Sean Garrett
Quick Facts
Biography
Garrett Hamler (born March 30, 1979), better known by his stage name Sean Garrett, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He has produced eighteen number one singles in only seven years of producing music. That number puts him in fifth place on the Billboard list of producers with the most number one hits. Garrett is the first producer to achieve this measure of success in under a decade since George Martin, who produced 20 number one hits for The Beatles in 6 1/2 years from 1964 to 1970. He is also the only active hip hop producer that is mentioned on the Billboard list of producers with the most number one hits.
Early life
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, he moved with his family to Europe when he was four. His father was in the U.S. military and they never stayed long in one place. He transferred between army bases across Germany and England. He performed in talent shows that led to a recording contract with Ariola or BMG when he was 17 ("Sean Garrett - Bio, CDs and Vinyl at Discogs"). A few years later when he returned to the U.S. and began writing and recording songs. Garrett insisted he was an artist, not a songwriter but went back to school, graduated from college with an A.A. degree in business from the University of Maryland's program in Germany. He then took a job as a mortgage broker in South Carolina.
Career
Garrett is responsible for a series of chart-topping compositions, most notably Usher's "Yeah!", which ranks second on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade for 2000–2009.
Ciara's breakout track "Goodies", Teairra Mari's debut single "Make Her Feel Good", Mario's single "Break Up", Nicki Minaj's first single "Massive Attack", Pussycat Dolls's hit single "Buttons" and Britney Spears' "Toy Soldier" are written by Sean Garrett. He is in a production duo with Swizz Beatz, and together they produced several Beyoncé Knowles singles: "Ring the Alarm", "Get Me Bodied", "Upgrade U", "Check on It", "Diva" and "Video Phone". He also writes often over productions by Polow da Don.
Garrett also embarked on a career as a performer,. His debut album, Turbo 919, was released June 21, 2008 on his Bet I Penned It Music imprint, through Interscope Records. (Garrett's catch-phrase, which is featured in multiple songs he has produced, is "Smash on the radio, bet I penned it".)
Ludacris appeared on Garrett's debut single, "Grippin'". In return, Garrett was featured on Ludacris's "What Them Girls Like", alongside Chris Brown. He also wrote and produced a song called "I Did It for Love" for Korean pop star BoA for her first eponymous English album. Garrett is featured and appears in the music video. In March 2010, Garrett released the first single from his mixtape The Inkwell (mixtape), "Get It All", which features Nicki Minaj. The lead single for Garrett's 2011 album previously titled Courtesy Of, was released February 4, 2011, featuring J. Cole entitled "Feel Love". In an early April 2011 interview Garrett announced his second single and why he changed the album title saying, "We’re changing the title of it because the dynamics of the album is coming along in a different way. It's definitely bigger than Courtesy Of. It's definitely coming late summer. I’m excited about it. My next single is fitna be a problem in the club and it's a brand new record featuring Rick Ross. It’ll be a movie." The single featuring Rick Ross entitled "In da Box" was released on April 27, 2011. He won three Grammys and one Oscar.
Sean is currently working with Miley Cyrus in the studio on a song that may make the cut on her next album or be featured on one of his mixtapes. He is also starting a new project with Island Def Jam recording artist Reign. He is said to be executive producing her new album, which is in the works.
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
JAP | ||
Turbo 919 |
| 12 |
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |
Mixtapes
Title | Album details |
---|---|
The Inkwell |
|
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | |||
"Grippin'" (featuring Ludacris) | 2008 | — | 40 | Turbo 919 |
"6 in the Morning" | — | — | ||
"Lay Up Under Me" | — | — | ||
"Get It All" (featuring Nicki Minaj) | 2010 | — | 83 | The Inkwell |
"Feel Love" (featuring J. Cole) | 2011 | — | 49 | Non-album singles |
"In da Box" (featuring Rick Ross) | — | 54 | ||
"Twilight Zone" (featuring Trey Songz and Future) | 2013 | — | — | |
"Anytime" (featuring Migos) | — | — | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
As featured artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | US Rap | US Dance | |||
"What Them Girls Like" (Ludacris featuring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett) | 2008 | 33 | 17 | 8 | — | Theater of the Mind |
"Away" (Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Garrett) | — | — | — | 1 | Greatest Hits | |
"I Did It for Love" (BoA featuring Sean Garrett) | 2009 | — | — | — | 19 | BoA |
"Break Up" (Mario featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garrett) | 14 | 2 | — | — | D.N.A. | |
"Massive Attack" (Nicki Minaj featuring Sean Garrett) | 2010 | 122 | 62 | — | — | Non-album single |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Other charted songs
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B | US Rap | |||
"Up In My Heart" (featuring Gucci Mane) | 2009 | 102 | — | Non-album single |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Guest appearances
Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Street Light" | 2008 | Plies | Da REAList |
"Rock You" | Jesse McCartney | Departure |
Awards and nominations
- Soul Train Awards
- 2009, Best Collaboration "Break Up" (nominated)