Description
Anthony Ryan Leslie (born September 25, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur. He has careers in recording, production, and songwriting for a number of prominent artists in a variety of genres, ranging from R&B, hip hop, pop and gospel. Leslie has worked on records for Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Diddy, LL Cool J, Kanye West, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, and Fabolous, among others.
In 2005, he discovered R&B singer Cassie, who signed to Leslie's NextSelection label imprint in a joint-venture with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records. Leslie wrote and produced her debut platinum-certified hit single, "Me & U" along with the entirety of her eponymous debut album (2006). Leslie subsequently began work on his own self-titled debut album for Universal Motown Records, which was released in February 2009 to moderate success and generally favorable reviews. The album spawned the singles "Diamond Girl", "Addiction" (featuring Fabolous and Cassie), and "How It Was Supposed to Be", and was followed up with the subsequent albums Transition (2009) and the independently released Les Is More (2012).
Leslie, a Harvard University graduate, is also the founder and CEO of SuperPhone, a direct text marketing service which has been used by Miley Cyrus, Zayn, Joyner Lucas, Silk Sonic, and others. Leslie has been nominated for Grammy Awards, BET Awards, and Soul Train Music Awards.
