Ryan Leslie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ryan Leslie
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Leslie in 2007
|
|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Castor Troy |
| Born | September 25, 1978 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BS) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels |
|
| Signature | |
 |
|
Anthony Ryan Leslie (born September 25, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He also works as an entrepreneur. Ryan Leslie is known for his R&B and hip-hop music. He has released six studio albums and written songs for many famous artists. These include Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Diddy, and Usher.
In 2004, Leslie helped discover R&B singer Cassie. She later signed with his record label, NextSelection. He wrote and produced her hit song "Me & U" in 2006. This song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also sold over a million copies. Leslie released his first album, Ryan Leslie, in 2009. He later released Transition (2009) and Les Is More (2012). Outside of music, Ryan Leslie started a company called SuperPhone in 2015. This company helps artists connect directly with their fans using text messages.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ryan Leslie was born in Richmond, Virginia. His parents worked for the Salvation Army, so his family moved often. He finished high school in Stockton, California, in 1994. After high school, he went to Harvard College. He graduated at 19 years old with a degree in government. He studied political science and economics. During his graduation ceremony, he was chosen to give a speech to his classmates.
Leslie grew up surrounded by music. As a child, he played the cornet in the Salvation Army band. He taught himself to play the piano and to create songs. At Harvard, he joined an a cappella singing group called the Krokodiloes. He became very interested in music after a friend played him a Stevie Wonder CD. He started spending a lot of time at the college's recording studio. While still in college, Leslie began producing music for local artists in Boston.
Music Career Highlights
Starting in Music: 1997–2003
After college, Ryan Leslie wanted to work in the music industry. He lived in Boston and worked community service jobs to support himself. At night, he worked on his music in the recording studio. Later, he moved back home to Phoenix, Arizona. He convinced his parents to help him get a loan for a music studio. This allowed him to work on music full-time.
In 2003, Leslie got an internship with producer Younglord. Within a week, he produced a song called "Keep Giving Your Love to Me." This song was later sung by Beyoncé for the Bad Boys II movie soundtrack. Sean "Diddy" Combs was in charge of the soundtrack. He was impressed by Leslie's music and offered him a management contract.
Working with Diddy, Leslie helped with many projects for Bad Boy Records. He worked with artists like Loon, Cheri Dennis, and Danity Kane. He also helped produce a song for Britney Spears. In 2003, Leslie met Tommy Mottola, who became his mentor. Mottola offered him a music publishing deal and a recording contract. In 2005, Leslie signed Cassie Ventura to his own record label, NextSelection.
In late 2003, Leslie started recording his first album, Just Right. He released two songs from it: "The Way That U Move Girl" and "Used 2 Be." However, the album was never officially released.
First Albums and New Paths: 2004–2010
Ryan Leslie went back to the studio in 2006 to record a new first album. The first song from this album, "Diamond Girl," came out in December 2007. The music video for "Diamond Girl" was shown on TV and on Leslie's YouTube channel. In November 2007, he also released a video for his song "I-R-I-N-A" on YouTube.
His second song, "Addiction," featured pop singer Cassie and rapper Fabolous. This song was officially released in August 2008. His third song, "How It Was Supposed to Be," came out with two music videos. Leslie directed one of these videos himself. After some delays, his first album, Ryan Leslie, was finally released on February 10, 2009.
Leslie had a deal for four albums with Universal Motown. However, he decided to leave the label before finishing the contract. He wanted to try something new and different with his music career.
Later Albums: 2011–Present
In January 2011, Ryan Leslie announced that his third album would be released. The first song from this album was 'Glory'. He later announced that the album, Les is More, would be released in Fall 2011. It finally came out in October 2012. The album included a guest appearance from Fabolous. A different version of "Swiss Francs" (Remix) with French rapper Booba was on the European album.
In February 2013, he shared that his fourth album, Black Mozart, would be released. The full album was made available to members of his fan club on August 31, 2013.
.jpg)
Other Projects
NextSelection Lifestyle Group
While working as a producer, Ryan Leslie started his own music and media company. It is called NextSelection Lifestyle Group. He founded it with his online marketing partner, Rasheed Richmond. In 2005, Ryan signed his first artist, Cassie. With Leslie's help, Cassie quickly became a rising R&B star. Her hit song "Me & U" (written and produced by Leslie) stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 20 weeks. It reached number three and sold over a million digital copies.
SuperPhone
After releasing his album Black Mozart in 2013, Ryan Leslie was inspired to create SuperPhone. This is a service that helps artists connect directly with their fans through text messages. Many musicians have used SuperPhone to launch their albums and create fan clubs. Artists like 50 Cent, Raphael Saadiq, and Talib Kweli have used it. Talib Kweli said he liked being able to contact fans directly and receive money from album sales right away.
SuperPhone has received support from investors like Ben Horowitz. Journalists and musicians like Kanye West have also supported Leslie's work. Famous artists such as Miley Cyrus, Zayn, Silk Sonic, Ava Max, and Cardi B have used SuperPhone for their marketing.
Musical Style and Influences
Who Inspired Ryan Leslie?
Ryan Leslie has said that Stevie Wonder is one of the biggest influences on his music. He also looks up to Michael Jackson, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Quincy Jones, The Beatles, and D'Angelo. These artists are his musical heroes.
Connecting with Fans Online
Leslie uses his blog, YouTube channel, and social media to connect with his fans. He often shares how he interacts with his audience. He has given away free iPods, backstage passes to his concerts, and even invited fans to dinner.
Ryan Leslie has talked about how digital streaming would become popular for listening to music. Before a concert in 2009, he encouraged new artists to use digital media to promote themselves.
Discography
- Just Right (2005)
- Ryan Leslie (2009)
- Transition (2009)
- Les Is More (2012)
- Black Mozart (2013)
- MZRT (2015)
- You Know My Speed (2024)
Awards and Nominations
- BET Awards
- 2009, Best Male R&B Artist (nominated)
- 2009, Best New Artist (nominated)
- Grammy Awards
- 2011, Best Contemporary R&B Album: Transition (nominated)
- Soul Train Music Awards
- 2009, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist (nominated)
- Academic Awards
- 2010, AMBLE Vanguard Award from Harvard University
