Mike Posner

Michael Robert Henrion Posner (born February 12, 1988) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.

Michael Robert Henrion Posner was born on February 12, 1988, in Detroit, Michigan.

He was raised in Southfield, a northern suburb of Detroit.

He has a sister who is six years older.

His father was Jewish and his mother is Catholic.

Posner went to Bingham Farms Elementary School, Berkshire Middle School and graduated from Groves High School, where he ran varsity track and cross-country.

He attended Duke University, where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.

He graduated with a B.A. in Sociology with a 3.6 GPA.

He signed with J Records in 2009 to release his debut single "Cooler Than Me" the following year.

It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and received septuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Posner's second mixtape, A Matter of Time (the first mixtape being Reflections of a Lost Teen) started attracting industry attention in 2009.

Working with Don Cannon and DJ Benzi, the mixtape was recorded at Duke University in March 2009 under the name, "Mike Posner & the Brain Trust", the Brain Trust referring to Posner's supporters.

The release was unusual for being distributed for free through iTunes U, a channel designed for educational audio content.

Although Posner was not the only artist to take advantage of this loophole, his release was the most organized and high profile, and attracted the largest response, immediately reaching the number one position on the iTunes U chart.

Posner signed a record deal with J Records (RCA/Sony) in July 2009, after his Junior year at Duke University.

He chose to return to Duke after signing, and toured on the weekends while at the same time recording for his debut album.

Posner's third mixtape One Foot Out the Door was released in October 2009.

The mixtape was accompanied by a web series of the same name which aired bi-weekly from September to December.

His follow up single, "Please Don't Go" peaked within the top 20 on the chart and received triple platinum certification; both songs preceded the release of his debut album 31 Minutes to Takeoff (2010), which peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 and saw mixed critical response.

Posner's debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff was released in August 2010.

The first single, "Cooler Than Me" peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

He performed at music festival Bonnaroo and on the 2010s Warped Tour.

The second and third singles, "Please Don't Go" and "Bow Chicka Wow Wow" reached the top 20 and 30 on the Hot 100 respectively.

The latter was released with an added verse by rapper Lil Wayne.

Posner won a 2011's ASCAP Award from the publishing organization for "Cooler Than Me".

On October 7, 2011, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding J Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records.

With the shutdown, Posner (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release his future material on the RCA Records brand.

After the release of his debut album, he began working on his second studio album under the title Sky High and released the single "Looks Like Sex" to digital outlets on December 2, 2011.

As a prelude to the release of the album, Posner released his third mixtape, The Layover.

However, with the success of his first album, Posner began to feel uncomfortable with being in the spotlight and struggled with depression.

He took a break from making music to write and produce songs for other artists.

He then parted ways with J Records in favor of Island Records in 2014.

In 2015, an EDM remix of his song "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" peaked in the top ten on the charts in 27 countries, and the top five on the Billboard Hot 100.

Its success preceded the release of his second studio album, At Night, Alone (2016), which saw similar reception and a slight improvement in critical response.

In 2017, Posner released his first book of poetry, Tear Drops & Balloons.

He is also one half of the alternative hip hop duo Mansionz with Florida rapper Blackbear.

Posner's father, Jon, a criminal defense lawyer, died on January 11, 2017; his mother is Roberta Henrion; and his sister, Emily Henrion Posner, is a civil rights attorney.

Posner started out as a record producer, working on some tracks with his hometown friend Big Sean.

His third and fourth albums, A Real Good Kid (2019) and Operation: Wake Up (2020) were met with critical praise despite failing to chart.

Along with his recording career, he has served as a record producer and songwriter for artists including Justin Bieber, Big Sean, Maroon 5, Big Time Rush, Austin Mahone, Nick Jonas, Cher Lloyd, and Labrinth.