Danger Mouse was born Brian Burton to a school teacher and a social worker in New York in 1977.
When he was thirteen, Burton’s family moved to Stone Mountain, Georgia. He grew up being inspired by hip-hop and developing a passion for art. Burton attended the University of Georgia where he was introduced to the Athens indie rock scene, remixing songs by local artists such as Neutral Milk Hotel. Burton became a DJ at the university radio station, produced his own music as Pelican City, and began making mixes under the name Danger Mouse, named after a childhood-favorite cartoon. Danger Mouse performed in a mouse costume to overcome his stage fright and in 1998 won a talent contest, earning an opportunity to open for OutKast and Goodie Mob. There, he befriended the band’s singer, CeeLo Green. Since then, Danger Mouse has produced several award-winning albums and songs and collaborated with artists such as CeeLo Green, The Black Keys, Gorillaz, Adel, Beck, Nora Jones, and Jack White.