If you walked passed him on the street, you’d probably never know he was an international star. That’s how unassuming Beck is – yet beneath the regular guy exterior is a depth of creativity that would make most people turn green with envy.

Whether creativity is an inherited trait or not, Beck certainly came from a talented family: his father a conductor; his mother an actress; and his grandfather an artist. Raised in Los Angeles, Beck didn’t gel with high school and dropped out his sophomore year. Instead, he hit the streets, performing slam poetry and folk music for passers-by.

Beck got his big break in 1991 when he was offered the opportunity to lay down tracks for the Bong Load label. It wasn’t until the following year, however, that Beck would land the recording contract, with BMG, that would put the unconventional singer on the path to stardom. He released his first single, “MTV Makes Me Want Smoke Crack,” in 1993 which was quickly followed by his album, “Golden Feelings.” His debut album was released only in cassette format.

“Loser,” his 1993 single, became a huge hit, winning constant airplay and winning legions of fans from the indie crowd. The result of the single’s success was every major label wanted to sign Beck. Beck chose Geffen Records, largely due to the fact that he would be allowed to record indie music with independent labels.

Beck’s debut album with Geffen Records, “Mellow Gold,” hit stores in 1994, going gold soon thereafter. In a brilliant marketing move, Geffen simultaneously re-released the single “Loser.” The following year he hit the road with the wildly popular summer tour Lollapalooza.

But, it was Beck’s sophomore offering, “Odelay,” in 1997 that garnered him plenty of critical acclaim, and sold more than two million copies. “Odelay” also spawned a series of hit singles, including “Where It’s At,” “The New Pollution,” and “Devil’s Haircut.”

That same year, Beck won two Grammys; Best Male Rock Vocal and Best Alternative Music Performance for “Odelay.”

Beck followed with “Mutations” in 1998, which became a Top 20 hit like its two predecessors. By this point, Beck was a bona fide star, and securing Beck concert tickets was a challenge.

Beck would go on to deepen his mark on the music industry with such albums as “Midnite Vultures” (1999), “Maximum Beck” (2000), “Sea Change” (2002), and his latest “Guero” in 2005.