Underground favorite Dee-1 inks a deal with RCA

Underground star turned viral success story, rapper Dee-1 has inked a deal with RCA Inspiration, the label announced today. A New Orleans native, Dee-1 burst onto the national scene with the mix tape “I Hope They Hear Me Vol 2″, which featured the wildly popular single “Jay, 50, Weezy”. The record proved to be a viral juggernaut spawning a YouTube video that to-date has over 600,000 total views, spins on MTV Jams and radio airplay.

“Signing with RCA is a life-changing partnership that I’m excited to be a part of. I know we’re about to make history together so I’m motivated to work harder than ever. Coming from New Orleans, I realize that my success is bigger than me. It’s a symbol of hope for others who want to chase their dreams and make a difference in life. So I’m going to make sure that together we all win. #MissionVision,” said Dee-1.

A graduate of Louisiana State University, after college Dee-1 could not settle into a life of normalcy and ultimately left his position as a middle school teacher to pursue a full time career in music. The decision proved to be a smart one and before long the educator turned rapper – and aspiring role model – caught the attention of Grammy award winning producer Mannie Fresh, who hosted Dee-1′s “The Focus” mix tape released in 2012. That successful release was followed by the “Psalms of David” mix tape (2013) which brought Dee-1 to the attention of the label. The follow-up to that project, “Psalms of David II” will drop on November 19th and includes features from Master P, PJ Morton and more to be announced with production duties being handled by Mannie Fresh, KLC and C. Smith.

-Sha Be Allah(@kingPenStatus)