Mike Shinoda

Mike Shinoda
Personal Information
Born	11 February 1977
Occupation	Singer • rapper • songwriter • bassist • record producer • keyboardist
Musical Information
Member of	Linkin Park • Fort Minor
Debut date	1996 (with Xero)
Years Active	1996 - present
Label	Warner Records
Genres	Hi-hop • Rap • Electronic rock • Alternative rock •Pop rock
Associated Acts	Xero

Michael Kenji "Mike" Shinoda (Japanese: 篠田 賢治, romanized: Shinoda Kenji) (born February 11, 1977) is an American musician, record producer, and artist from Panorama City, California, raised in Agoura Hills, California. He is best known as the vocalist, rapper, keyboardist, rhythm guitarist and record producer of Linkin Park, and his side project, Fort Minor. He also provides artwork, production and mixing for both groups.

Biography

Linkin Park

Shinoda's band brought in second vocalist Chester Bennington, replacing Mark Wakefield. From the onset, Shinoda was closely involved in the technical aspects of the band's recordings, and over the subsequent releases that role continued to expand. Shinoda, with guitarist Brad Delson, engineered and produced the band's Hybrid Theory EP, and performed similar roles in the recording of the Hybrid Theory album. Mike executively organized and oversaw the band's remix album Reanimation (2002), contributing his own production remixes that he made in his home studio for "Crawling" and "Pushing Me Away." In his spare time, he produced and performed on a song by The X-Ecutioners entitled "It's Goin' Down".

Fort Minor

Mike Shinoda released the album "The Rising Tied" in 2005, under the name "Fort Minor. He personally did all the mixing, synthesizing, and programming, as well as putting in his own emotional sentiments on his life and relationships with his friends and family. The album peaked at fifty-one on the Billboard 200, and became platinum in June 21, 2018. Shinoda also released a single named "Welcome" in 2015, as a return to Fort Minor. Some praised the album for it's fresh take on the hip-hop style, while others criticized the Shinoda's voice work and mixing that appeared on the album.

Personal life

Mike Shinoda was born in Agoura Hills, located in Los Angeles in February 11, 1977. During high school, he met Brad Delson, and the both of them formed the band Xero, with Rob Bourdon as their drummer. Shinoda enrolled at Pasadena's Art Center College of Design to study graphic design and illustration, and graduated and became a graphics designer. Joe Hahn was also introduced to the band after forming a friendship with Shinoda. Mark Wakefield was replaced by Chester Bennington as the lead vocalist after auditions, and the band was renamed Linkin Park in 1999.

Mike Shinoda has been married to Anna (Hillinger) Shinoda since May 2003. They have a son named Otis Akio Shinoda. Anna is now a children's author. The song Where'd You Go, according to Shinoda, was dedicated to his wife, Anna. The couple currently resides in Agoura Hills, California. In 2004 he found his way on an episode of Punk'd in which a fire hydrant was placed next to his car during a pretend fire. He has also revealed that he has asthma.

Shinoda wears eye contacts, as he wears glasses.

He also released an album EP entitled "Post Traumatic", and made several music videos for "Crossing A Line", "Over Again", "Ghosts", "Running From My Shadow", and "World's On Fire". He collaborated with other artists for a few songs, like grandson and Machine Gun Kelly. The album was released in 2018.

Trivia

• Mike received the nickname "The Glue" by someone in the band who said that he “held everything together.” Other nicknames include Spike Minoda and Cobra Holda.
• He has played PRS, Ibanez, Fender, and Gibson guitars.
• He scored the MTV VMAs in 2005. Lil’ Jon also contributed, but they did not collaborate–their tracks were separate.
• He was an honorary parade marshal in Los Angeles Nisei Week, 2005.
• He was awarded the Japanese American National Museum’s Award of Excellence in 2006.
• Brad and Mike wrote and assembled the song and performance for their one-time-only mashup of “Numb / Encore / Yesterday” on stage at the Grammys (2006) with Jay-Z and Paul McCartney, which was an homage to Danger Mouse’s “Grey Album.” They also won “Best Rap Sung Collaboration” the same night. As they walked up to the podium, Jay motioned for Mike to give the acceptance speech, which he did. We think Jay wanted him to accept because he had assembled, produced, and mixed all the mashups on Collision Course.
• In 2009, Mike received an Honorary Doctorate Of Humane Letters (H.D.L) from Art Center College Of Design. That's why his name at the top of the page his: Michael Kenji “Mike” Shinoda, H.D.L.
• EWP honored him with a Visionary Award and dinner in 2010.
• His father is Japanese while his mother is Russian. He has a younger brother named Jason. He studied graphic design and illustration at the private school Art Center School in Pasadena, California.

External links

• Linkin Park's official website
• Fort Minor's official website
• Mike Shinoda's official website
• Anna Shinoda's official website