While scrolling through my old MySpace accounts, I came across some very inspirational photos.  The picture above was taken in my parents’ recording studio.  This was how my music career went from being just a hobby to a profession.  The other two guys with me are my brother, Boogie, and one of my best friends, Big Zoe.  Together we were known as the Savage Squad.  Now remember, all of this took place before the digital recording boom in 2007, when everyone became a recording artist.  We were pioneers in our area, and we were still teenagers.

In November 2005, we released our first all original CD, “The Fame”.  Our goal was to become famous.  We got our CD on iTunes, which was unheard of at the time for independent artists, but thanks to CDbaby.com, they made the dream come true.  We sold out of our “Limited Edition” CDs in 1 week.  We were  destined for FAME.  Not long after “The Fame” was released, tragedy struck.  The hard drive with all of our songs on it decided to stop working and we lost everything we were working on for the 2nd album.  I believe everything happens for a reason, and I guess where we were headed with our music was not the right direction.  We took a break and started from scratch.  My brother and I  also decided to start a legit record label with a music guy from Ohio, and we called it Lake Dauterive Records.  Savage Squad member Big Zoe was the first artist to sign with us, and for 1.5 years we worked on his debut album “My Journal”.

Big Zoe had skills, but he didn’t have a hit song.  My job was to deliver a beat that would become a hit song for him.  I remember the pressure to make it happen.  Everyone was counting on Zoe and I to make a song that would take over the club and make us famous.  In March 2007, I was in the studio by myself working on the production for Zoe’s album and then it happened.  I came up with the catchy riff for what would become Big Zoe’s song “Gangsta Walk”.  On June 3rd, 2007, DJ Dolby D broke “Gangsta Walk” on Hot 107.9!!  We had a listening party for “My Journal” and DJ Dolby D came to the show after he left the radio station.  I remember taking a break during the show and we were back stage listening to “Gangsta Walk” on the radio.  It was surreal, and I think we all shed a few tears.  A few days later, Cupid agreed to join the song.  Cupid was currently rising on the Billboard top 100 for his song “Cupid Shuffle”.  “Gangsta Walk” became its own monster, and that’s how I made a name for myself with all this music stuff “I’m the guy who made the Gangsta Walk beat.”

 

 

 

In 2008 while attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (better known as the University of Louisiana), I switched from majoring in electrical engineering to Business Marketing.  When I switched I received a new advisor, Dr. Geoffrey Stewart.  Dr. Stewart became more than an advisor, but a friend and mentor as well.  I told him about my music dreams, and he suggested I create a song about our football team to promote the homecoming game.  The idea was to bring in the biggest crowd Cajun Field has ever seen.  Not only did I jump on the idea, but the radio stations jumped on the song!!!  The song was titled “UL Give Them Hell”.  I remember I was on top of my parents’ house laying shingles when my buddy called me and told me to put it on 94.5 KSMB that my song was playing.  Bobby Novosad brought it all together, and I am forever grateful.  It was the first time I had a song of my own on the radio.  Motivation to become someone in the music industry to say the least.  I’ll touch more on this incredible moment in future posts.

With all the hype around myself and Lake Dauterive Records, Savage Squad decided to make a come back in 2009.  We started by switching to LDR to avoid conflict with rapper, Webbie’s brand.  This was also the year I graduated college.  When I finished my last class (Dr. Stewart just so happened to be my teacher), I decided to stop doing music and quit Lake Dauterive Records to focus on something more stable… a 9 to 5.  LDR’s album “night life” was never released.  We still have 8 songs that have never been published.

2015 marks 10 years since Savage Squad “The Fame” was released.  The CD that started everything.  I am please to announce that we will be back in the studio and working on finishing our album.  We will have the old songs from 2009 along with new tracks we haven’t even started on yet!  Sign up to our blog to get the latest on our progress!