Danger Mouse

As a producer, Danger Mouse is practically a genre unto himself, concocting a vintage-hued sound that brings out the most whimsical proclivities of his many collaborators. Born Brian Burton in 1977 in White Plains, New York, the soft-spoken remixer and beatmaker created his Danger Mouse persona while studying at the University of Georgia. In 2003, he worked with rapper Jemini for the old-school celebration Ghetto Pop Life, but it was 2004’s The Grey Album—his clever mash-up of The Beatles’ The White Album and Jay-Z’s The Black Album—that turned him into an in-demand producer practically overnight. Ever since Damon Albarn recruited him for Gorillaz’s thrilling 2005 genre-melding triumph Demon Days, Danger Mouse has been unstoppable. In 2006, as duo Gnarls Barkley with CeeLo Green, he released one of the biggest hits of the decade with the psych-soul juggernaut “Crazy.” He’s also teamed up with The Shins’ James Mercer for spacey indie-pop band Broken Bells, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O for 2019’s smoky, disco-infused Lux Prima, and The Roots’ Black Thought for 2022’s lush hip-hop collection Cheat Codes. In between, he’s remained a revered producer, lending his groovy, cinematic touch to artists like The Black Keys, Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Michael Kiwanuka.