Bama Boyz - History

History

Eddie, Jesse, and Jonathan all grew up in Montgomery, Alabama in the same neighborhood of Woodley Park. Jesse and Eddie both played in the percussion section of the symphonic band at Baldwin Jr. High School. Jonathan and Eddie both played in the percussion section of the marching band at Sidney Lanier High School. Even though the trio knew each other from the neighborhood, band, and school, they never created music as a trio until the summer of 2000. By fall 2001, Eddie, Jesse, and Jonathan were all attending Alabama A&M University where they became known for throwing parties on and off campus, creating funny television commercials to advertise their parties, and creating a popular school song and dance.

In 2003, music mogul, Mathew Knowles, pioneer of the Grammy Award–winning, Multi-platinum group Destiny's Child, offered the Bama Boyz a deal immediately after personally witnessing the trio in action in the studio. This opportunity came about when Mathew accepted an invitation to be the keynote speaker and judge for a leadership seminar and talent showcase created and hosted by Eddie, Jesse, and Jonathan at Alabama A&M University. Highly impressed by the trio’s professionalism and marketing tactics, Mathew invited the boys to do an internship that summer at his company, Music World Entertainment in Houston, TX.

When the trio arrived in Houston, they learned that the internship was non-paid. Accustomed to the consistent money of their weekly club hustle at Alabama A&M, it didn’t take long for the trio’s instinct to kick in. In exactly three weeks of living in Houston and studying the nightlife, the Bama Boyz begin supporting their expenses of rent, food, and other necessities by creating, promoting, and operating a successful teen night at a local club. While interning at Mathew’s company, the trio jacked Beyoncé's A cappella for her then current single Crazy in Love and produced an entirely new beat under her vocals. At that time, Mathew didn’t even know that the Bama Boyz produced music. So one day after a label staff meeting, Eddie and Jesse followed Mathew into his office, put their "Crazy in Love Remix" in his stereo and turned the volume up and hit play. Shocked by the boys boldness but impressed by their remix, Mathew told them that they can begin using the Music World studio anytime they want. After personally observing their work in the studio for a few days, Mathew invited the Bama Boyz to his boat on Clear Lake Shores, Texas and that’s where he offered them a production deal.