The-Dream

The-Dream broke through as a songwriter behind Rihanna’s 2007 hit “Umbrella,” then built a parallel career as a singer, producer and architect of mainstream R&B and hip-hop records. Born Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, né Youngdell Nash, on September 20, 1977, he is from Rockingham, United States. He has frequently worked with production partner Tricky Stewart, writing and co-producing songs for artists across pop, R&B and rap.

His songwriting credits include Britney Spears’ “Me Against the Music,” Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body,” Ciara’s “Ride,” Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” Kanye West’s “All of the Lights,” Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage (Remix).” His work with Beyoncé has been especially extensive: beginning with I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2008, he has been credited on each of her subsequent albums. Among those credits are “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” “Partition,” “Break My Soul” and “Cuff It.”

After “Umbrella” succeeded, The-Dream signed to Def Jam Recordings as a recording artist. His first five studio albums for the label were Love/Hate (2007), Love vs. Money (2009), Love King (2010), 1977 (2011) and IV Play (2013). Love/Hate produced the Billboard Hot 100 top-20 single “Shawty Is a 10,” featuring Fabolous, while Love vs. Money yielded the top-20 single “Rockin’ That Shit.”

Through his own Radio Killa Records, he later released the triple album Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3 in 2018 and Sextape 4 in 2020. Across his work as a performer and collaborator, The-Dream has received eight Grammy Awards from 21 nominations, including a Songwriter of the Year nomination at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.