Sounwave facts for kids

Mark Anthony Spears (born February 28, 1986), who is known by his stage name Sounwave, is an American record producer and songwriter. A record producer helps artists create their music, while a songwriter writes the lyrics and melodies for songs.

Sounwave is famous for working closely with the rapper Kendrick Lamar. He has helped produce every one of Lamar's albums since 2009. He has also worked with other major stars like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Schoolboy Q, and Kali Uchis. For his amazing work, Sounwave has won four Grammy Awards, one of the highest honors in music.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Sounwave was born Mark Anthony Spears in Los Angeles, California. His parents moved to Los Angeles from Alabama in the 1970s. He grew up in Compton with his two older brothers.

His love for music started when he heard the beats in the song "Up Jumps da Boogie" by Timbaland. As a kid, Sounwave used a Korg drum machine and a karaoke machine to make his own music. Later, he got a 4-track machine to record his ideas. He even used the PlayStation video game MTV Music Generator to produce songs.

Music Career

How It All Started (1999–2009)

When Sounwave was just 13, he was discovered by Terrance "Punch" Henderson, the co-president of the record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). He used MTV Music Generator to produce a song for rapper Bishop Lamont, which was played on the radio.

After graduating from high school in 2005, Sounwave got an Akai MPC, a popular tool for making hip hop beats. Around this time, he met Kendrick Lamar in a recording studio. One day, Sounwave played a beat he made, and Lamar immediately started rapping over it. This was the beginning of their partnership.

Sounwave worked hard to improve his skills and impress the founder of TDE, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. He eventually joined TDE's group of producers called Digi+Phonics. His early work includes songs on Lamar's 2009 EP and Flo Rida's album R.O.O.T.S.

Gaining Fame (2010–2014)

Sounwave was one of the main producers for Kendrick Lamar's mixtape Overly Dedicated (2010) and his first album Section.80 (2011). Because of his great work, Complex magazine named him one of the "15 New Producers to Watch."

He produced three popular songs on Lamar's second album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012): "... Don't Kill My Vibe," "M.A.A.D City," and "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst." The album was so successful that Sounwave earned his first Grammy Award nomination for Album of the Year.

Major Success and Big Projects (2015–Present)

..... Many critics called it one of the best albums of the 2010s. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, he won a Grammy for Best Rap Song for co-writing "Alright."

..... In 2018, he helped create the soundtrack for the movie Black Panther: The Album. The album's main single, "All the Stars," was nominated for an Academy Award.

In 2019, Sounwave worked with many famous singers. He contributed to Beyoncé's album The Lion King: The Gift and Taylor Swift's album Lover. That same year, he started a band called Red Hearse with musicians Jack Antonoff and Sam Dew.

Sounwave was the main producer for Lamar's fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022). This work earned him another Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2023.

Personal Life

Sounwave lives in West Hills, Los Angeles. He lives with his partner, Reyna Biddy, who is a poet and songwriter, and their son, Umi.

Discography

Albums Produced

Sounwave has helped produce albums for many famous artists, including:

• Beyoncé – The Lion King: The Gift (2019), Cowboy Carter (2024)
• Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour (2020)
• Kali Uchis – Isolation (2018), Red Moon in Venus (2023)
• Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 (2011), Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012), To ... a Butterfly (2015), ... (2017), Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), GNX (2024)
• Taylor Swift – Lover (2019), Midnights (2022)

Awards and Nominations