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Harvey Mason Jr.
HMJ Wiki Photo.jpg
Mason in 2009
Background information
Birth name Harvey Jay Mason
Born (1968-06-03) June 3, 1968 (age 57)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
  • film producer
Years active 1976–present

Harvey Jay Mason Jr. (born June 3, 1968) is an American music producer, songwriter, and film producer. He is currently the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Recording Academy and MusiCares since 2021. He has worked with many famous artists like Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. He has created hit songs both on his own and as part of a production team called the Underdogs.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Harvey Mason Jr. was born on June 3, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Harvey Mason Sr., was a famous jazz drummer. His mother, Sally Mason, was also a musician. Both of his parents went to the Berklee College of Music.

When Harvey was a child, his family moved to Los Angeles. He often went with his father to recording sessions. There, he met music legends like Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock. Harvey wrote his first song at just eight years old. It was for jazz musician Grover Washington Jr. and was called "Love Makes It Better."

Harvey went to the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship. He played basketball from 1986 to 1990. His team even made it to the Final Four in 1988. After college, he started working as a songwriter and music producer.

He worked on songs for artists like Michelle Gayle and the jazz duo Imprompt2. In 1997, he helped produce a jazz album with his father. He also worked with his father's group, Fourplay.

In 1997, Harvey wrote a song called "Truthfully." This song caught the attention of producer Rodney Jerkins. It was later produced for Brandy's 1998 album, "Never Say Never." Harvey then worked with Jerkins on other big projects. These included "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child and "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" by Whitney Houston. He also worked on Michael Jackson's album Invincible.

Forming The Underdogs

In 2000, Harvey Mason Jr. teamed up with Damon Thomas. They wrote the song "I Like Them Girls" for Tyrese's album 2000 Watts. This song was a big success. It led them to form their own production team called Underdog Entertainment.

The Underdogs became very successful. They produced many R&B and pop hits. Some of their famous songs include "How You Gonna Act Like That" by Tyrese and "O" by Omarion. They also produced "No Air" by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. In 2001, Harvey worked with Victoria Beckham on her first solo album.

In 2006, The Underdogs produced the music for the movie Dreamgirls. This soundtrack won an award for Best Movie Soundtrack. After a short break, The Underdogs reunited in 2011. They produced songs for Chris Brown and Mary J. Blige.

The Underdogs also produced the singing parts for the movie Pitch Perfect in 2012. This movie starred Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow. In 2014, Harvey produced the K-Pop song "Mr. Mr." for the group Girls' Generation. He also worked on the music for the James Brown movie Get on Up. In 2015, The Underdogs produced music for Pitch Perfect 2 and Straight Outta Compton.

Harvey Mason Media and Film Work

In 2008, Harvey Mason Jr. started his own company, Harvey Mason Media. This company handles his film and music projects. He produced songs like "Superhuman" for Chris Brown and "Mannequin" for Britney Spears. He also produced songs for Jennifer Hudson and Whitney Houston.

Harvey Mason Media produced its first movie in 2008. It was a film about basketball star LeBron James called More than a Game. The movie showed James and his high school teammates growing up. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was very well-received. The movie's soundtrack included songs by famous artists like Drake and Kanye West.

Harvey also appeared on American Idol in 2011. He was a mentor and producer for the singers. He also worked on The X Factor USA in 2013.

In 2012, Harvey was the last producer to work with Whitney Houston. They worked on her songs "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and "Celebrate" for the movie Sparkle.

After the success of his film music, Harvey became the music producer for NBC's The Wiz Live! in 2015. He also produced over 50 songs for the animated movie SING in 2016. The movie received two Golden Globe nominations. One was for the song "Faith", which Harvey produced. It was sung by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande.

In 2017, Harvey was the executive music producer for Pitch Perfect 3. He also worked on the music for the movie Valley Girl and the TV series Unsolved. In 2018, he produced the music for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! and the movie Bad Times at the El Royale. In 2023, he produced the music for the movie Respect, which starred Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin.

Leading The Recording Academy

Harvey Mason Jr. is the chief executive officer of The Recording Academy. He took on this important role on May 13, 2021. The Recording Academy is the organization that gives out the Grammy Awards.

Before becoming CEO, Harvey was involved with the Academy for many years. He was elected to the board of directors for the Los Angeles chapter in 2007. He also joined the National Board of Trustees in 2009. He has participated in many Grammy Foundation events, like Grammy in the Schools and Grammy Camp.

Basketball Career

Harvey Mason Jr. was a talented basketball player in high school and college. He played as a guard for Crescenta Valley High School. He was chosen for the All-CIF team multiple times.

He earned a full scholarship to the University of Arizona. There, he played for famous coach Lute Olson. His college teams won the Pac-10 title three times. They also played in the Final Four in 1988. Some of his teammates became famous basketball players, like Steve Kerr and Sean Elliott. Others, like Kenny Lofton, became professional baseball players.

Unfortunately, Harvey had several knee surgeries. These injuries stopped him from continuing his basketball career professionally. Today, he is still involved with the University of Arizona. He is on their National Leadership Council and board of trustees.

Songwriting and Music Production Highlights

Harvey Mason Jr. has worked on many hit songs for a wide range of artists. Here are some of his notable works:

  • Full Discography:
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