Major Lazer

Artist Image: Major Lazer
Attribution
Image Credit: Kim Metso (Own work), CC BY-SA 4.0

Biography

Major Lazer is a musical project by DJ/producer Diplo. Formerly a collaboration along with DJ/producer Switch, they parted ways in late 2011. Diplo has since enlisted producers/DJs Jillionaire and Walshy Fire (of Black Chiney) to help with the production and live shows. Formerly made up of DJ Diplo and Switch, the two were introduced after working with M.I.A.. The duo's first album Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do was released on June 16, 2009, on Downtown Records. It was recorded in Jamaica at Tuff Gong Studios. Vocalists such as Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal, Nina Sky, Amanda Blank, Mr. Vegas, Turbulence, Mapei, T.O.K, Prince Zimboo, Leftside and others contribute guest vocals to the album, as well as additional production from Afrojack and Crookers. This is the first release to come out of the label partnership between Downtown Records and Diplo's label Mad Decent. Major Lazer ended a US tour last summer. The album's first single was "Hold the Line", the video for which, directed by Ferry Gouw, was nominated for a MTV Video Award in the Breakthrough Video category. "Hold the Line" was also featured in the video game FIFA 10. The track "Zumbie" has a music video that features comedian Andy Milonakis. Music videos for the songs "Pon de Floor" and "Keep It Going Louder" were both directed by Eric Wareheim. Major Lazer performed at the Falls Music & Arts Festival (Lorne, Victoria, Australia) on the December 30, 2009, the Coachella Music Festival in April 2010 they also performed at the Pitchfork Music Festival in July 2010 and the Sasquatch Music Festival on Monday May 30, 2011. Live visuals were created by Pomp&Clout. Major Lazer performed at the 2011 Outside Lands festival in San Francisco. From February 2013 he is with the song "Get Free" in the Vodafone Germany TV advertisement. A mixtape with La Roux entitled "Lazerproof" was made available for free download on May 26. Diplo posted cover art on his Twitpic. It is the character Major Lazer in War Machine's silver suit, Elly Jackson of La Roux in the signature Iron Man suit, and Whiplash, the villain in the Iron Man 2 movie. On June 20, 2010, the group released an EP titled "Lazers Never Die". It contained two new songs and three remixes, by Thom Yorke and others. Switch provided production for Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)", which heavily sampled "Pon de Floor". Major Lazer's live shows previously included hype man Skerrit Bwoy although Skerrit Bwoy left the group in 2012 to pursue religion. In 2012, Major Lazer began working with Snoop Dogg to produce some tracks that are to be included on his new reggae project. Along with the project came his new alter ego persona known as "Snoop Lion". Switch has left the collaborative effort due to "creative differences" as claimed by Diplo. He departed in late 2011 and was replaced with DJ/Producer Jillionaire and Walshy Fire. In September 2012, Major Lazer announced that its upcoming album, Free the Universe, would be released on March 12, 2013 on Mad Decent, but was postponed to April 15, 2013. They also announced Fall 2012 tour dates. Major Lazer partly produced UK singer Rita Ora's debut album, Ora. Major Lazer worked with No Doubt for their sixth studio album, Push and Shove. The album's title track features producers Major Lazer and Jamaican reggae artist Busy Signal, and was released as a promotional single in August 2012. Major Lazer launched their Fall Tour 2012 in October, with shows in Oakland, Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York City, amongst others. In February 2013, Major Lazer signed with indie record label Secretly Canadian. At the same time, they announced the new release date, April 16, for their album Free the Universe. They also announced the Free the Universe 2013 World Tour, which will run all spring.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 2009
Number of Albums 80
Record Label
Website majorlazer.com
Wikipedia Major Lazer on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

On what date was a Lazerproof mixtape released for free?

May 26

...ith La Roux entitled Lazerproof was made available for free download on May 26 . Diplo posted cover art on his Twitpic. On June 20, 2010, the group rel...
Who did Diplo post the cover art on?

Twitpic

...de available for free download on May 26. Diplo posted cover art on his Twitpic . On June 20, 2010, the group released an EP titled Lazers Never Die. I...
On what day did Lazers Never Die release an EP?

June 20, 2010

...r free download on May 26. Diplo posted cover art on his Twitpic. On June 20, 2010 , the group released an EP titled Lazers Never Die. It contained two...
How many new songs did the Lazer Never Die EP contain?

two

... 20, 2010, the group released an EP titled Lazers Never Die. It contained two new songs and three remixes, by Thom Yorke and others. Switch provided p...
Who provided production for Beyonce's Run the World?

Switch

...It contained two new songs and three remixes, by Thom Yorke and others. Switch provided production for Beyoncé's Run the World (Girls), which heavily ...
Who was the hype man that Major Lazer previously included?

Skerrit Bwoy

... Pon de Floor. Major Lazer's live shows previously included hype man Skerrit Bwoy although Skerrit Bwoy left the group in 2012 to pursue religion. In ...
When did Skerrit Bwoy leave the group?

2012 to pursue religion

...d hype man Skerrit Bwoy although Skerrit Bwoy left the group in 2012 to pursue religion . In 2012, Major Lazer began working with Snoop Dogg to produce...
In what year did Major Lazer begin working with Snoop Dogg?

2012

...Bwoy although Skerrit Bwoy left the group in 2012 to pursue religion. In 2012 , Major Lazer began working with Snoop Dogg to produce some tracks that a...
What was Major Lazer's alter ego?

Snoop Lion

...oject. Along with the project came his new alter ego persona known as Snoop Lion . Switch has left the collaborative effort due to creative differences...
What is the name of the electronic music group Major Lazer created by?

Diplo and Switch

...jor Lazer is an electronic music group created by record producers Diplo and Switch , with current members Jillionaire and Walshy Fire. Initially the E...
Who are the current members of Major lazer?

Jillionaire and Walshy Fire

...ed by record producers Diplo and Switch, with current members Jillionaire and Walshy Fire . Initially the English DJ and producer Switch was part of th...
How many fulllength albums have Major lazer released?

three

...onic, reggaeton, house, and moombahton genres. Major Lazer have released three fulllength albums Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do, Free the Univers...
In what year was Is the Mission released?

2015

..., Free the Universe and Peace Is the Mission, released in 2009, 2013 and 2015 respectively. They have also released an EP entitled Apocalypse Soon in ...
In what month and year did Major Lazer release Apocalypse Soon?

March 2014

...spectively. They have also released an EP entitled Apocalypse Soon in March 2014 , which featured vocal contributions from Pharrell Williams and Sean P...
What was the name of Snoop Dogg's debut reggae album?

Reincarnated

... Williams and Sean Paul. In addition, Major Lazer have also produced Reincarnated , the debut reggae album by Snoop Dogg under his Snoop Lion persona. ...
When was Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do released?

16 June 2009

...uo's first album Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do was released on 16 June 2009 , on Downtown Records. This is the first release to come out of the l...
What is the name of Diplo's label?

Mad Decent

...t of the label partnership between Downtown Records and Diplo's label Mad Decent . Major Lazer ended a US tour last summer. Hold the Line was also feat...
Hold the Line was featured in what video game?

FIFA 10

...een Downtown Records and Diplo's label Mad Decent. Major Lazer ended a US tour last summer. Hold the Line was also featured in the video game FIFA 10 ....
Who produced the beats for Lean On?

DJ Snake

...With a combustible vocal turn by MØ and sharp beats by French producer DJ Snake , their ferocious 2015 single Lean On broke records for independent son...
What was the name of the hit single released in 2015?

Lean On

...nd sharp beats by French producer DJ Snake, their ferocious 2015 single Lean On broke records for independent songs on pop radio to become one of the ...
How many streams have Major Lazar had?

billions

...an American pop act. Instead, theyre truly global in their reach, with billions of streams across various platforms and numberone singles around the w...
Some people showed up because they were fans, some people because they wanted to see what?

the spectacle

...one singles around the world. Almost all of Havana showed up some people because they were fans, some people because they wanted to see the spectacle ....
When was Major Lazer founded?

2008

... and Ape Drums. It originates from Kingston, Jamaica, and was founded in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving after three years in 2011. In J...
How many fulllength albums has Major lazer released?

four

...ncehall, reggaeton, soca, house and moombahton. Major Lazer has released four fulllength albums: Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do in 2009, Free the...
In what year did Lazer release Apocalypse Soon?

2014

...ssion in 2015. They have also released two EPs: Apocalypse Soon in March 2014 , which featured vocal contributions from Pharrell Williams and Sean Paul...
Which two artists were featured on the two EPs released by Lazer?

Pharrell Williams and Sean Paul

...Soon in March 2014, which featured vocal contributions from Pharrell Williams and Sean Paul , and Know No Better in 2017, which featured appearances fr...
In which year was Know No Better released?

2017

...ontributions from Pharrell Williams and Sean Paul, and Know No Better in 2017 , which featured appearances from Camila Cabello, Quavo, Travis Scott, an...
What was the name of Major Lazer's 2009 fulllength?

Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do

...bigger. First emerging with the acclaimed 2009 fulllength Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do , Major Lazer were a crucial part of the EDM boom during ...
What year did Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do come out?

2009

...ting mission to make the party bigger. First emerging with the acclaimed 2009 fulllength Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do, Major Lazer were a cruci...
In what year did Diplo release Cold Water?

2016

...eir biggest hits, including 2015's multiplatinum charttopper Lean On and 2016 's equally successful Cold Water. In 2020, they issued their longawaited ...
What was the name of Diplo's fourth album?

Music Is the Weapon

...ul Cold Water. In 2020, they issued their longawaited fourth set, Music Is the Weapon . Diplo and Switch, who had met years earlier while producing M.I...
Which English electropop duo collaborated on Lazerproof?

La Roux

...ith Lazerproof, a collaborative mixtape with the English electropop duo La Roux . In 2012, Snoop Dogg joined Diplo for the digital reggae single La La ...
What duo did Snoop Dogg join in 2012?

Diplo

...tape with the English electropop duo La Roux. In 2012, Snoop Dogg joined Diplo for the digital reggae single La La La, released under the name Snoop L...
What is the name of Diplo's sophomore album?

Free the Universe

...rit Bwoy left in order to pursue religion. Diplo carried on, with producer Jillionaire joining the group for Free the Universe , their sophomore album....
Who joined Diplo for Free the Universe?

Jillionaire

...rit Bwoy left in order to pursue religion. Diplo carried on, with producer Jillionaire joining the group for Free the Universe, their sophomore album....
When did Switch leave the group?

2011

...ed in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving after three years in 2011 . In June 2019, Jillionaire left the group and was replaced by Ape Drums....
Who replaced Jillionaire in June 2019?

Ape Drums

... in 2011. In June 2019, Jillionaire left the group and was replaced by Ape Drums . Its music spans numerous genres, mixing reggae with dancehall, regga...
What was Major Lazer's rank on the 2018 Billboard Dance 100 list of dance musicians?

number five

...is Snoop Lion persona. In March 2018, Billboard ranked Major Lazer at number five on their 2018 Billboard Dance 100 ranking of dance musicians. Conten...
When did Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do release?

June 2009

...leased their first album called Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do in June 2009 via Downtown Records. Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal, N...
What was the name of the mixtape with La Roux?

Lazerproof

...followed up their first fulllength with a mixtape with La Roux called Lazerproof , which came out in May 2010. In the following month, they dropped an ...
Who were some of the names contributing guest vocals on the album?

Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal, Nina Sky, Amanda Blank and Mr. Vegas

...n June 2009 via Downtown Records. Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal, Nina Sky, Amanda Blank and Mr. Vegas were a few names contributing gue...
What record label did Major lazer sign with in 2013?

Secretly Canadian

...d Walshy Fire. In 2013, Major Lazer signed with indie record label Secretly Canadian and announced that their album Free the Universe would arrive in ...