Mike Will Made It Bio
Michael Len Williams II, known professionally as Mike Will Made It (often stylized as Mike WiLL Made-It) or simply Mike Will, is an American record producer and songwriter. Born on 23 March 1989 in Marietta, Georgia, he rose to prominence as one of the most influential trap producers of his generation, crafting beats for a wide range of Southern hip-hop and pop artists. His production credits include commercially successful singles for Rae Sremmurd, Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, and Kendrick Lamar, among many others.
Mike Will first gained recognition through his close working relationship with Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane, which opened doors to collaborations with Future, 2 Chainz, and the wider Atlanta hip-hop scene. He later transitioned from behind-the-scenes production to releasing his own projects, beginning with the single “23” in 2013. In the same year, he founded EarDrummer Records as an imprint of Interscope Records, solidifying his role as both a hitmaker and a label executive. He continues to produce, release music, and curate soundtracks for major films and sports broadcasts.
Early Life and Background
Michael Len Williams II was born on 23 March 1989 in Marietta, Georgia, the youngest of three children, with two older sisters. His father, Michael Williams Sr., was a former IBM executive who had also worked as a club DJ during the 1970s. His mother, Shirley Williams, was a former bank loan officer who had once sung in a gospel group backing Dottie Peoples. The musical atmosphere of his household was reinforced by family members, including an uncle who was an accomplished guitar player and an older sister who served as a drum major in the Olympics.
Growing up, Williams was an active athlete, participating in basketball, baseball, and football, and once dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. However, his life was equally shaped by a love of hip-hop music. He began developing his ear for production by replaying popular instrumentals he heard on the radio while he and his friends freestyled over them. He often cited the instrumental for “Still Fly” by Big Tymers, which he replayed on a Casio brand keyboard, and “Young’n (Holla Back)” by Fabolous, which he replayed on equipment at a local music store.
At the age of 14, Williams began creating his own beats on a Korg ES1 beat machine, which his father purchased for him as a Christmas gift from the local music retailer Mars Music. As his skills grew, he expanded his setup to include production equipment such as the Korg Triton, the Akai MPC1000, the Yamaha Motif, and the Roland Fantom. By the time he was 16, he was regularly visiting local recording studios in Atlanta, attempting to shop his beats to established artists. He was initially ignored, but eventually a beat tape reached Gucci Mane, who invited Williams to Patchwerk Recording Studios in Atlanta.
Path to Music Production
Williams’s big break came when one of his beat tapes made its way to Gucci Mane, who invited him to Patchwerk Recording Studios. Upon meeting, Gucci Mane freestyled over each instrumental on the CD Williams had brought and offered him $1,000 for one of the beats. The two began releasing music together, including the song “East Atlanta 6” and several tracks from Gucci Mane’s mixtape No Pad, No Pencil. This close working relationship introduced Williams to a wider network of Atlanta artists, including Future, Waka Flocka Flame, Rocko, and 2 Chainz.
In 2011, Williams released his first single, “Tupac Back,” performed by Meek Mill and Rick Ross, which appeared on the Maybach Music Group compilation album Self Made Vol. 1. The single peaked at No. 31 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. That same year, he produced several tracks for Atlanta rapper Future, including “Ain’t No Way Around It” and “Itchin,” as well as three songs from Future’s 2012 major-label debut Pluto: “Neva End,” “Truth Gonna Hurt You,” and the eventual single “Turn On the Lights,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
On 27 December 2011, Williams released his first mixtape, Est. in 1989 (Last of a Dying Breed), in partnership with LiveMixtapes.com, featuring contributions from Gucci Mane, Future, Waka Flocka Flame, Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Lil Boosie, Ludacris, and Lil Wayne. Following high school, he enrolled at Georgia State University to satisfy his parents’ wishes, but he eventually took a hiatus and dropped out after several semesters with a 3.1 GPA to focus on his music career full-time.
Mike Will Made It Career
Early Career (2011–2012)
Throughout 2011 and 2012, Williams rapidly built his reputation as a go-to producer in Atlanta and beyond. He worked extensively with 2 Chainz, producing “La La” (featuring Busta Rhymes) and “Got One,” and later produced the lead single “No Lie” (featuring Drake) from 2 Chainz’s 2012 debut album Based on a T.R.U. Story. “No Lie” debuted in the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100 and ultimately peaked at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, earning Gold certification from the RIAA.
In 2012, he produced the Juicy J single “Bandz a Make Her Dance” (featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz), which was named one of the 25 Best Songs of Summer 2012 by Complex magazine. He also co-produced the G.O.O.D. Music single “Mercy” alongside Kanye West, Mike Dean, Lifted, and Anthony Kilhoffer, which peaked at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other notable productions during this period included “Way Too Gone” for Young Jeezy, “Just a Sign” for B.o.B, and “Pour It Up” for Rihanna’s album Unapologetic. He also released the second and third installments of his mixtape series, Est. in 1989 Pt. 2 and Est. in 1989 2.5.
Breakthrough (2013–Present)
In 2013, Mike Will Made It executive produced Miley Cyrus’s fourth studio album Bangerz, including its lead single “We Can’t Stop,” producing eight tracks on the project and later six tracks on Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. On September 9, 2013, he premiered his commercial debut single “23,” featuring Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J, and Miley Cyrus, and revealed he had signed with Interscope Records to release his debut album. The single peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
That same year, he founded EarDrummer Records as an imprint of Interscope Records, eventually signing acts such as Rae Sremmurd (whose name is “Ear Drummers” spelled backwards) and Two-9. In 2014, he released his fifth mixtape, Ransom, featuring Big Sean, Juicy J, 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, and Kendrick Lamar, followed by the 2017 release of his debut solo studio album, Ransom 2, which featured contributions from Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Pharrell, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Migos, and YG. The 2017 single “Rake It Up” with Yo Gotti (featuring Nicki Minaj) peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, he produced the soundtrack for the film Creed II, titled Creed II: The Album, and in 2023, he became the first-ever lead producer for ESPN’s Custom NBA Music Strategy, releasing the single “Different Breed” featuring Latto and Swae Lee.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among his most recognized works are “23” (2013), Ransom 2 (2017), and “Rake It Up” (2017). Mike Will’s productions have helped shape the sound of modern trap and pop crossover music, with credits spanning artists from Rae Sremmurd and Miley Cyrus to Rihanna and Beyoncé. His founding of EarDrummer Records further cemented his influence, providing a platform for emerging Southern hip-hop talent.
Mike Will Made It Award Nominations
Mike Will Made It has received recognition across the music industry throughout his career, including nominations and honors tied to his chart-topping productions and mixtape releases. Verified details of specific award nominations are limited in the available sources, so a full list of nominations is not provided here.
Mike Will Made It Awards Won
Mike Will Made It was named Producer of the Year by HipHopDX on December 18, 2013, an honor that recognized his breakout year producing hits for Miley Cyrus, Rae Sremmurd, and other major artists. This award remains one of the most prominent verified honors of his career.
Mike Will Made It Family
Michael Len Williams II was raised in Marietta, Georgia, by his parents Michael Williams Sr. and Shirley Williams. He is the youngest of three children and has two older sisters. His family had deep musical roots: his father worked as a club DJ in the 1970s, his mother sang in a gospel group, his uncle was an accomplished guitar player, and one of his sisters served as a drum major in the Olympics.
Personal Life
Mike Will Made It is known publicly for his career as a producer, songwriter, and label executive rather than for details of his personal relationships. Publicly verifiable information about partners or children is not available in the reviewed sources.