Metro Boomin Bio
Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer, songwriter, and music executive. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1993, he is widely recognized for his dark, cinematic production style and is regarded as one of the most influential producers in contemporary hip-hop and trap music. He has built his reputation on a string of collaborations with major artists, including Future, 21 Savage, Migos, the Weeknd, and Kanye West.
Beyond his behind-the-board work, Metro Boomin has also thrived as a lead artist, with his studio albums and joint projects consistently debuting at the top of the Billboard 200. He founded his own label, Boominati Worldwide, in 2017 and continues to shape the sound of modern hip-hop through his production and executive roles.
Early Life and Background
Leland Tyler Wayne was born on September 16, 1993, in St. Louis, Missouri, to parents Lamont Wayne and Leslie Joanne Wayne. He grew up in the St. Louis area with four siblings and attended Parkway North High School. His mother played an important role in encouraging his musical interests from a young age.
Wayne first experimented with music in middle school, where he briefly played bass guitar in his school band. That early exposure shifted at age 13, when his mother bought him a laptop and a copy of the music production software FL Studio, then known as FruityLoops. Self-taught and driven, he began making beats daily, eventually producing five beats a day during high school. He initially considered rapping but soon committed fully to hip-hop production.
As a teenager, Wayne networked with more established rappers through social media platforms such as Twitter and began submitting beats for potential placements. His mother would often drive him for more than eight hours from St. Louis to Atlanta, Georgia, so he could collaborate with artists he met online, including the Bricksquad Monopoly rapper Tay Don, who introduced him to OJ da Juiceman and Gucci Mane.
Path to Music Production
Wayne launched his professional production career in 2009 at the age of 16, while still in high school. His earliest studio collaborations included work with OJ da Juiceman and Gucci Mane, before he met Atlanta-based rapper Future, who became one of his most frequent collaborators. Wayne and Future first worked together on the song “Hard,” which appeared on DJ Esco’s mixtape Welcome 2 Mollyworld in 2012.
After graduating from Parkway North High School, Wayne moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College, where he studied Business Management. He took a hiatus after one semester because balancing his rising production work with his coursework became difficult. Even while at Morehouse, he continued building his catalog, contributing to Future’s debut album Pluto in 2012 and the lead single “Karate Chop” from Future’s 2014 album Honest.
By 2013, Wayne had released his debut mixtape, 19 & Boomin, featuring artists such as Trinidad James, Gucci Mane, and Future. A year later, in 2014, he co-produced the iLoveMakonnen single “Tuesday,” which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and signaled his arrival as a major commercial force.
Metro Boomin Career
Early Career (2009–2015)
During his early years, Metro Boomin built a strong regional following through collaborations with Atlanta-based artists, including work on Future’s 2014 album Honest, where he produced the lead single “Karate Chop” and other tracks. In October 2014, he served as executive producer on Future’s Monster mixtape, which produced the breakout single “Fuck Up Some Commas.” These early credits helped him become one of the most trusted young producers in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene.
In 2015, he served as executive producer for Drake and Future’s collaborative mixtape What a Time to Be Alive, contributing to seven of its eleven tracks. By the end of 2015, Metro had established himself as a top-tier producer known for heavy basslines, rattling percussion, and dark, gothic melodies that defined a new wave of trap music.
Breakthrough (2016–2018)
The year 2016 marked Metro Boomin’s commercial breakthrough. He won Producer of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards and produced a remarkable run of hits, including “Jumpman” by Drake and Future, “Bad and Boujee” by Migos, “Low Life” by Future and the Weeknd, and “Father Stretch My Hands” by Kanye West. The single “Bad and Boujee” became his first number-one production, while the diamond-certified “Congratulations” by Post Malone, “Tunnel Vision” by Kodak Black, “Mask Off” by Future, and “Bank Account” by 21 Savage followed in quick succession.
In 2016, he also released the collaborative EP Savage Mode with 21 Savage. The following year, in 2017, he released the joint projects Perfect Timing with Nav, Without Warning with 21 Savage and Offset, and Double or Nothing with Big Sean. On November 2, 2018, he released his debut studio album, Not All Heroes Wear Capes, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured guest appearances from Gucci Mane, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Drake, and Young Thug, among others.
Continued Success (2019–2022)
From 2019 onward, Metro Boomin continued to dominate the charts. He co-produced The Weeknd’s number-one single “Heartless” and contributed to several tracks on the Weeknd’s album After Hours. In 2020, he and 21 Savage released Savage Mode II, which debuted atop the Billboard 200. He also co-produced Young Thug’s Business Is Business in 2023 and executive produced the soundtrack for the animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, released on June 2, 2023.
On December 2, 2022, Metro released his second studio album, Heroes & Villains, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album featured guest appearances from Future, the Weeknd, 21 Savage, Travis Scott, Chris Brown, John Legend, and the late Takeoff of Migos. Its lead single “Creepin’” peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
Notable Works and Milestones
Metro Boomin’s most celebrated works include Not All Heroes Wear Capes (2018), Heroes & Villains (2022), and his 2024 collaborative albums with Future, We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You, all of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. His producer tag, “If Young Metro don’t trust you, I’m gon’ shoot you,” performed by Future, became one of the most recognizable audio signatures in modern hip-hop. He also founded his own record label, Boominati Worldwide, in 2017 as an imprint of Republic Records.
Metro Boomin Award Nominations
Across his career, Metro Boomin has earned recognition from the BET Hip Hop Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Grammy Awards for his production work and his projects as a lead artist. His chart-topping albums and singles have placed him among the most nominated producers of his generation.
Metro Boomin Awards Won
Metro Boomin won Producer of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2016, capping a breakthrough year that included “Bad and Boujee,” “Jumpman,” and “Low Life.” His debut album Not All Heroes Wear Capes and his follow-up Heroes & Villains each debuted atop the Billboard 200, further cementing his standing as one of the most decorated producers in contemporary hip-hop.
Metro Boomin Family
Metro Boomin is the son of Lamont Wayne and Leslie Joanne Wayne. He grew up in St. Louis alongside four siblings. He has spoken publicly about the profound influence of his mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, who supported his early interest in music by purchasing his first laptop and production software and driving him to Atlanta for studio sessions as a teenager.
Personal Life
In June 2022, Metro Boomin’s mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, was killed in a murder-suicide involving her husband. Later that year, Wayne partnered with the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation to launch the “Single Moms Are Superheroes” initiative, which provides financial assistance and community resources for single mothers in the greater Metro Atlanta area. In December 2023, he received a key to the city of St. Louis from Mayor Tishaura Jones.