Written by | Ray Cornelius
I’ve often said, “There is never a dull moment in the ATL” and Wednesday night was the perfect example of that fact. I had the pleasure of attending a listening session with rising musical trio, WatchTheDuck (WTD). The informal meet and greet titled, “Don’t Watch” took place at the group’s FreedomVille Studios in East Atlanta and was attended by a number of music enthusiasts and tastemakers.
During the three-hour mixer, Eddie Smith III, Jesse Rankins, and Jonathan Wells played unreleased tracks from their forthcoming project and shared behind-the-scenes stories from each song. Known for their cutting edge, innovative and eclectic sound & style, these three guys from Montgomery, Alabama have been making quite a buzz on the music scene as DJs and producers. They have also worked with such industry superstars as Destiny’s Child, Solange, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7.
Remember Beyoncé’s No. 1 dance song, “Why Don’t you Love Me” from the I Am…Sasha Fierce album? Well, these guys produced that hit record and a whole list more.
WatchTheDuck’s Eddie, Jonathan and Jesse/Photo Credit: Megan Alodie for RayCornelius.com
WatchTheDuck has also created music for film and television projects including Bring It On: All or Nothing, The Pink Panther, Last Holiday and Ride Along. Most recently, they have been getting praise from hip-hop luminaries Pharrell Williams, Russell Simmons, and Diddy. The group is currently collaborating with the ‘King of the South,’ T.I., on his next album and have already recorded a single featuring the rapper titled, “Girlfriend.”
Look out for their new mixed tape, “Don’t Watch Me” which drops today!