Faculty

---

Mark Batson is a classically trained pianist, award-winning music producer and visionary composer whose contributions have helped sell over 130 million albums worldwide across pop, hip hop, R&B, rock, jazz and classical music. His work has shaped the sound of some of the most influential artists in modern music, including Eminem, Beyoncé, Nas, Alicia Keys, Anthony Hamilton and Dave Matthews Band, contributing to chart-topping, Grammy Award-winning projects. 

Born and raised in Brooklyn’s Bushwick Projects during the rise of hip hop, Batson’s musical journey began with classical piano training at home. He performed in a rap group alongside his brother, Scott, before transitioning to gospel music and playing in local bands. His talent earned him a scholarship as a jazz pianist for the Howard University Jazz Ensemble. During college, he also worked as a pianist for the Smithsonian Museum’s African American Culture department, leading an 18-piece repertory ensemble that honored jazz and blues legends. 

In the 1990s, Batson expanded his career as a keyboardist for hip hop legends Eric B & Rakim and later joined Caron Wheeler of Soul II Soul. His first recording deals came with his rap group Get Set V.O.P., followed by a jazz trio with his brother and renowned pianist Geri Allen, covering Jimi Hendrix’s works in a project funded by the Hendrix estate. 

The early 2000s marked a turning point when Pharrell inspired Batson to focus on music production. His first major production, India Arie’s Acoustic Soul, received seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, setting the stage for an illustrious production career. From there, Batson became a force behind multi-platinum, Grammy-winning albums and number one singles for a diverse roster of artists, including Seal, Alicia Keys, Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Dave Matthews Band, Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, LeAnn Rimes, Nas and Sting. 

In 2018, Batson’s production reached number one on iTunes in four different genres simultaneously— Eminem in rap, Teyana Taylor in R&B, Kandace Springs in jazz and Dave Matthews Band in rock. That same year, Dave Matthews Band’s Come Tomorrow featuring Batson’s songwriting and production debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 292,000 copies sold, marking the band’s seventh consecutive number one album and the biggest rock album debut in four years. 

Beyond music, Batson has made a significant impact in film and television. In 2018, he wrote and performed the main themes for the Oscar-winning film I, Tonya and HBO’s Golden Globe- winning series Sharp Objects. This led him to found his media company, One Unlimited Media, dedicated to creating graphic novels and expanding his passion for storytelling. 

In 2020, Batson produced, co-wrote and performed songs on Eminem’s Music to Be Murdered By, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Eminem the first artist with 10 consecutive number one albums. 

Today, Batson continues to push creative boundaries. He is reimagining the Bach Suites with Yo-Yo Ma, developing his graphic novel series LOADED with his team at One Unlimited Media, scoring the number one TV show in Black and Latin television, Power Force, and contributing to award- winning films such as American Hustle, King Richard and Dumb Money. Additionally, he released I Want to See You Shining, an affirmation rap album that became the first from the hip hop community to land at number one on the New Age charts. 

In 2025, Mark Batson composed the score for the HBO documentary Alabama Solution, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He is also producing albums for LeAnn Rimes and Anthony Hamilton and embarking on a multimedia cosmic divinity film project with Black Thought from the Roots. He is also developing an American Civil War opera with prominent film executives, titled Born American, and finalizing his anthology of short stories titled American Made Monsters. His songwriting for the Alicia Keys’ Tony Award winning play, Hell’s Kitchen, earned a Grammy Award for the best musical theater album at the 2025 Grammys. 

Demonstrating his commitment to innovation and community, Batson utilized advanced technology to create a hit song with Big Ocean, the first hearing-impaired K-pop group. He also scored the electoral documentary One Person, One Vote for PBS and actively fundraises for the AAKOMA Project, a charity addressing mental health issues among inner-city youth. To usher in the next generations, he dedicates one day a week to teaching the top songwriting class of the USC Thornton Popular Music Program. 

He stays busy and loves to create. 

A relentless innovator, he continues to inspire through music, film, literature and multimedia storytelling. In his own words: “When we become ONE, we become UNLIMITED.”

Career Highlights:

Batson worldwide album sales totals:

• Total sales (Physical & digital): 121,970,000
• Total streams (Batson’s songs, AEUs): 10,050,000
• Overall total (Sales & streams): 132,020,000