Ryan Leslie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ryan Leslie
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Leslie in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Castor Troy |
| Born | September 25, 1978 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BS) |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
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Anthony Ryan Leslie (born September 25, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He is also an entrepreneur. He creates music in genres like R&B, hip hop, pop, and gospel. Ryan Leslie has worked on albums for many famous artists. These include Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Diddy, Kanye West, and Usher.
In 2004, Leslie discovered R&B singer Cassie. She signed with his record label, NextSelection. Two years later, she also signed with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records. Leslie wrote and produced Cassie's first hit song, "Me & U" in 2006. This song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also sold over a million copies. He produced her entire first album, Cassie (2006).
As a recording artist himself, Leslie signed with Universal Motown Records. He released his first album, Ryan Leslie, in 2009. This album included the songs "Diamond Girl," "Addiction" (with Fabolous and Cassie), and "How It Was Supposed to Be." He then released his second album, Transition, in 2009. His third album, Les Is More, came out in 2012.
Beyond music, Ryan Leslie started a company called SuperPhone in 2015. This service helps artists connect directly with their fans through text messages.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ryan Leslie was born in Richmond, Virginia. His family moved often because his parents worked for the Salvation Army. He finished high school in Stockton, California, in 1994. Leslie then went to Harvard College. He graduated at age 19 with a degree in government. He focused on political science and economics.
Music was a big part of Leslie's childhood. He played the cornet in the Salvation Army band. He also taught himself to play the piano. He learned to read music and create songs. At Harvard, he joined an a cappella group called the Krokodiloes. His future changed when a friend played him a Stevie Wonder CD. After that, Leslie spent a lot of time at the campus recording studio. While still in college, he began producing music for local artists in Boston.
Music Career Journey
Starting Out in Music (1997–2003)
After college, Leslie wanted to work in the music industry. He lived in Boston and worked community service jobs to support himself. He spent his nights in the recording studio. Later, he moved back home to Phoenix. He convinced his parents to loan him $15,000 for a music studio. This allowed him to work on music full-time.
In 2003, Ryan got an internship with producer Younglord. In his first week, Leslie produced a song called "Keep Giving Your Love To Me." Beyoncé later performed this song for the Bad Boys II movie soundtrack. Sean "Diddy" Combs oversaw the soundtrack. He was impressed by Leslie's work and offered him a management contract.
Under Diddy's management, Leslie worked on many projects for Bad Boy Records. He also helped produce a song for Britney Spears in 2003. Around the same time, Leslie met Tommy Mottola. Mottola became a mentor to Leslie. He offered Leslie a publishing deal and a recording contract. In 2005, Leslie signed Cassie Ventura to his own 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" (with Fabolous). However, the album was never officially released. This was due to creative differences between Leslie and his record label.
Releasing 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 BET's 106 & Park. Leslie also released it on his YouTube channel. In November 2007, he released a video for a song called "I-R-I-N-A" on his YouTube channel.
His second song, "Addiction," featured Cassie and Fabolous. This song was officially released in August 2008. His third song, "How It Was Supposed to Be," came out with two music videos. One was a rock version, and the other had a military theme. Leslie directed this video himself, with help from model Tyson Beckford. The song was released on March 23, 2009. After some delays, his self-titled album, Ryan Leslie, was finally released on February 10, 2009.
Leslie initially had a four-album deal with Universal Motown. However, he left the label before finishing that contract. He wanted to try something new and different.
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New Music and Business (2011–Present)
In January 2011, Ryan Leslie announced on social media that his third album would be released. The first song from the album was 'Glory'. The album, Les is More, was finally released in October 2012. It featured 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 announced his fourth album, Black Mozart. The full album was released to members of Leslie's #Renegades club on August 31, 2013.
Other Projects
NextSelection Lifestyle Group
While working as a producer, Leslie created NextSelection Lifestyle Group. This is his music and media company, which he started with Rasheed Richmond. Ryan signed his first artist, Cassie, in 2005. Under Ryan's guidance, Cassie quickly became a rising R&B star. Her hit song "Me & U" (written and produced by Leslie) was on the Top 40 chart for 20 weeks. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
SuperPhone
After releasing Black Mozart in 2013, Leslie was inspired to start SuperPhone. This service helps artists send direct text messages to their fans. Many musicians have used SuperPhone to launch albums and connect with their fans. These include 50 Cent, Raphael Saadiq, and Talib Kweli. Kweli said he liked the direct contact with fans and getting money directly from album sales.
Important people in business and music have supported Leslie's work with SuperPhone. Artists like Miley Cyrus, Zayn, Silk Sonic, Ava Max, and Cardi B have used SuperPhone for their marketing.
Musical Style and Influences
Who Inspired Ryan Leslie?
Leslie has said that Stevie Wonder is one of his biggest musical influences. He also looks up to Michael Jackson, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Quincy Jones, The Beatles, and D'Angelo.
Connecting with Fans Online
Leslie's blog, YouTube channel, and social media pages have greatly helped him connect with his fans. He often shared how he interacted with his audience. This included giving away free iPods, backstage passes to concerts, and even dinner invitations.
Leslie has also talked about how digital streaming would replace physical music. 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
