North Carolina-based writer, producer, and recording artist. Co-founder and former Communications/Creative Coordinator of UNC Legacy Productions. Overall culture-head with global influences. Telling stories about self-discovery and making a positive impact along the way.
In 2020, Donnie Dre started as a producer name and YouTube channel to post my beats. It was my way of developing my media production skills during the pandemic since my introductory film and audiovisual classes became virtual for the semester. Denied valuable in-person experience and hands-on time with equipment, I started with a loop-based beat-making app on my phone and edited footage I'd been collecting to use as my video backgrounds.
I became a fan of another UNC student in my class that made music - you know him as taekmin. In the fall of 2022, he reached out to me and was interested in making a music production club/collective at the university. That fall, four of us spent every week working on the idea. That following spring, Legacy Productions became official and we met a host of new connections, peers, and collaborators that became family.
That final semester in 2023, I decided to step into a new realm and embrace the skill I had been known for my whole life, writing. I had never written a song, but I had been collecting concepts and random bars that came to mind since high school. Luckily, my suitemate and 'brother from another' had too - you know him as JJ Cedar. We agreed to make a project together, and in the process I dropped my first single "Light of Mine."
For years, I aspired to be involved in the creation of meaningful stories and works. Music industry experience was one of those pathways I sought out, but I never intended on becoming an artist along the way.
But hey, I'm here! So while I keep learning and building my media production career, I'll keep making music for the people I love. If something of mine resonates with anyone else out there that happens to hear it, that's all that matters to me.
With that said, thank you for being part of the journey. Let's see where it takes us!
UNC Legacy Productions
Expression. Community. Legacy.
Striving to create a community that is welcoming to all music lovers no matter how much experience one has.
Creating a space where students feel welcome to express their ideas through reaffirming yet critical support from other students.
Enabling students to continue music production in their future careers and providing the resources and support from former students and professors to strive and grow.