Mike Shinoda – Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards/Piano

Born on February 11, 1977 Michael Kenji Shinoda is one of the best musicians born on American soil. A part of the celebrated band Linkin Park and Fort Minor, Shinoda's claim to fame was an interesting and amazing journey. Mike Shinoda is more than just a performer, from producing to mixing and graphic designing - his versatility speaks for his talent.

A brief of his early life

Shinoda's encounter with music began early in his middle school days, when he went to the concert featuring Public Enemy and Anthrax. His interest grew and he started taking lessons in piano, studied techniques of classical pianist, after which he moved on to hip hop and jazz. Also during these periods of his grooming he learned guitar and finally rap-style vocals.

While in his early teens Mike Shinoda received a boost in his friend Brad Delson, with whom he used to write as well as record songs within a temporary studio arranged in his bedroom. A percussion practitioner Rob Bourdon joined their musical ventures, by the end of his high school. Soon the trinity formed a band named Xero, and with this Shinoda started a serious life in music industry.

Just when Shinoda was in his final year of studies (1999), their band known as Hybrid Theory found a second vocalist Chester Bennington and with this change Shinoda and his bandmates finally renamed themselves to "Lincoln Park". Now this group received grew increasingly in popularity and made a record contract.

With the fall of 2000 Lincoln Park released is record-breaking album Hybrid Theory. Shinoda himself designed the cover of album long before it had found its way high into the charts, and propelling Linkin Park to the heights of most popular exponents of the rap-metal cross genre.

His productions

Some of the most admired tracks produced by Mike Shinoda are:

• Lupe Fiasco - The Instrumental (off the album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor)
• Styles of beyond - Marco Polo (off the album 2000 Fold)
• Styles of Beyond - Several tracks from the upcoming album Rocket Surgery

Apart from producing several praised albums like Reanimation, Hybrid Theory EP, Collision Course, and recently the Minutes to Midnight for Linkin Park, Mike Shinoda also produced tracks of albums by Lupe Fiasco and Styles of Beyond.