Harvey Mason Jr.

Harvey Mason Jr. is an esteemed record producer, songwriter, and CEO of the Recording Academy®, recognized for his contributions to the music industry across various genres and platforms. Born into a musical family -- his father, Harvey Mason Sr., is a legendary jazz drummer -- Mason inherited a deep passion for music, which he has channeled into an impressive career as a creative force behind some of the biggest hits in pop, R&B, and film music. Over the years, he has collaborated with a range of artists, from Beyoncé and Whitney Houston to Justin Timberlake and Aretha Franklin, establishing a versatile and influential legacy.

A graduate of the University of Arizona, where he was also a college basketball player, Mason transitioned quickly into the music industry, where he began to produce and write for renowned artists. Beyond his work with individual musicians, he has become a sought-after producer in the film and television industry, lending his talents to soundtracks for blockbuster movies such as "Dreamgirls," "Pitch Perfect," and "Straight Outta Compton," to name a few. He also produced and executive-produced his first feature film project, the Lebron James movie “More Than a Game." Most recently, Mason produced the highly regarded biopic “Respect” starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin.

In 2021, Mason took on the role of CEO of the Recording Academy®, becoming the first Black CEO of the organization in its 64-year history. He has led a transformation of the Academy that has diversified its membership; revised rules and processes to make the GRAMMY Awards® more transparent, inclusive, and reflective of a wide variety of musical genres; enlarged its role as a service organization for music creators — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic; and restructured the organization to position it for global growth and diversification.

Mason has received the Spirit of Excellence Award from the T.J. Martell Foundation for his philanthropic efforts. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater and serves on the NAACP Advisory Council; he also sits on the boards of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, the Chargers Impact Fund, and Ureeka. Mason also invests his time and resources into several impactful organizations, including Ronald McDonald House, the American Cancer Society, and Los Angeles Children's Hospital.