Mike Diamond

Born in New York City on November 20, 1965, Michael Louis Diamond, or Mike D as he is more commonly known, is an accomplished and influential American musician. He is a rapper, music producer and founding member of the iconic hip hop group, Beastie Boys. This multi-faceted artist’s journey pervades through the intricate layers of the music industry, leaving his imprint on various genres, forms, and aspects of the music world.

Diamond’s parents, Hester and Harold Diamond, were deeply involved in the art world, his mother as an interior designer and art collector, and his father as an art dealer. Their home on the Upper West Side of New York City was adorned with artwork by the likes of Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Barnett Newman. From an early age, Diamond was exposed to this flourishing artistic environment, fueling his passion and interest in the arts—a love that would significantly shape his future career. His academic path mirrored this interest as he attended the art-centric Saint Ann’s School and Walden School.

In 1979, he embarked on his musical journey when he co-founded the band, The Young Aborigines. After two years, the band underwent considerable changes with the joining of Adam Yauch, a.k.a. MCA, as their bass player. This transition was instigated by their then-guitar player, John Berry, who also suggested a rebranding of the band, leading to the creation of the globally recognized hip-hop group, Beastie Boys. The arrival of Adam Horovitz, or Ad-Rock, in 1983 brought a significant shift in the band’s sound from punk to hip hop.

Almost a decade after forming Beastie Boys, Diamond took a step into entrepreneurship in 1992. He launched the Beastie Boys’ record label, Grand Royal Records. His artistic interest also spilled into interior design, materializing in the creation of Brooklyn-themed toile wallpaper, which was prominently featured in the restructuring of New York City’s Marquee nightclub in 2013.

In 2012, Yauch’s death marked a dark period for Diamond; however, it didn’t deter his passion for music. In 2013, he shared with Rolling Stone his eagerness to create new music. Later that year, he released a remix of “Humberto Vs the New Reactionaries”. In collaboration with Ad-Rock, they remixed Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band’s track “Bad Dancer”, an outing that saw the pair inject their unique touch with “additional beats, programming and other curve balls”.

Diamond continued his behind-the-scenes work in the music space as a producer. He collaborated with American rock band Portugal. The Man in their studio sessions. He further extended his portfolio by producing “Take Control”, the second studio album by SOFT PLAY, an English punk duo previously known as Slaves.

Beyond his exploits in music production, Diamond expanded into broadcasting. He hosts his Apple Music podcast, The Echo Chamber, which is a testament to his versatility in the music industry.

Diamond’s personal life saw him marrying film, television, and music video director Tamra Davis, in 1993. Despite their later legal separation, the couple had two children, Davis and Skyler Diamond. Now young artists, they formed the group Very Nice Person. Diamond’s journey took him from his childhood home in Central Park West to various locations including Brooklyn, Tribeca, and eventually Malibu, California, where he was residing as of 2016. Despite these travels, his artistic origins remain rooted in his music with the Beastie Boys, a group that revolutionized the hip-hop industry and brought global recognition to Diamond’s talent.