The architect of the 'doh' and a multi-Grammy hitmaker
In short: From providing the signature bass lines in global hits to voicing iconic Disney characters, Philip Lawrence II built an empire on musical versatility. Behind his work with Bruno Mars lies a strategic transition from collaborative teams to independent ventures, defining modern pop production.
Born in Evansville, Indiana, to a gospel choir director and a radio DJ, Philip Lawrence began performing at age four. His professional foundation was built through diverse experiences, including performing at Walt Disney World and working various jobs in California to establish a musical network. This background enabled him to master multiple genres, including Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, R&B, Reggae, Funk, Soul, and Folk.
Lawrence's career trajectory is defined by high-impact partnerships. In 2008, he began collaborating with Bruno Mars on projects like Brandy's "Long Distance." This evolved into the formation of The Smeezingtons alongside Ari Levine. Between 2009 and 2015, this trio produced over 16 Gold and Platinum records, including some reaching 5x Platinum. They were responsible for hits for a wide array of artists ranging from Adele to Snoop Dogg.
The group eventually transitioned into new entities. Lawrence joined Mars in forming Shampoo, Press & Curl with Christopher Brody Brown. This team produced the 24K Magic project, which swept six Grammy Awards in 2018 and saw its world tour gross over $350 million. In addition to his production role, Lawrence has portrayed Sebastian within The Little Mermaid series for over sixteen years, starting in 2007.
Despite his commercial success, Lawrence's career has seen personal and professional pivots. He notably left the 24K Magic World Tour in 2018 due to an injury—later revealed in 2020 to be related to personal issues—and has since balanced his creative output with business ventures like CMNTY Culture and Record Plant.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Philip Lawrence (songwriter)
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