Biography
Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American musician, DJ, record producer, and songwriter.
He has steadily built a reputation as one of the most creative and talented musicians in the United States. The dancehall group Major Lazer Project is an American record producer, rapper, songwriter, singer, and composer.
His collaboration with DJ Skrillex led to the formation of electronic power duo Jack U. Diplo started with his remixes, and soon after, he became locally known as a master of electronic dance music, performing at Philadelphia nightclubs.
Diplo gradually became popular among the local partygoers and it didn’t take long for him to open his own club.
American DJ
Diplomatic |
|
|---|---|
 Diplo: History • Biography • Photos |
|
| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Full name: | Thomas Wesley Pentz |
| Stage name: | Diplomatic |
| Born: | November 10, 1978 (age 45) |
| Place of birth: | Tupelo, Mississippi, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.79 minutes |
| Parents: | Barbara Jean Cox, Thomas Pentz |
| Siblings: | Do not have |
| Wife • Husband/wife: | Kathryn Lockhart (split) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Chantel Jeffries (2020), Kate Hudson (2016-2017), Jevon King (2015), Katy Perry (2014-2015), Kathryn Lockhart (2009-2014), MIA (2003-2008), Madonna (2015) |
| The children: | Lockett Pentz, Lazer Pentz, Pace Pentz |
| Job: | DJ • Musician |
| Net worth: | 50 million US dollars |
Early life and education
Thomas Wesley Pentz, also known as Diplo, was born on November 10, 1978 in Mississippi, United States. He is the son of Barbara Jean Cox (mother) and Thomas Pentz (father).
He is of German descent. From a young age, he was passionate about music, especially rap and electronic music. When his family moved to Miami, Diplo was first exposed to Miami Bass, which had a significant impact on the development of his musical sensibilities.
The other kids in the neighborhood felt alienated by his strange musical tastes because Rap music was still quite foreign, and rock music was still in its infancy at the time.
After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida, Diplo continued his studies in Philadelphia. His DJ career began there, albeit modestly at parties and nightclubs.
Despite his excellent playing style, he lacked professional experience and had to carefully learn his skills on the job as he gained recognition.
Career
His friendship with DJ LowBudget, who shared Diplo’s aesthetic, led to the founding of Hollertronix, an event night where both DJs were free to play whatever they wanted. They performed at nightclubs in California and used their savings to plan memorable nights under their stage names.
Their remixes and own mixes were a hit on the Philadelphia club scene, and Diplo’s solo album, Never Scared, was named one of the best albums of 2003.
Diplo wasted no time moving forward with his next project, a studio called The Mausoleum, which would later be used by Shakira, Plastic Little, and Scream to record their music and videos after settling down and achieving financial security through music.
While performing as a DJ in 2004 for one of his remixes, Diplo earned M.I.A.’s respect, and she immediately called him in for a meeting when she walked by and he accidentally played one of her songs. The end result of their collaboration was the mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1, which garnered so much undeserved praise that the New York Times named it one of the best albums of the year.
Diplo continued to work with MIA, and through her, he met DJ Switch. The two collaborated on the song Paper Planes, which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200.
With all this success, Diplo quickly rose to the top, starting to work as a producer and collaborate with a number of famous artists, including Shakira, Kid Cudi, Bruno Mars, Snoop Dogg, as well as many other rock bands and groups. He began working on his upcoming project, Mad Decent.
Since forming in 2005, Mad Decent has collaborated with many new musicians, including Gucci Mane, Rusko, and Jamie Fanatic.
Working with both established and emerging artists, he has continued to climb the ladder of success. He has produced songs for some of the biggest names in music, including Lil Wayne, Britney Spears, Usher, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande.
Diplo and Switch signed to Downtown Records for a joint album inspired by Miami Bass and Baile Funk, forming the duo known as Major Lazer. To record the album Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers do, the duo traveled to Jamaica. They soon released an EP called Lazers Never Die.
The group worked with many musicians and created top-notch music, which helped them rise in their career and become considered the best band in the country. Their next album, Peace is the Mission, was released in 2015. The album’s lead single, Lean On, has garnered over 800 streams on Spotify and 2 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most viewed music videos in history. Other songs on the album have also achieved incredible success.
In 2016, Major Lazer collaborated with Justin Bieber and Spanish singer MØ to compose the song Cold Water, which eventually reached the top of the charts in many countries.
Diplo’s collaboration with renowned DJ Skrillex saw him first perform under the moniker Jack U in 2013. Their joint debut project, titled Skrillex and Diplo Presents Jack U, was released in February 2015 and featured several other musicians.
The album Where Are You Now became a huge hit in nightclubs around the world after the single from the album topped the charts in many countries. The pair later won a Grammy Award for Best Dance Album in 2016.
In addition to his mainstream work, Diplo hosts a late-night show for the BBC and has never shied away from promoting emerging artists. He has developed a loyal following among his supporters through appearances on talk shows, charity events and music festivals. He is currently composing the soundtrack for Shah Rukh Khan’s role in his debut Indian film When Harry Met Sejal.
Personal life
Diplo and Kathryn Lockhart have been married for a long time and have two sons: Lockett Pentz and Lazer Pentz.
Jevon King announced the birth of her child, Pace Pentz, in March 2020. Diplo confirmed he has a son with model Jevon King, named Pace Pentz, his third child. The 45-year-old DJ and record producer shared the news on Mother’s Day in the United States while honoring the special women in his everyday life.
Diplo has been the boyfriend of Chantel Jeffries (2020), Kate Hudson (2016–2017), Jevon King (2015), Katy Perry (2014–2015), Kathryn Lockhart (2009–2014), and M.I.A. (2003–2008).
Diplo was also rumored to have dated Madonna (2015).
He is very interested in sports and considers himself a football and cricket lover, always trying to never miss a major tournament or match of these two sports.
Prize
- Grammy Awards, 2019
- Best Dance Recording, 2016
- Best Electronic/Dance Album
Net worth
American DJ Diplo is known for his collaborations with artists such as Major Lazer, Skrillex, and many others. Diplo has an estimated net worth of $50 million.
Social media
- Instagram: @Diplo
- Twitter: @Diplo
- YouTube: Diplo
- Facebook: Diplo
- TikTok: @diplo
