Danger Mouse

Danger Mouse, the professional name of Brian Joseph Burton, came to prominence in 2004 with The Grey Album, a mashup that paired vocals from Jay-Z’s The Black Album with instrumentals from the Beatles’ self-titled album, widely known as The White Album. Born July 29, 1977, in White Plains, New York, Burton built a career as a musician, songwriter and record producer whose work moves between hip-hop, electronic music, alternative rap and rock.

In 2006, he formed Gnarls Barkley with CeeLo Green. Burton produced the duo’s albums St. Elsewhere, The Odd Couple and Atlanta. He later joined forces with James Mercer of the Shins for Broken Bells, formed in 2009. The group has released three albums, most recently Into the Blue in 2022. His collaborative work also includes Danger Doom, his project with MF Doom, which released The Mouse and the Mask; Cheat Codes with Black Thought; and Lux Prima with Karen O.

As a producer, Burton has worked across major pop, rock and hip-hop records. He produced Gorillaz’s 2005 album Demon Days, Beck’s Modern Guilt, and four albums by the Black Keys: Attack & Release, Brothers, El Camino and Turn Blue. In 2016, he produced, performed on and co-wrote songs for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ eleventh studio album, The Getaway. His other production and songwriting credits include Norah Jones’ Little Broken Hearts, Electric Guest’s Mondo, Portugal. The Man’s Evil Friends, Adele’s 25 and ASAP Rocky’s At.Long.Last.ASAP.

Danger Mouse has received 22 Grammy Award nominations and won six awards. He was nominated five times for Producer of the Year and won in 2011. In 2008, Esquire included him among its “75 most influential people of the 21st century.”