs at Justin Timberlake’s New York club, Suede, when it opened in 2003.Cruz, Clarissa (14 March 2003), "Hot Spot". Entertainment Weekly (700):13

In 2004, Ronson formed his own record label, Allido Records, a subsidiary of Sony BMG’s J Records, along with his longtime manager Rich Kleiman. The first artist he signed to Allido was rapper Saigon, who later left to sign with Just Blaze’s Fort Knox Entertainment. He has signed Rhymefest, most well known for winning the Grammy for co-writing Kanye West’s "Jesus Walks".