Alex da Kid

Alex da Kid
Birth name Alexander Grant
Also known as Alex Grant
Born (1982-08-27) 27 August 1982
Bristol, England
Origin Wood Green, London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
Years active 2008–present
Labels
Associated acts
Website alexdakid.com

Alexander Grant (born 27 August 1982), professionally known as Alex da Kid, is a British music producer from Wood Green, London. He has gained recognition for producing several hit singles for a plethora of artists in various music genres, such as Dr. Dre ("I Need a Doctor"), Nicki Minaj ("Massive Attack"), B.o.B ("Airplanes" featuring Hayley Williams), Eminem ("Love the Way You Lie" featuring Rihanna), Diddy ("Coming Home" with Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey), Imagine Dragons ("Radioactive") and Cheryl ("Under The Sun").

Even though he now lives in Los Angeles, The Evening Standard named him one of "London's Most Influential People in 2011." He has been nominated for numerous Grammy Awards including "Album of the Year" for his work on Rihanna's Loud. His record label, KIDinaKORNER, is a subdivision of Interscope Records.[1][2]

In both 2013 and 2014, Grant (as owner of KIDinaKORNER Records) was chosen by Billboard Magazine for their "Top 40 Under 40."[3]

In 2016, Grant released his first solo project as an artist. The single, “Not Easy” features X Ambassadors, Elle King & Wiz Khalifa via KIDinaKORNER/RCA Records. The track was produced by Alex Da Kid for KIDinaKORNER, and written by Alex Da Kid for KIDinaKORNER, Sam Harris, Casey Harris, Adam Levin, Elle King, and Wiz Khalifa.[4]

As a producer, Grant co-writes everything that he works on with artists.[5]

Early life

Grant was a professional footballer, playing for Bristol City[6] until when, at 19 years of age, his friend introduced him to the digital music editing software FruityLoops, which prompted an interest in music production.[7] He then attended University of West London to study towards a master's degree in audio technology, now called MA Advanced Music Technology.

Universal Music Publishing Group's Jessica Rivera first heard about him through Grant's lawyer Scott Felcher.[8] On request Grant sent Rivera some of his music, and the publishing executive later related her reactions to HitQuarters: "It hit me right away that this dude had something different to bring to the table ... He wasn't just straight up hip-hop – his sound was very different and transcended genres."[8]

KIDinaKORNER

Production discography

Singles produced

List of singles as either producer or co-producer, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released, performing artists and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US US
R&B
US
Rap
AUS CAN FRA GER NZ SWE UK
"Hello Heartbreak"
(Michelle Williams)
2008 Unexpected
"Massive Attack"
(Nicki Minaj featuring Sean Garrett)
2010 122 65 non-album single
"Airplanes"
(B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore)
2 65 2 2 2 89 8 1 10 1 B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray
"Love the Way You Lie"
(featuring Rihanna)
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
  • RIAA: 11× Platinum
    (Diamond)[11]
  • ARIA: 9× Platinum[12]
  • BPI: 2× Platinum
  • BVMI: Platinum
  • IFPI SWI: 3× Platinum
  • RIANZ: 2× Platinum
Recovery
"Coming Home"
(Diddy-Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey)
11 83 21 4 7 8 4 5 26 4
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum
  • ARIA: 3× Platinum[13]
  • BPI: Silver
Last Train to Paris
"I Need a Doctor"
(Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey)
2011 4 124 16 12 8 29 25 23 56 8 non-album single
"Words I Never Said"
(Lupe Fiasco featuring Skylar Grey)
89 Lasers
"Rise Above 1"
(Reeve Carney featuring Bono and The Edge)
74 71 Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
"Dance Without You"
(Skylar Grey)
non-album singles
"Invisible"
(Skylar Grey)
86 63
"Invincible"
(MGK featuring Ester Dean)
108 Lace Up
"Under the Sun"
(Cheryl)
12 A Million Lights
"C'mon Let Me Ride"
(Skylar Grey featuring Eminem)
2012 84 17 Don't Look Down
"Radioactive"
(Imagine Dragons)
3 6 5 28 4 4 1 12
  • RIAA: 10x Platinum (Diamond)
  • ARIA: 4× Platinum
  • BPI: Platinum
  • BVMI: Platinum
  • IFPI SWE: 6× Platinum[16]
  • IFPI SWI: Platinum
  • MC: 3× Platinum
  • RMNZ: 3× Platinum[17]
Night Visions
"Demons"
(Imagine Dragons)
2013 6 11 4 15 15 12 7 13
  • RIAA: 5x Platinum
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum
  • BPI: Silver
  • IFPI SWE: 4× Platinum[16]
  • IFPI SWI: Gold
  • MC: Platinum
  • RMNZ: Platinum[18]
"On Top of the World"
(Imagine Dragons)
79 10 43 35 13 10 40 34
  • ARIA: 3× Platinum[19]
  • BPI: Silver
  • IFPI SWE: 2× Platinum[20]
  • RMNZ: Platinum[21]
"Final Warning"
(Skylar Grey)
Don't Look Down
"Monster"
(Imagine Dragons)
78 41 non-album single
"Jungle (Remix)"[22]
(X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons featuring Jay Z)
2014 87 62 55 44 18 non-album single
"I Bet My Life"
(Imagine Dragons)
28 36 15 42 65 28 27
  • RIAA: Gold
  • MC: Platinum
Smoke + Mirrors
"Bed of Lies"
(Nicki Minaj featuring Skylar Grey)
62 19 7 41 134 13 11 73 The Pinkprint
"Gold"
(Imagine Dragons)
Smoke + Mirrors
"Burning Bridges"
(Ludacris featuring Jason Aldean)
Ludaversal
"American Oxygen"
(Rihanna)
2015 78 65 59 25 39 11 71 non-album singles
"Renegades"
(X Ambassadors)
17 43 6 10 10 70 38
  • ARIA: Gold
  • MC: 4× Platinum
  • SNEP: Gold
  • BVMI: Gold
  • BPI: Silver
  • RIAA: Platinum
VHS
"Unsteady"
(X Ambassadors)
20 94 61
  • MC: Platinum
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum
"Sucker for Pain"
(Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Logic, Ty Dolla Sign and X Ambassadors)
2016 15 3 7 19 18 8 5 9 11
  • ARIA: Platinum
  • SNEP: Gold
  • RMNZ: Gold
  • BPI: Silver
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum
Suicide Squad
"Not Easy"
(Alex Da Kid featuring X Ambassadors, Elle King and Wiz Khalifa)
73
[23]
non-album singles
"American Funeral"
(with Joseph Angel)[24]
2017
"Thunder"
(Imagine Dragons)
70 --- --- 12 44 181 3 4 10 26
  • FIMI: Gold
  • RMNZ: Gold
  • IFPI: Gold
EVOLVE

References

  1. Grammy Video, Alex Da Kid, 30 November 2011.
  2. Paul Tingen, Alex Da Kid: From Football To Music Recording, Sound on Sound, December 2011.
  3. "40 Under 40: Alex Da Kid". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  4. Hear Alex da Kid's Eclectic Debut Single 'Not Easy' - Rolling Stone
  5. "Music Connection magazine cover feature, Rob Putnam – 26 January, 2015". Music Connection. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  6. "Alex Da Kid: The Brit behind 2010's biggest hit". BBC News. 21 December 2010.
  7. Kondo, Toshitaka (2010). Production Credit (Alex da Kid). XXL Magazine. p. 103.
  8. 1 2 "Interview with Jessica Rivera". HitQuarters. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  9. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank: B.o.B" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  10. "Top 50 Singles Chart: Chart #1727 (Monday 28 June 2010)". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-22.
  11. "RIAA Certifications for B.o.B". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  12. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  13. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2012 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  14. "American album certifications – Rihanna – Talk That Talk". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  15. "BPI – Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (To access, enter the search parameter "Rihanna" and select "Search by Keyword") on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Veckolista Singlar – Vecka 36, 6 september 2013" (in Swedish). Grammofon Leverantörernas Förening. Archived from the original (select "Föreg" to access chart issue) on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  17. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart – 10 February 2014". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  18. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart – 07 October 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  19. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  20. "Veckolista Singlar – Vecka 59, 2 November 2013" (in Swedish). Grammofon Leverantörernas Förening. Archived from the original (select "Föreg" to access chart issue) on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  21. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart – 07 October 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  22. "Jungle (Remix) [feat. JAY Z] - Single". iTunes.
  23. "ARIA CHART WATCH #407". auspOp. February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  24. "American Funeral - Single by Alex Da Kid & Joseph Angel on Apple Music". Itunes.apple.com. 2017-02-24. Retrieved 2017-05-05.

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