As the fall semester comes to an end, graduating Florida A&M University rattlers begin to make the transition from student to almuna. For music industry major, Dominic Green, the skills he honed at FAMU, have already begun to bloom opportunities of success.
Green recently scored his first major placement as a producer on the song “Devil in my Bedroom” by Louisiana rap artist Lil Boosie and blues singer Big Pokey. The Jacksonville native credits his rigorous and rewarding four years as member of The Marching 100 for teaching him valuable skills on and off the field.
“It teaches you expectations because everybody is held to a higher standard because of the legacy,” Green explained. “So at the end of the day, you’re a piece of that legacy, creating a new legacy. So it taught me how to always be prepared for the unexpected, how to stay on top of your game and it taught me a lot in general how to be a better person.”
Green began playing alto saxophone in high school after a class assignment connected him to a fellow classmate who introduced him to the band director. Though he admits to being slow to take marching band serious, he soon became a dedicated member eventually winning Most Improved and the Band Director’s award
When first arriving to FAMU, Green revealed he initially did not want to be a member of The Marching 100 but knew the scholarship would help alleviate the costs of college. As a member, Greene was able to experience the excitement of performing at events such as the Florida Classic and football games. These moments are just a few of what Greene says are his favorite memories while at FAMU.
“Honestly my favorite FAMU moment was my freshman year, fall semester and I got a 4.0. [G.P.A.]. I waited three days before I even told my mama,” Green recalled. “That just goes to show that my freshman year I was able to do band, did all the stuff that was required and got a 4.0. So I thought that was really huge.”
Physical therapy major Anthony Baker and Greene met their first year at FAMU and have been good friends since then Baker said he is proud to see his friend graduate and thrive in his passion.
“It pretty feels good because a lot of people don’t get the chance to graduate,” Baker revealed. ”He takes his beats and music very serious.”
One skill Green learned from the School of Music which will always stick with him is the “ Transfer to Learning “ technique. This technique teaches students whatever they learn can easily be applied to the next thing. Greene says he applies this technique in all aspects of his producing from phrasing, melody and developing rhythm patterns.
Close friend Jazzman Jackson and Greene go to clubs to study what type of music the crowd enjoys which helps him become more innovative when making beats. She said she always knew that Greene was headed for success.
“When he first started making beats I was like ‘This sounds good I could hear this on the radio’,” recalled. “I believe in him… I knew it from the beginning.”
The same talent and drive was also seen by artist ToneTheGoat who reached out to Green this past summer to make a beat for Lil Boosie’s latest project “Boosie’s Blues Cafe”.
Green sent in two beats he said Lil Boosie originally did not like. Months later, Green woke up to a large number of notifications on his cellphone congratulating him on his work. To his surprise, one of the two beats he sent eventually became “Devil in my Bedroom.”
After the project released on Thanksgiving Day Green began to take notice of the attention the song began to attract.
“If you have an Iphone and you notice that there is star located next to the song in Apple Music, that means that’s the song that is being placed the most”, Green explained. “So I waited a few more days and I noticed my song had a star. My first major placement, my first ever blues beat I made and I got a star.”
Though Green described leaving the Marching 100 behind as “bittersweet” he says he is more than ready to take on life after graduation. In the future, Green hopes to work with more artists and produce music that will stand the test of of time.
Green revealed some of his final goals are to take care of his mother, go see the Seattle Seahawks play in the Superbowl and teach other producers. If the next chapter of his life is anything like the one he is about to close, Greene is sure to make his mark in the world.