Producer Highlight: Sounwave - His Undeniable Talent Has Earned Him Grammy Nominations and Recognition

Meet the talented person behind Kendrick Lamar’s hits like “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”, “Not Like Us” and “All the Stars” featuring SZA.

Article Contributed by Monica Soriano

Sounwave is one of Kendrick Lamar’s biggest collaborators when it comes to the production side of things, his talent has grabbed the attention of fans and industry professionals worldwide. Born Mark Anthony Spears, Sounwave had a strong interest in music at an early age and was discovered by Terrance “Punch” Henderson at just 13 years old. It seems as though his path to obtain his current success was unwavering. He graduated high school in 2005 and by 2009 he was already working with Kendrick Lamar and Flo Rida. 

Sounwave and Kendrick Lamar’s Music Partnership

It appears almost impossible that two people from Compton who are deeply focused on music and close in age didn't cross paths earlier. That is exactly what happened with Sounwave and Kendrick Lamar, although they had seemingly paralleled paths in their youth, they didn’t meet until 2009. Their music partnership is longlasting from producing on Kendrick’s 2010 mixtape Overly Dedicated, his debut album Section.80 to his latest album GNX in 2025. Sounwave has produced some of the biggest Kendrick hits including “Not Like Us” and “Luther” featuring SZA, earning Grammy Awards for both.

Other Collaborators

Other artists Sounwave produced for include Beyonce, Kali Uchis, Doja Cat Chloe x Halle, Baby Keem and Schoolboy Q. In fact, “London Boy”, “Lavender Haze” and “Karma” by Taylor Swift were all produced by Mark Anthony Spears. It speaks volumes about Mark’s capabilities when he can produce both successful pop and hip hop songs. A project which he contributed to that was highly acclaimed and earned nominations at the Golden Globes, Academy Awards and Grammys Black Panther: The Album. This project included the highly popular track “All the Stars” by Kendrick feat. SZA.

Producing & Beyond

In 2019 Sounwave, Jack Antonoff and Sam Dew came together to create the musical group Red Hearse. Combining their insane songwriting and producing abilities created a wonderful pop project that charms our ears with soothing harmonies and innovative sounds. Although the group hasn’t released a project since their first and only album self-titled Red Hearse, it is a delight to have that moment to look back on.

While Sounwave has accumulated many nominations and won many Grammy awards, we would like to highlight his nomination for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical in the 68th Annual Grammy Awards that recently passed. This specific award truly celebrates solely the producers and their work in the industry. Congratulations to Sounwave on his continuous success and impact within the music industry.