Biography

Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), addressed as Diplo, is a renowned American songwriter, DJ, record producer, and musician. 

He has steadily built a reputation as one of the most inventive and gifted musicians in the United States. The dancehall music group’s project Major Lazer was started by the American record producer, rapper, musician, vocalist, and composer. 

His partnership with DJ Skrillex led to the formation of the electronic power couple Jack U. Diplo began with his mash-up mixtapes, and it didn’t take long for him to become well-known locally as the maestro of electronic dance music, performing in Philadelphia nightclubs. 

Diplo gradually gained popularity among the local partygoers, and it didn’t take him long to open his club.

Diplo
Diplo: History • Bio • Photo
Wiki Facts & About Data
Full Name:	Thomas Wesley Pentz
Stage Name:	Diplo
Born:	10 November 1978 (age 45 years old)
Place of Birth:	Tupelo, Mississippi, United States
Nationality:	American
Height:	1.79 m
Parents:	Barbara Jean Cox, Thomas Pentz
Siblings:	N/A
Wife • Spouse:	Kathryn Lockhart (div.)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Chantel Jeffries (2020), Kate Hudson (2016-2017), Jevon King (2015), Katy Perry (2014-2015), Kathryn Lockhart (2009-2014), M.I.A. (2003-2008), Madonna (2015)
Children:	Lockett Pentz, Lazer Pentz, Pace Pentz
Occupation:	DJ • Musician
Net Worth:	US$50 million

Early Life & Education

Thomas Wesley Pentz, better known as Diplo, was born on November 10, 1978, in Mississippi, United States. He was born to parents Barbara Jean Cox (mother) and Thomas Pentz (father). 

He is a descendant of Germany. Since he was young, he has had a passion for music, especially rap and electronic music. When the family moved to Miami, Diplo was initially exposed to Miami Bass, which later significantly impacted the development of his musical sensibilities. 

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The other kids in his neighborhood felt alienated by his strange musical taste because Rap was still relatively unknown, and rock music was in its infancy at the time.

After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida, Diplo continued his schooling in Philadelphia. His DJing career began there, although modestly at parties and nightclubs. 

Despite his excellent play, he lacked professional experience and had to carefully pick up skills on the job as he gained recognition. 

Career

His friendship with DJ LowBudget, who had more or less the same aesthetic tastes as Diplo, led to the creation of Hollertronix, an event night where both DJs were free to spin whatever they pleased. They performed in nightclubs in California and used their savings to plan memorable nights under their stage name.

Their joint and individual mix tapes took off in the Philadelphia club scene, and Diplo‘s solo album, Never Scared, earned the distinction of being named one of the greatest albums of 2003. 

Diplo didn’t waste any time moving on with his next endeavor, a studio called The Mausoleum, which was eventually utilized by Shakira, Plastic Little, and Scream to record their music and videos after settling down and achieving financial security with his music. 

While performing as a DJ in 2004 for one of his remix songs, Diplo gained M.I.A.‘s respect, and she instantly called him in for a meeting as she walked by while he unintentionally played one of her songs. The end consequence of their collaboration was the mixtape Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1, which gained so much undeserved acclaim that the New York Times named it one of the year’s top albums. 

Diplo kept working with M.I.A, and it was through her that he met DJ Switch. The two of them collaborated on the song Paper Planes, which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200. 

Due to all of this success, Diplo swiftly ascended the ranks, began working as a producer, and collaborated with several well-known artists, including Shakira, Kid Cudi, Bruno Mars, Snoop Dogg, as well as many other rock bands and music ensembles. He began work on his upcoming endeavor, Mad Decent.

Since its establishment in 2005, Mad Decent has worked with several fresh musicians, including Gucci Mane, Rusko, and Jamie Fanatic. 

By working with established and up-and-coming artists, he continued to climb the success ladder. He produced songs for some of the biggest names in music, including Lil Wayne, Britney Spears, Usher, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. 

Diplo and Switch were signed by Downtown Records for a joint album that drew heavily from Miami Bass and Baile Funk, giving rise to the duo known as Major Lazer. To record their album Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers do, and the duo traveled to Jamaica. Soon after, they released an EP called Lazers Never Die.

The group worked with numerous musicians and created top-notch music, which helped them advance in their careers and become regarded as the best music group in the nation. The following album, Peace is the Mission, was released in 2015. Its lead single, Lean On, amassed more than 800 streams on Spotify and 2 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most watched music videos in history. Other songs from the album performed incredibly well as well. 

In 2016, Major Lazer worked with Justin Bieber and the Spanish singer MØ to create the song Cold Water, which finally peaked at the top of the charts in many nations. 

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A collaboration between Diplo and renowned DJ Skrillex saw him perform for the first time as Jack U in 2013. Their joint debut project, titled Skrillex and Diplo Presents Jack U, was released in February 2015 and included several other musicians. 

The album Where Are You Now became a huge hit in nightclubs all over the world after the single from the album Where Are You Now topped the charts in numerous nations. The pair later won the Grammy in the category of Best Dance Album in 2016.

In addition to his popular work, Diplo hosts a late-night program for the BBC and has never shied away from promoting up-and-coming artists. He has developed a cult following among his supporters due to his appearances on numerous talk shows, charity events, and music festivals. He is currently composing the soundtrack for Shah Rukh Khan‘s role in his debut Indian movie When Harry met Sejal.

Personal Life

Diplo and Kathryn Lockhart have been married for a long time and have two sons: Lockett Pentz and Lazer Pentz together.

Jevon King reported the introduction of her child, Pace Pentz, in March 2020. Diplo affirmed he has a son with the model Jevon King, whose name is Pace Pentz, his third child. The 45-year-old DJ and record maker shared the news on US Mother’s Day while honoring the unique ladies in his day-to-day existence.

Diplo has been the boyfriend of Chantel Jeffries (2020), Kate Hudson (2016-2017), Jevon King (2015), Katy Perry (2014-2015), Kathryn Lockhart (2009-2014), and M.I.A. (2003-2008).

Diplo is also rumored to have dated Madonna (2015).

He is very interested in sports and claims to be a tremendous lover of football and cricket, making it a point to never miss a major tournament or game for either of these sports.

Awards

• Grammy Awards, 2019
• Best Dance Recording, 2016
• Best Electronic/Dance Album

Net Worth 

American DJ Diplo is well-known for his work with artists like Major Lazer, Skrillex, and many others. Diplo has an estimated US$50 million net worth.

Social Media

• Instagram: @Diplo
• Twitter: @Diplo
• YouTube: Diplo
• Facebook: Diplo
• TikTok: @diplo