Mayer Hawthorne

Mayer Hawthorne is actually the nom de plume of Andrew Mayer Cohen. The Ann Arbor, Mich.-raised retro-soul lover man, producer and musician got his start on the indie-rap circuit as DJ Haircut. After finding modest success with his first two groups, Athletic Mic League and Now On, and landing a credit on Slum Village's Detroit Deli, Cohen began working on demos where he sang and played all the instruments. These reached the ears of influential producer and Stones Throw Records owner Peanut Butter Wolf, who marveled at how closely the tracks resembled early '70s soul. P.B. Wolf quickly brought Cohen out to Los Angeles. After Cohen adopted a pseudonym based on his "porn name" -- combining his middle name and the street where he grew up -- he released his debut solo single, 2008's "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out." The following year, Mayer Hawthorne issued A Strange Arrangement to positive reviews. Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, Ghostface Killah and The Roots were some of his avid fans. Snoop Dogg recruited the rising star for his More Malice project.