Dee-1 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dee-1
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Dee-1 performing at Jazz Fest
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| Birth name | David Arnold Augustine Jr. |
| Born | April 10, 1985 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2008–present |
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David Arnold Augustine Jr. (born April 10, 1985), known as Dee-1, is an American rapper, author, teacher, and activist. He is from New Orleans, Louisiana.
He became well-known in 2010 with his song "Jay, 50, and Weezy." This led him to sign a music deal with RCA Inspiration a few years later. In 2019, he decided to leave the label and work as an independent artist.
Dee-1 is also famous for his work in education and helping his community. In 2021, the governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, chose him to lead the Louisiana Council for the Success of Black Men and Boys. This council helps young Black men and boys succeed.
In 2022-2023, Dee-1 was a special fellow at Harvard University. In 2024, he started teaching his own class at Tufts University. The class is called "The Intersection of Hip Hop and Social Change."
Dee-1 has received many awards. These include an NAACP Power of Influence Award. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for hosting a show called The Manhattan Project in 2021.
Contents
Biography
Early life
Dee-1 grew up in New Orleans East. He went to Audubon Montessori School until 8th grade. He was a great basketball player at Ben Franklin High School. He was also homecoming king in his last year. He was raised in the Catholic faith.
Career
Early stages
Dee-1 started rapping while he was in college. He began performing for audiences at LSU. After finishing college in 2008, he taught middle school math in Baton Rouge. By the end of 2008, he had released three mixtapes. These were It's Only Tha Beginning, Still We Rise, and I Am Who I Am.
Dee-1 has been featured in big news outlets like CNN and Billboard. He also got attention from local newspapers and music magazines. After teaching for two years, he stopped in 2010 to focus on his music career.
Growing popularity
His first studio album, David & Goliath, came out on April 13, 2009. In August 2009, Dee-1 released a song for the Saints football team. It was called "Bring Em to the Dome."
Dee-1 has performed with many famous artists. These include Lil Wayne, Lupe Fiasco, Drake, and The Roots. In October 2010, he was named Artist of the Year at the NOLA Underground Hip Hop Awards.
Dee-1 became very famous in hip-hop after his song and music video "Jay, 50, & Weezy" came out in 2010. This song got national attention. People loved its storytelling and strong message.
In the same year, Dee-1 released his fourth mixtape, I Hope They Hear Me Vol. 1. This project was very popular. After a follow-up, Vol 1.5, he released I Hope They Hear Me Vol. 2. This mixtape included "Jay, 50 & Weezy." It also featured a song with Mannie Fresh called "The One That Got Away."
In 2011, Dee-1 went on tour with rappers like Killer Mike and Young Dro. He also toured with Macklemore in 2012. He became close friends with Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco while touring with him in 2013. Dee-1's unique style led him to perform at BET's 2014 Hip Hop Awards.
Dee-1's mixtape The Focus Tape (2012) kept his career going strong. It featured songs with Lecrae, Juvenile, and Yassin Bey. He also released songs with important messages like "You Stupid Fool" and "Shut Up And Grind."
Record deal
In 2013, Dee-1 signed with RCA Inspiration. He then released his first EP, 3s Up. An EP is like a mini-album. It had six songs and showed Dee-1's three main rules: "Be Real. Be Righteous. Be Relevant." This EP reached No. 9 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums in 2015.
"Against Us" was the first song from the EP, released in 2014. This song shared a powerful message about fighting against bad things in society. Dee-1 made a remix of "Against Us" in 2016. It featured Big K.R.I.T. and Lupe Fiasco.
Dee-1 talked about his faith and personal life on the radio show Sway's Universe with Sway Calloway. He spoke about the importance of improving his life and growing his faith. This interview inspired a song on 3s Up called "The Sway Interview." Another song from the EP, "I'm Not Perfect (I'm A Christian)," also shows how important his Christian faith is to him.
Dee-1 released "Sallie Mae Back" in 2016. This was an energetic song celebrating that he had paid off his student loans. He used some of the money he got from his record deal to pay them off. The song was praised by many news outlets like CNN and Time magazine. The Washington Post called it the "anthem of a generation." This song also led Dee-1 to appear on TV shows like The Real and ESPN's His & Hers.
Because of the song's success, ESPN asked Dee-1 to create a theme song for their website, The Undefeated. It was called "We Are The Undefeated." He also wrote lyrics for the "F.A.S.T. Song" for the American Heart Association. This song helps people learn about stroke awareness.
Dee-1 started his first nationwide tour in 2016. It was called The Slingshot David Mixtape Tour. This followed the release of The Slingshot David Mixtape in July that year. His first studio album with RCA, Slingshot David, came out on November 10, 2017. The album's main song, "Hood Villains," was chosen by Lupe Fiasco.
Independent artist
In 2019, Dee-1 announced that he had left RCA Records. He started his own independent music label called Mission Vission Music. He released his second studio album, God and Girls, under his new label. On April 30, 2020, Dee-1 released a solo project called Timeless. He then released a joint album with Murs on September 18, 2020. This album, He's the Christian, I'm the Rapper, had 11 songs.
In 2020, the NAACP honored Dee-1 with the "Power of Image" award. This was for his positive influence and for promoting good things in the community.
In 2021, he became the first rapper to be chosen by a governor for a statewide position. Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana appointed him to the Louisiana Council for the "Success of Black Men and Boys." He was also nominated for an Emmy Award in 2021 for hosting "The Manhattan Project." In September, Dee-1 released a song called "Shine On." It featured The Game and Des Monroe. The song talked about his journey from being an intern for The Game in college to now having him on his own song.
In 2022, Dee-1 released another studio album as an independent artist. It was called Finding Balance and came out on February 9. It reached #4 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap albums chart. Days before the album came out, a new nationwide tour was announced. It was called The Not Afraid Tour and started in March.
Activism in Hip Hop
Dee-1 created the Platinum Pledge. This pledge brings together people who promise not to create, support, or promote music with harmful lyrics.
Discography
Studio albums
- I Am Who I Am (2008)
- David and Goliath (2009)
- The Focus Tape (2012)
- Slingshot David: The Album (2017)
- God and Girls (2019)
- Timeless (2020)
- He's the Christian, I'm the Rapper (2020) (with Murs)
- Finding Balance (2022)
- God and Girls 2 (2022)
- UNO (2023)
- From the Hood to Harvard (2023)
- L.O.A.D.E.D (Life of a Disruptor Evolving Daily) (2024)
EPs
- 3's Up (2015)
Mixtapes
- It's Only Tha Beginning (2004)
- Still We Rise (2006)
- I Am Who I Am (2008)
- I Hope They Hear Me (2010)
- I Hope They Hear Me Vol. 1.5 (2010)
- I Hope They Hear Me Vol. 2 (2011)
- The Focus Tape (2012)
- Psalms of David (2013)
- Psalms of David Vol.2 (2013)
- Free Lunch And Sallie Mae (2014)
- Slingshot David (The Mixtape) (2016)
Singles
- 2010: "Jay, 50 & Weezy"
- 2010: "One Man Army"
- 2011: "It's My Turn"
- 2011: "Blue"
- 2011: "The One That Got Away" featuring Mannie Fresh
- 2011: "I'm On It" featuring Shamarr Allen
- 2011: "Uncle Tom"
- 2012: "SUAG"
- 2012: "You Stupid Fool"
- 2012: "Work" featuring Lecrae
- 2013: "Dear Mr. Christian" by Derek Minor featuring Dee-1 and Lecrae
- 2014: "Against Us"
- 2015: "Can't Ban Tha Hopeman"
- 2016: "Sallie Mae Back"
- 2016: "Against Us (Remix)" featuring Big K.R.I.T. and Lupe Fiasco
- 2020: "Corona Clap"
- 2022: "No Fear" with Mac
- 2023: "My Happy"
- 2023: "Lines Drawn"
Filmography
- Treme (2012)
- Maul Dogs (2015)
