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1500 Sound Academy Is The Fututre Of Innovation In Music

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1500 Sound Academy Space 6

1500 Sound Academy has landed: two state of the art classrooms, equipped with a recording studio with mini stage, four sleek training rooms adorned with impressive cultural memorabilia, a lobby with futuristic design principles, and creative spaces provided by legendary brands Fender and Roland. Welcome to 1500 Sound Academy, LLC, a subsidiary of Volume Ventures- an independent multi-faceted entertainment company that provides comprehensive music & video production, publishing, and education services to aspiring and established recording artists, songwriters, musicians & music videographers.

1500 Sound Academy Space 1

If you guessed this immaculately arranged space to be an A-lister’s ultimate home studio, you would only be half correct. It is home to a vision of creating better, smarter music, and industry professionals. Larrance Dopson and James Fauntleroy II, the artist and producers behind it, alongside Orange County-based business incubator Twila True, have opened it to a new generation of artists (some as young as eight!), producers, engineers, and other creators determined to think far outside the textbook.

1500 Sound Academy Space

The Inglewood, CA-based 1500 Sound Academy, a private non-degree-granting institution, has been in operation since June 2019. For this groundbreaking institution, Dopson and Fauntleroy have curated an adept faculty of music industry veterans and top tier guest instructors—including colleagues Kendrick Lamar,  Sean “Diddy” Combs, Master P, Snoop Dogg, and Bruno Mars—to instruct courses in such areas as business management, music production, recording engineering and performance. These disciplines are woven together on the macro and micro levels through an ambitiously holistic approach to music industry education. This, in turn, has attracted some of the best sponsors to support those future careers, including Fender and Roland.

1500 Sound Academy Space 5

1500 Sound Academy goes above and beyond academic training and industry insight to provide students access to the minds behind some of the biggest chart-toppers in their music catalog, such as Drake’s record-breaking “In My Feelings” (10 weeks in Billboard’s ‘Hot 100’); Ella Mai’s Grammy award-winning ‘Best R&B song’ “Boo’d Up” (peaking at #5 on the ‘Hot 100″); and Roddy Rich’s “The Box,” which stayed at #1 for 10 weeks and in “Top 10” for 27 weeks. Other Volume Ventures luminaries stepping in include Justus West, whose most recent credits include Alicia Keys’ “Raise a Man,” John Legend’s “Always.” and Quintin Gullege, whose most recent credits include Ella Mai’s “Trip,” “Sauce,” “Close” and “Everything.”

“This endeavor stands apart from the other businesses I have grown in that most are based on finding audiences to support a consumer product,” True explains. “What 1500 Sound Academy produces, on the other hand, is not a tangible consumer product or service but a creative music movement product that transcends demographics by producing successful music industry professionals. Those who endure 1500 Sound Academy will always have their fingers on the pulse of what the public wants in its music and entertainment (and) have the business skills to create and maintain their successes in the industry.”

In early June 2020, Dopson and Fauntleroy announced the future rollout of Academy’s newest program in light of current world events: An online version of the school, fully licensed by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education of California. 1500 Sound Academy’s online program is designed as a synchronous (real-time) program that offers the same curriculum and benefits of its in-person program in an online/distance education format. In addition to guest lectures from the founders, enrollees will receive lectures and educational guidance from The Avila Brothers, who have worked with Usher, Janet Jackson, Mary J Blige, and Gwen Stefani.

Dopson affirms that their original goal was to create a “Xavier’s School for Gifted Children” (of X-Men fame) for the best young creators in the world.” In the distinctive, almost futuristic environment they created that in some ways is reminiscent of the films, their team would incorporate real-world requirements for success with necessary business training and artistic development.

“We are not only teaching them skills in making music but how one should negotiate business deals write hits, do media interviews, how you should manage artists, and how one can manage his or her career as I did. In other words, we are teaching students the secrets (people at our level) are not supposed to tell you and everything we learned the hard way back in the day. We teach them about critical thinking and the importance of knowing all the rules in order to break them.” says Dopson.

Fauntleroy, meanwhile, details that the non-traditional, real-world based structure of the 1500 Sound Academy’s workshops and courses allows students the opportunity to learn about the industry from a variety of perspectives regular instructors and guest speakers with quantifiable success in their music industry careers. Their experiences, successes, and even misfires can’t be properly captured in a textbook.

“The 1500 Sound Academy allows us to give back to the music community as well as the communities where we came from. Beyond technical and financial literacy, we want to pass along the importance of emotional intelligence and the value of having a broad range of information in a variety of different areas– all of the tools they will need to survive and thrive in the music business.” says Fauntleroy. For additional information and Academy curriculum please visit 1500 Sound Academy.

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Artist

Dee-1 Calls Raheem DeVaughn To “Purify My Eyes”

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Fresh off his Breakfast Club appearance after having “Lines Drawn” with help from Billboard and successfully migrating From The Hood To Harvard, NOLA native Dee-1 taps Soul singer/songwriter Raheem DeVaughn for “Purify My Eyes.” Continuing his theme of counter-culture centered messaging the timely track, which was produced by Anonymous, urges listeners to replace images of corruption and cynicism with lifegiving content to reprogram our thinking for the better.

“This is easily one the most important songs I have ever done because it provides Hip-Hop with a solution-based perspective meant to combat some of the problems we face as a culture. It’s honest, raw, and transparent. I’ve been friends with Raheem Devaughn for a long time, so to finally collaborate on a song feels great. When I played the record for him, he fell in love with it and instantly added his parts; which took the song to another level,” say’s the David Found His Slingshot author in a exclusive statement to Medium Creative Agency.

Award-winning rapper. educator, host, activist, business owner, and keynote speaker are synonymous with Louisiana’s Dee-1. The Nasir “Nas” Jones Hip Hop Fellow at Harvard University is a Billboard Top 10 charting, game-changing MC with a persona to match his penmanship. He’s transitioned from being a middle school math teacher in The Boot to a Hip-Hop heavyweight with much more to accomplish. He has released 10 albums and 21 projects thus far in his career.

Dee-1’s music is part of a bigger lifestyle movement called Mission Vision, which centers around three core principles: Be Real. Be Righteous. Be Relevant. In 2020, Dee received the prestigious NAACP “Power of Influence Award,” highlighting his community activism and commitment to inspiring the youth. In 2021, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on “The Manhattan Project,” but he lost to Michelle Obama. Later that year, Dee was appointed to the “Louisiana Council for the Success of Black Men and Boys” by Governor John Bel Edwards, making him the first rapper in Louisiana history to become a governor’s appointee.

After addressing critics and fans alike in the official music video for the Danny Beats-produced single for “Lines Drawn” and following his viral interview on Sway In The Morning centered around industry hypocrisy, Emmy-nominated educator turned entertainer Dee-1 released his latest project to date From The Hood To Harvard. The 8-track body of work includes guest features from Skyy Brooks as well as P3RK and is anchored by supporting records “Impostor Syndrome” & “Dr. Freshh.”

Stream “Purify My Eyes” on your DSP of choice below and watch Dee-1‘s interview with The Breakfast Club | HERE.

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Chelsea Pastel Releases Motivative New Single “Price Going Up”

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To celebrate “Greener” pastures, following the announcement of her joining Kid Cudi’s ‘Insano World Tour,’ Cleveland native Chelsea Pastel releases the Cassius G-produced single “Price Going Up.” Marking CP’s explosive entrance into 2024, the empowering anthem resonates with anybody pushing forward with resilience and determination. With infectious beats and powerful vocals, she asserts her presence as a rising star to watch. Setting the stage for an exciting year ahead, the brand-new track is a bold declaration of Chelsea’s unwavering commitment to excellence.

“I jumped off that porch, I’m not going back to that house and I mean just that. I’m never looking back. I took a leap of faith and where I land is where I’m staying,” says the talented triple threat in a press statement to Medium Creative Agency about her latest release.

Born and bred in Forest City, Chelsea found her passion for music early on, which led her to enroll in the Cleveland School of Arts. After graduating, Chelsea begin to make a name for herself throughout the Midwest and beyond. Her unique sonic style, catchy hooks, and lyrical prowess have earned her the title of Cleveland’s Next Up talent.

Apart from accolades, which include spotlight spots regionally on WKYC and Dirty Glove Bastard as well as national recognition on top-tier entertainment networks like BET, Chelsea is a self-taught instrumentalist who often handles her production, writing, and engineering. Her unique brand of ballads can be best classified as a fusion of Rap and Pop with a touch of Rock accented by old-school flavor.

Press play on “Price Going Up” on your DSP of choice below and watch the visual for “Greener” | HERE via Pastel Productions LLC / Vydia.

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Music

Chill Vibes and Sultry Melodies: Exploring iazY’s Latest Release “Pink Leaf”

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Hailing from the vibrant city of Irvine, the rising artist iazY is making waves with her latest single, “Pink Leaf,” released under her own label, iazY Music Ent. This track, produced by The Real Mapa and engineered by Troy “R8dio” Johnson, introduces listeners to iazY’s signature sound—a fusion of Urban pop rock melodies.

iazY shared her motivation behind crafting “Pink Leaf,” revealing, “I just had this vision of just a chill vibe, something for my ladies.” This intention shines through in the song’s laid-back groove and sultry lyrics, creating an irresistible atmosphere that invites listeners to unwind and groove along.

What sets “Pink Leaf” apart for iazY is not only its sound but also the emotions it evokes. She explains, “I think just how the song sounds and how it makes me feel. It just puts me in that ‘have fun chill’ vibe.” With its catchy hooks and lush production, “Pink Leaf” effortlessly captures iazY’s essence as an artist, marking a milestone in her musical journey.

As iazY continues to captivate audiences with her unique blend of genres and infectious energy, fans eagerly anticipate upcoming shows and releases. To stay updated on iazY’s latest endeavors, follow her on Instagram @iazyofficial and keep an ear out for future announcements from iazY Music Ent.

Visit iazyMusic.com

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