Harvey Mason Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harvey Mason Jr.
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Harvey Mason jr. in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Harvey Jay Mason |
| Born | June 3, 1968 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
Harvey Jay Mason Jr. (born June 3, 1968) is an American record producer, songwriter, and film producer. He has been the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Recording Academy and MusiCares since 2021. Harvey Mason Jr. has worked with many famous artists. These include Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. He has also produced music for popular movies.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Harvey Mason Jr. was born on June 3, 1968, in Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Harvey Mason Sr., was a jazz drummer. Both 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 called "Love Makes It Better" for Grover Washington Jr..
After high school, Harvey went to the University of Arizona. He played basketball there on a scholarship from 1986 to 1990. His team even played in the 1988 Final Four. After college, he started working as a songwriter and record producer. Some of his early work included songs for British pop artist Michelle Gayle. He also co-produced a jazz album with his father in 1997.
In 1997, Harvey wrote a song called "Truthfully." This song caught the attention of producer Rodney Jerkins. It was 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.
The Underdogs Production Team
In 2000, Harvey Mason Jr. teamed up with Damon Thomas. They wrote the song "I Like Them Girls" for Tyrese. This song was a big hit. Their success led them to form a production duo called The Underdogs. The Underdogs created many R&B and pop hits. Some of these include "How You Gonna Act Like That" by Tyrese and "No Air" by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown.
In 2006, The Underdogs produced the soundtrack for the movie Dreamgirls. This soundtrack won an award for Best Movie Soundtrack. After a short break, The Underdogs worked on more projects. They produced "The Living Proof" for Mary J. Blige for the film "The Help." They also produced vocals for the movie Pitch Perfect in 2012. In 2014, they produced music for the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. They also worked on the James Brown movie Get on Up. In 2015, they 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 productions. He produced songs for Chris Brown, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Hudson. He also worked on Whitney Houston's 2009 album, I Look to You.
Harvey Mason Media produced its first movie in 2008. It was a film about LeBron James called More than a Game. The movie showed LeBron and his teammates growing up. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film was also nominated for awards. Harvey Mason Media also produced the soundtrack for the movie. It featured artists like Drake and Kanye West.
Harvey Mason Jr. has also appeared on TV shows. He was a mentor and producer on American Idol in 2011. He also appeared 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 film Sparkle.
After the success of Pitch Perfect 2 and Straight Outta Compton, Harvey worked on The Wiz Live! for NBC in 2015. He also produced over 50 songs for the animated movie SING in 2016. This movie received two Golden Globe Awards nominations. One was for Best Animated Feature Film. The other was for Best Original Song for "Faith." This song was performed by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande.
In 2017, Harvey was the executive musical producer for Pitch Perfect 3. He also worked on the musical movie Valley Girl. In 2018, he produced music for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! for NBC. In 2023, Harvey produced the movie Respect, starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin.
Leading The Recording Academy
Harvey Mason Jr. became the chief executive officer (CEO) of The Recording Academy on May 13, 2021. The Recording Academy is the organization behind the Grammy Awards.
Involvement with the Grammy Foundation
Harvey Mason Jr. joined the board of directors for The Recording Academy's Los Angeles chapter in 2007. He then joined the National Board of Trustees in 2009. He has been involved in many Grammy Foundation events. These include Grammy in the Schools and Grammy Camp. He also supports the MusiCares Foundation. MusiCares helps music people in need. Harvey is also a leader in the Producers and Engineers Wing.
Basketball Career
Harvey Mason Jr. played basketball throughout high school and college. In high school, he was a guard for Crescenta Valley High School. He was chosen for the All-CIF team multiple times. He received 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 athletes. These include Steve Kerr and Sean Elliott. Harvey had several knee surgeries. These injuries stopped him from continuing his basketball career professionally. He is now on the board of trustees for the University of Arizona.
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Harvey Mason Jr. in 2024
