Diplodocuses were some of the gnarliest dinosaurs in North America. They were friendly, survived on a diet of mostly tree branches and water plants, and generally kicked it prehistorically 'round Utah and Colorado.
But the diplodocus is also the inspiration behind one of electro music's commercial heavyweights, Diplo. As a kid, Thomas Wesley Pentz had a healthy obsession with dinosaurs. And when he started DJing, he took on a shortened version of his favorite dino name and became Diplo. The rest — like the Jurassic Period — is history.
Dude has worked with some of the biggest names in music, earning worldwide notoriety for coproducing M.I.A.'s hit "Paper Planes." The song solidified Diplo's spot among music's elite, and soon he was collaborating with folks such as Shakira and Snoop Dogg, and pushing smart phones for BlackBerry. Wanting to expand his musical reach even further, Diplo and frequent collaborator Switch began making music under the guise of Major Lazer. The result: a Jamaican dancehall-meets-house record, EP, and three mixtapes that are out of this world.
