Mark Ronson on the Genius of Tyler, The Creator, Keys to Producing, and Club Life Before Phones

In 1992, a teenager in New York had an idea. Despite having joined a high school band, Mark Ronson quickly pivoted from the guitar to the turntable embraced his burgeoning love of hip-hop, determined to cut, scratch and curate his way to a career in music. Through the nineties and early two thousands, Ronson gigged relentlessly, earning headlining spots at many of the most exclusive clubs and parties of the era. In 2006, just as he found his voice as a producer, Ronson met singer Amy Winehouse and together the two would rack up Grammys and platinum plaques for her breakthrough album, ‘Back to Black.’ In the ensuing 20 years, Ronson has helmed the boards for some of the biggest pop singles in history, winning a clutch of additional Grammys and an Oscar for his work with the likes of Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga. In the fall of 2025 he penned “Night People,” a memoir of his time coming up as a DJ in nineties New York City. And it all started with one idea. 0:00 Intro 1:22 “Night People” + The Art of Finding Samples 3:20 DJing & First Influences 5:10 Early Missteps / Stealing Stretch Armstrong Mixes 6:55 Keys to Being a Good Producer 8:49 Most Important Idea 9:15 Working With Amy Winehouse 10:31 The Genius of Tyler, The Creator 11:16 Advice for New Artists 12:10 Music Industry Economics 13:39 Using AI in Music Today 16:01 “Uptown Funk” & Bruno Mars 17:15 What Makes Fresh Music Today 21:10 Club Life Before Phones ComplexCon returns to Las Vegas on October 25–26. Get your tickets now: https://cmplx.it/4jQZh05 #complex #markronson #ideageneration Subscribe to Complex on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Complex?sub_confirmation=1 Check out more of Complex here: http://www.complex.com http://instagram.com/complex https://www.tiktok.com/@complex https://twitter.com/Complex https://www.facebook.com/complex COMPLEX is a community of creators and curators, armed with the Internet, committed to surfacing and sharing the voices and conversations that define our new America. Our videos exemplify convergence culture, exploring topics that include music, sneakers, style, sports, and pop culture through original shows and Complex News segments. Featuring your favorite celebrities, authoritative commentary, and a unique voice, our videos make culture pop.