Devo Harris
Devo Harris | |
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Birth name | DeVon Harris |
Born | December 9, 1977 |
Origin | Columbus, Georgia, United States |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 1994–present |
Labels | |
Website | https://www.instagram.com/springsteezy/ Instagram |
DeVon “Devo” Harris (born December 9, 1977 in Columbus, GA), also known as Devo Springsteen, is an American producer and songwriter. Harris launched the career of EGOT winner John Legend by signing him to Kanye West’s GOOD Music in 2003. Harris produced and co-wrote many songs from Legend's first albums as well as songs for Nas, Britney Spears, Aretha Franklin, Ol' Dirty Bastard, The Last Poets and more in addition to DJing around the world. Devo won the Best Rap Song Grammy in 2006 for his production of "Diamonds (from Sierra Leone)" with Kanye West and Jay-Z. After earning his MBA from Columbia Business School in 2011, Devo turned to technology where he became an award-winning media entrepreneur and inventor.
Biography
Devo Harris grew up across the U.S. and Germany because both of his parents were in the U.S. Army. He graduated high school from The Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Missouri and then attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, he wrestled, played football, and DJed at local radio stations WPPR and WQHS FM. After graduating with degrees in Economics and Strategic Management, he moved to New York City in 2000 with college roommate John Stephens (John Legend). While working in venture capital, he began working part-time assisting and serving as A&R at Kanye West's production company G.O.O.D. Music (then called Konman Productions). Devo eventually signed his roommate to the label in 2003 and managed Legend's project. Devo then earned an MBA degree from Columbia Business School. Harris and Kanye West are cousins.
Music
Devo's influences include Stevie Wonder, The Doors, Michael Jackson, Rick Rubin, Timbaland, Dr. Dre, and Kanye West. Harris has appeared on MTV Base, BET Style, and VH1 and was a featured guest DJ on BET's Rap City.
Harris also co-wrote the tracks "Lullaby" and "Let's Go" with Britney Spears and Tom Craskey. The song appeared on the demo version of Britney's album Blackout.
In 2008, Harris collaborated with John Legend on "If You're Out There" which appears in John Legend's third studio album Evolver. The song was also used Barack Obama's campaign theme song and was performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Technology
In 2010, Harris created an interactive music video, Attack of the 5 foot Hipster, by U.S. band Riot In Paris, which debuted on Kanye West's UniverseCity blog and was noted as the first interactive choose-your-own-adventure music video in the US. After graduation from Columbia Business School in 2011, Harris started his career in technology by teaching himself to code and launching Red Ochre Inc. in 2014. Soon after he would become a Senior Product Manager at Vimeo.
Harris specializes in next generation media technology with a focus on radical simplification and scalability. In 2020 Harris launched Adventr, an interactive streaming platform that emphasizes cross-platform interactivity and using user-directed, interactive video as an input to control third party software applications and services. In September of 2021, Adventr became a finalist in the 2021 TechCrunch Disrupt Conference and announced its patent on voice-controlled interactive media.
Discography
Singles
Year | Title (Album) | Artist/Project | Label Released |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | "If You're Out There" | John Legend | GOOD/Sony/Columbia |
2008 | "Association" | Nas | The N Mixtape |
2008 | "The Promise" | Deborah Cox | Deco Recording Group |
2008 | "You Know Where My Heart Is" | Deborah Cox | Deco Recording Group |
2007 | "What Y'all Came To Do" | Aretha Franklin | J Records |
2007 | "Misunderstood" (Finding Forever) | Common | GOOD/Geffen |
2007 | "Always Lovin' You" | Kreesha Turner | Virgin |
2007 | "Celebrate" | Cassidy | J Records |
2007 | "Let Go" | Britney Spears | Jive Records |
2007 | "Sweeter" | Estelle | Homeschool/Atlantic |
2007 | "Come Together" | Estelle | Homeschool/Atlantic |
2007 | "Blowin' My Phone Up" | Consequence | GOOD/Sony/Columbia |
2006 | "Let There Be Light" (Hip Hop Is Dead) | Nas | IDJ/Sony/Def Jam |
2006 | "Stereo" (Once Again) | John Legend | GOOD/Sony/Columbia |
2006 | "My Love, My Life" | GLC | GOOD Music |
2006 | "When I Was..." | Rhymefest | J Records |
2006 | "Back In The Day" | The Last Poets | Jambetta |
2005 | "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" (Late Registration) | Kanye West | Roc-A-Fella/IDJ |
2004 | "Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)" (Get Lifted) | John Legend | GOOD/Sony/Columbia |
2004 | "So High" (Get Lifted) | John Legend | GOOD/Sony/Columbia |
2004 | "Live It Up" (Get Lifted) | John Legend | GOOD/Sony/Columbia |
2004 | "Sunkist Sunlab Radio" | Dr Pepper/Sunkist Soda | Radio Spot |
2004 | "And You Say" | Consequence | SureShot Records |
2003 | "Summer Beach House Direct Effect Theme" | MTV | TV Spot |
Mixtapes
- 2006, "Bacardi Big Apple & Devo Springsteen Present: The Good Life"
Grammy Award history
Year | Category | Song/Album | Artist | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Best Rap Song | "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" | Kanye West | Won |
2006 | Best Rap Album | Late Registration | Kanye West | Won |
2006 | Best R&B Album | Get Lifted | John Legend | Won |
2006 | Best Album | Late Registration | Kanye West | Nominated |
- African-American musicians
- 1977 births
- Musicians from Philadelphia
- Record producers from Pennsylvania
- American DJs
- Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania alumni
- Living people
- Grammy Award winners
- 21st-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American people
- Columbia Business School alumni