Ryan Leslie

Born in Richmond, Virginia, and raised in several American cities before settling in Boston, Ryan Leslie has since the late 1990s developed a career as a songwriter, singer and producer in a contemporary R&B register marked by pop and hip-hop. After early studio beginnings in Boston, he made his name in the early 2000s with productions for Beyoncé, then worked in Bad Boy's circle on projects related to Cassie, Diddy, Britney Spears and Fabolous. Ryan Leslie plays a central role in Cassie's emergence by writing and producing "Me & U" in 2006, before releasing his own albums Ryan Leslie and Transition in 2009, followed by Les Is More in 2012, Black Mozart in 2013, MZRT in 2015, and You Know My Speed in 2024. His writing rests on smooth R&B melodies, catchy pop hooks, a sleek and precise production, with a strong emphasis on singing, harmonies and a rhythm heritage from hip-hop. Ryan Leslie has also built an independent career after his stint at Universal Motown, by issuing direct-to-consumer releases and steering his activity toward entrepreneurship, without breaking with the stage nor with a regular practice of production.