View source for Sean Garrett

{{short description|American singer (born 1979)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Sean Garrett
| alias             = {{hlist|The Pen|The Bottle}}
| image             = 
| caption           = 
| birth_name        = Garrett Robin Hamler
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1979|3|30}}
| birth_place       = [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], U.S.
| genre             = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sean-garrett-mn0000131866|title=Sean Garrett Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
| discography       = [[Sean Garrett production discography]]
| occupation        = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
* record producer
}}
| years_active      = 2004–present
| label           = {{hlist|[[Atlantic Records]]|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]|[[Blackground_Records|Blackground Records 2.0]]|[[Interscope Records|Interscope]]|Bet I Penned It|Hey Young World}}
| website           = 
}}

'''Garrett Robin Hamler''' (born March 30, 1979),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-18 |title=Sean Garrett music, videos, stats, and photos |url=https://www.last.fm/music/Sean+Garrett |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=Last.fm |language=en}}</ref> known professionally as '''Sean Garrett''',{{efn|He is often referred as "The Pen" and less frequently "The Bottle" in his guest appearances.|group=note}} is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known his songwriting work on several mid-2000s [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] and [[hip-hop]] songs, beginning with [[Usher (musician)|Usher]]'s 2004 single "[[Yeah! (Usher song)|Yeah!]]". The song peaked atop the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], along with five other songs he co-wrote—"[[Goodies (song)|Goodies]]" for [[Ciara]] that same year; "[[Check on It]]" for [[Beyoncé]], "[[Run It!]]" for [[Chris Brown]] in 2005; "[[London Bridge (Fergie song)|London Bridge]]" for [[Fergie (musician)|Fergie]], and "[[Grillz]]" for [[Nelly]] in 2006. In addition, he has co-wrote 17 other singles that peaked atop the [[UK Singles]], US [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]], or [[Dance Club Songs]] charts.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://allhiphop.com/features/sean-garrett-talks-crafting-chart-topping-hits-verzuz-working-with-beyonce-summer-walker-more/ | title=Sean Garrett Talks Crafting Chart-Topping Hits, Verzuz, Working with Beyonce, Summer Walker & More | date=November 30, 2021 }}</ref> Garrett has been nominated for four [[Grammy Award]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/sean-garrett|title=Sean Garrett {{!}} Artist {{!}} www.grammy.com|date=November 19, 2019|publisher=[[Grammy Award]]}}</ref>

His other notable songwriting credits include Beyoncé's singles "[[Diva (Beyoncé song)|Diva]]", "[[Video Phone (song)|Video Phone]]", "[[Get Me Bodied]]", and "[[Upgrade U]]", as well as [[Destiny's Child]]'s "[[Soldier (Destiny's Child song)|Soldier]]", "[[Lose My Breath]]", and "[[Girl (Destiny's Child song)|Girl]]", [[The Pussycat Dolls]]' "[[Buttons (The Pussycat Dolls song)|Buttons]]", Chris Brown's "[[Wall to Wall (song)|Wall to Wall]]" and "[[Gimme That]]", and [[Summer Walker]]'s "[[No Love (Summer Walker and SZA song)|No Love]]". His songwriting is often in tandem with productions by [[Swizz Beatz]], [[Polow da Don]], or [[Bangladesh (record producer)|Bangladesh]].<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.complex.com/music/a/lauren-nostro/sean-garrett-25-essential-songs|title=Sean Garrett Tells It All: The Story Behind His Classic Hits|website=[[Complex Networks]] }}</ref>

As a recording artist himself, Garrett has guest performed on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-top 40 singles "[[What Them Girls Like]]" by [[Ludacris]] in 2008, "[[Break Up (song)|Break Up]]" by [[Mario (American singer)|Mario]] in 2009, and [[Nicki Minaj]]'s 2010 debut single "[[Massive Attack (song)|Massive Attack]]". His debut studio album, ''[[Turbo 919]]'' (2008), was released only in Japan by [[Interscope Records]]. His 2010 single, "[[Get It All]]" (featuring Nicki Minaj), and 2011 single, "[[Feel Love]]" (featuring [[Drake (musician)|Drake]] or [[J. Cole]]), were both included on his debut mixtape, ''[[The Inkwell (album)|The Inkwell]]'' (2011).

==Early life==
A [[military brat]], Garrett was born in [[Atlanta]], Georgia, but moved to [[Neuenbürg]], [[Germany]] at the age of five, where he lived until the age of 20. His mother worked for the [[United States Federal Government]], and died when he was young. While in Germany, he attended an international program for the [[University of Maryland, College Park]], from which he received an [[associate's degree]] in Business.<ref> https://rollingout.com/2016/08/03/sean-garrett-writes-music-that-sparks-emotions/</ref>

== Career ==
{{expand section|date=May 2025}}
His recording career began in his early teens, and he signed with [[Ariola|Ariola-BMG]] at the age of 14, but left the label without any releases. Prior to entering the music business, Garrett worked as a [[mortgage broker]] after moving back to the United States.<ref> https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/sean_garrett_on_getting_it_right</ref>

His debut studio album, ''[[Turbo 919]]'', was released June 21, 2008, on his Bet I Penned It Music imprint, through [[Interscope Records]]. Garrett's catchphrase, which is featured in multiple songs he has produced, is "Smash on the radio, bet I penned it".

Ludacris appeared on Garrett's debut single, "Grippin'". In return,{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} Garrett was featured on Ludacris's "[[What Them Girls Like]]", alongside [[Chris Brown]]. He also wrote and produced the song "[[I Did It for Love]]" for South Korean pop singer [[BoA]]'s [[BoA (album)|eponymous debut album]]. Garrett provides the song's background vocals and appears in the music video. In March 2010, Garrett released the first single from his mixtape ''[[The Inkwell (album)|The Inkwell]]'', "[[Get It All]]", which features [[Nicki Minaj]]. The lead single for Garrett's 2011 album previously titled ''Courtesy Of'', "[[Feel Love]]", was released on February 4, 2011 and featured [[J. Cole]]. In April 2011, he released the single "In da Box" featuring [[Rick Ross]].

In June 2025, Garrett discussed working on singer [[Aaliyah]]'s posthumous studio album, ''Unstoppable''; in May 2025, Aaliyah's single "[[Gone (Aaliyah & Tank song)|Gone]]", featuring [[Tank (American singer)|Tank]]", which Garrett co-produced alongside Azul Wynter, was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theblockcharlotte.com/3079512/sean-garrett-reflects-on-career-aaliyahs-project-and-new-music-at-bet-media-house/|title=Sean Garrett Reflects on Career, Aaliyah’s Project, and New Music at BET Media House|website=The Block Charlotte|date=June 8, 2025|access-date=August 1, 2025}}</ref> On the project, Garrett shared, "Growing up admiring Aaliyah, who is such an icon, has completely been an inspiration for all of us [...] I could not have been more blessed to have made a record with her and Tank. Amazing voices and talent."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://digital.abcaudio.com/news/aaliyahs-gone-her-legacy-lives-new-song|title=Aaliyah's 'Gone,' but her legacy lives on in new song|website=ABC Audio|date=July 31, 2025|access-date=August 1, 2025}}</ref>

== Discography ==
{{See also|Sean Garrett production discography}}
{{See also|Category:Albums produced by Sean Garrett}}

=== Studio albums ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of albums, with selected chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:23em;" | Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:2.2em;font-size:90%;" | [[Oricon|JPN]]
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Turbo 919]]''
|
* Released: August 28, 2008
* Label: Bet I Penned It, [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
* Format: CD, digital download
| 12
|}

=== Mixtapes ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of albums, with selected details
! scope="col" style="width:15em;"| Title
! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[The Inkwell (album)|The Inkwell]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.datpiff.com/Sean-Garrett-The-Inkwell-mixtape.146835.html |title=Sean Garrett – The Inkwell Hosted by Dj Green Lantern // Free Mixtape @ |publisher=Datpiff.com |date=August 24, 2010 |access-date=February 17, 2012}}</ref>
|
*Released: August 24, 2010<ref name="adventoutpost.com">{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828085554/http://adventoutpost.com/2010/08/sean-garrett-the-inkwell-mixtape/|date=August 28, 2010|title=Sean Garrett ‒ ''The Inkwell'' (Mixtape) {{!}} Advent Outpost}}</ref>
*Hosted by [[DJ Green Lantern]]
*Formats: Free download
*Label: Bet I Penned It, Interscope
|}

=== Singles ===

=== As lead artist ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]
|-
! scope="row"| "Grippin'"<br /><small>(featuring [[Ludacris]])</small>
| rowspan="2"| 2007
| 40
| rowspan="3"| ''Turbo 919''
|-
! scope="row"| "6 in the Morning"
| —
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Lay Up Under Me]]"
| 2008
| —
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Get It All]]"<br /><small>(featuring [[Nicki Minaj]])</small>
| 2010
| 83
| ''The Inkwell''
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Feel Love]]"<br /><small>(featuring [[J. Cole]])</small>
| rowspan="2"| 2011
| 49
| rowspan="6" {{Non-album singles}}
|-
! scope="row"| "In da Box"<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-da-box-feat-rick-ross-single/434712885|title=In da Box (feat. Rick Ross) - Single by Sean Garrett |website=[[iTunes Store]] |access-date=April 27, 2011}}</ref><br /><small>(featuring [[Rick Ross]])</small>
| 54
|-
! scope="row"| "Twilight Zone"<br /><small>(featuring [[Trey Songz]] and [[Future (rapper)|Future]])</small>
| rowspan="2"| 2013
| —
|-
! scope="row"|"Anytime"<br /><small>(featuring [[Migos]])</small>
| —
|-
! scope="row"|"Look on Your Face"<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/sean-garrett-lil-yachty-look-on-your-face-video-7695824/ | title=Sean Garrett Recruits Lil Yachty for Sultry 'Look on Your Face' Video: Exclusive Premiere | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] }}</ref><br><small>(featuring [[Lil Yachty]])</small>
| 2016
| —
|-
! scope="row"| "Baddie"<br /><small>(with [[Jacquees]])</small>
| 2024
| —
|-
| colspan="5" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

=== As featured artist ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| [[Hot Rap Tracks|US Rap]]
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| [[Hot Dance Club Play|US Dance]]
|-
! scope="row"| "[[What Them Girls Like]]"<br /><small>([[Ludacris]] featuring [[Chris Brown]] and Sean Garrett)</small>
| rowspan="2"| 2008
| 33 || 17 || 8 || —
| ''[[Theater of the Mind]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Away (Enrique Iglesias song)|Away]]"<br /><small>([[Enrique Iglesias]] featuring Sean Garrett)</small>
| — || — || — || 1
| ''[[Greatest Hits (Enrique Iglesias album)|Greatest Hits]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "[[I Did It for Love]]"<br /><small>([[BoA]] featuring Sean Garrett)</small>
| rowspan="2"| 2009
| — || — || — || 19
| ''[[BoA (album)|BoA]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Break Up (song)|Break Up]]"<br /><small>([[Mario (American singer)|Mario]] featuring [[Gucci Mane]] and Sean Garrett)</small>
| 14 || 2 || — || —
| ''[[D.N.A. (Mario album)|DNA]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Massive Attack (song)|Massive Attack]]"<br /><small>([[Nicki Minaj]] featuring Sean Garrett)</small>
| 2010
| 122 || 62 || — || —
| {{N/A|Non-album single}}
|-
| colspan="7" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

=== Other charted songs ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of songs, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:2em;"| Year
! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US<br />R&B]]
! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:85%;"| [[Hot Rap Songs|US<br />Rap]]
|-
!scope="row"| "Up in My Heart"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring [[Gucci Mane]])</span>
| 2009
| 102 || —
| {{N/A|Non-album single}}
|-
| colspan="5" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

=== Guest appearances ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
! scope="col" style="width:22em;"| Title
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Other artist(s)
! scope="col" | Album
|-
! scope="row"| "Street Light"
| rowspan="2"| 2008
| [[Plies (rapper)|Plies]]
| ''[[Da REAList]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "Rock You"
| [[Jesse McCartney]]
| ''[[Departure (Jesse McCartney album)|Departure]]''
|-
|}

=== Songwriting ===
*[[Usher (musician)|Usher]] –
** "[[Yeah! (Usher song)|Yeah!]]"
** "[[Papers (song)|Papers]]"
** “[[Glu (Usher song)|Glu]]”
*[[Ciara]] – "[[Goodies (song)|Goodies]]"
*[[Teairra Marí]] – "Make Her Feel Good"
*[[Mario (American singer)|Mario]] – "[[Break Up (song)|Break Up]]"
*[[Ludacris]] – "[[What Them Girls Like]]"
*[[Nicki Minaj]] – 
** "[[Massive Attack (song)|Massive Attack]]"
** "[[Get It All]]"
*[[Brandy Norwood|Brandy]] –
** "[[Put It Down (Brandy song)|Put It Down]]" feat. [[Chris Brown]]
** "[[Wildest Dreams (Brandy song)|Wildest Dreams]]"
*[[Enrique Iglesias]] – "[[Away (Enrique Iglesias song)|Away]]"
*[[Kelis]] – "[[Bossy (Kelis song)|Bossy]]"
*[[Trey Songz]] – "Does He Do It"
*[[Nelly]] –
** "[[Party People (Nelly song)|Party People]]"
** "[[Grillz]]"
*[[The Pussycat Dolls]] – "[[Buttons (The Pussycat Dolls song)|Buttons]]"
*[[3LW]] – "Ain't Enough"
*[[Britney Spears]] – "Toy Soldier"
*[[Lil Wayne]] – "[[Ice (Kelly Rowland song)|Ice]]"
*[[Miley Cyrus]]
**"SMS (Bangerz)"
**"Love Money Party"
*[[Jesse McCartney]] – "How Do You Sleep"
*[[Destiny's Child]]
**"[[Lose My Breath]]"
**"[[Soldier (Destiny's Child song)|Soldier]]"
**"[[Girl (Destiny's Child song)|Girl]]"
*[[Beyoncé]]
** "[[Ring the Alarm]]"
** "[[Get Me Bodied]]"
** "[[Upgrade U]]"
** "[[Check on It]]"
** "[[Lay Up Under Me]]"
** "[[Diva (Beyoncé song)|Diva]]"
** "[[Video Phone (song)|Video Phone]]"
*[[Kelly Rowland]] – "[[Like This (Kelly Rowland song)|Like This]]"
*[[Ricky Martin]] – "[[I Don't Care (Ricky Martin song)|I Don't Care]]"
*[[112 (band)|112]]
** "[[U Already Know]]"
** "If I Hit"
** "My Mistakes"
** "The Way"
** "Closing The Club"
** "Why Can't We Get Along"
*[[Nicole Scherzinger]] – "[[Whatever U Like]]"
*[[Gwen Stefani]] – "[[Now That You Got It]]"
*[[Santana (band)|Santana]] – "[[This Boy's Fire]]"
*[[Joe (singer)|Joe]] – "[[Where You At (Joe song)|Where You At]]"
*[[Austin Mahone]] – "[[Banga Banga (Austin Mahone song)|Banga Banga]]"
*[[Jacquees]] – "Come Get It"
*[[Megan Thee Stallion]] - "Roc Steady (feat. Flo Milli)"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sean "The Pen" Garrett is a songwriter |url=https://artists.spotify.com/songwriter/63D3afPG2dsmG7eLXGDr6c |access-date=2025-10-25 |website=artists.spotify.com}}</ref>

== Awards and nominations ==
*[[Soul Train Music Awards]]
**2009, Best Collaboration "Break Up" (nominated)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rap-up.com/2009/11/04/2009-soul-train-awards/|title=2009 Soul Train Awards|work=Rap-Up|date=November 4, 2009|access-date=March 30, 2020}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000131866|label=Sean Garrett}}
* {{Discogs artist | artist=209286-Sean-Garrett | name=Sean Garrett}}
* {{MusicBrainz artist | id=441cc2e9-f07c-4c31-a6dc-749d993012cc | name=Sean Garrett}}

{{Sean Garrett}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garrett, Sean}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African-American record producers]]
[[Category:Record producers from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni]]
[[Category:African-American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Atlanta]]