2X GRAMMY Award-Winning Producer · Since 1998
Real music
lives forever.
From a bedroom studio in the Bronx to Hollywood studios in L.A. Twenty-eight years of records that still play.
JAY-Z · DR. DRE · MARIAH CAREY
2XGRAMMY
2
American GRAMMY Awards
28
Years in the recording industry
1st
Garifuna to win 2 American GRAMMY Awards
1st
Producer to produce a hit single for Dr. Dre
The Catalog
Produced by Mahogany Beatz.
Albums, soundtracks and singles from Roc-A-Fella, Ruff Ryders, Shady/Aftermath, Def Jam and G-Unit.
Dubai
In the studio with Zoii
About
Imsomie “Mahogany Beatz” Leeper
Raised in the Bronx, Imsomie Leeper found his first stage on the basketball court, where he learned discipline, leadership and how to perform under pressure. He saved up for his first drum machine, found a mentor in Ski Beatz, and within eight weeks of getting his equipment he sold his first instrumental to Jay-Z.
That record opened the door to Roc-A-Fella, Ruff Ryders and, after a last-chance flight to Los Angeles, a session with Dr. Dre that produced “Bad Intentions.” Two American GRAMMY Awards followed, with Jay-Z and Mariah Carey, along with credits on 8 Mile, HBO’s Oz, The Wash and The Streets Is Watching.
Through publishing deals with EMI and Sony, his music moved into sync licensing for brands like Nike, Xbox and the NBA. He founded the Loops and Kicks Academy to show the next generation of producers how the business actually works.
Today he is an author, a father of four, and the founder of Mahogany Voice AI Inc. He holds degrees in Advertising Design and International Trade & Marketing of Luxury Goods from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.
The Book
The Art of Producing Royalty
How I produced hit songs for Jay-Z, Dr. Dre & Mariah Carey.
Sixteen chapters of the real story, from the first drum machine to the GRAMMY stage, plus the business lessons that took 28 years to learn: publishing, sync licensing, sampling and how to protect what you build.
Also by Imsomie Leeper
Stop Negotiating With Discipline
A 30-day reset for men over 40. Cut the noise, build structure and hold the line.
Garifuna Music Awards · 2017
Lifetime Achievement Award
Honored as the first Garifuna to win two American GRAMMY Awards, for Jay-Z’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life and Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi.
The Legacy
Twenty-eight years, record by record.
1998
The first placement
A drum machine, a mentor who answered the phone, and eight weeks later, an instrumental sold to Jay-Z. One of the first producers on Roc-A-Fella Records.
1999
GRAMMY No. 1
Jay-Z’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life wins the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album, with “It’s Alright” on the record.
2001
Working with the Wizard
A last $3,000 flight to L.A. leads straight to Dr. Dre. “Bad Intentions” becomes the lead single for The Wash, with Dre saying “Mahogany dropping the instrumental” on the outro.
2002
8 Mile
“Ole Cali” lands on the Shady/Aftermath special edition bonus disc of the 8 Mile soundtrack.
2006
GRAMMY No. 2
Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi, featuring “Sprung,” brings home the second American GRAMMY Award.
2017
Lifetime Achievement
Honored at the Garifuna Music Awards as the first Garifuna to win two American GRAMMY Awards.
2025
“When I Feel It,” cleared
Twenty years after the sample was denied, “When I Feel It” is released on the 20th anniversary edition of The Emancipation of Mimi.
2026
Author and founder
The Art of Producing Royalty and Stop Negotiating With Discipline are published, and Mahogany Voice AI Inc. takes the same ear for voice into technology.
Sync Licensing
Heard on Nike, Xbox & FOX.
Music licensed through Loops and Kicks for brands, games and television.
Nike
Nike Basketball
“Play Like LBJ” spot featuring LeBron James.
Xbox
V-Rally 4
Official trailer for the rally racing game.
FOX
The Four: Battle for Stardom
Music for FOX’s singing competition series.
The Store
Books, sounds and what’s next.
Bookstore
The Books
The Art of Producing Royalty and Stop Negotiating With Discipline.
Shop the books →
Loops and Kicks
Music & Licensing
Music licensing and the Loops and Kicks Academy for producers.
Visit Loops and Kicks →
Mahogany Voice AI Inc.
AI Employees
AI voice technology built by a GRAMMY-winning producer.
Meet Mahogany Voice AI Inc. →
Press
Latest News.
As told on VladTV · The Roc-A-Fella Era
Before Kanye.
Before Just Blaze.
“We didn’t really start with Kanye and Just. We started with another producer by the name of Mahogany… one of the first producers that we had.”
Roc-A-Fella A&R, on VladTV