Lo Down and Duddy, are a major part of Southern Hip Hop who rarely get the credit they deserve.
Lodown and Duddy Album cover: Between the Hedges
The duo met in middle school, performing in local talent shows. After repeated collaborations as a part of Notorious South, Lo Down (aka Carlos Jones) and Duddy (aka Kenric Richardson) decided to partner up. Their first album, Between the Hedges, was recorded at Elixir studio in downtown Athens. Their second album, GA Mobbin’, was a massive success.
During the early 2000’s, Lo Down & Duddy formed a solid crew in the form of Underground Sounds, where they created a network of musicians, writers, and producers. While Lo was in college, Duddy linked up with Bubba Sparxxx at a local radio station. Sparxxx was offered a record deal, and Lo Down & Duddy credit their relationship with Bubba as the catalyst that got things moving. Ironically, the duo ended up hitting the radio before Sparxxx when they were played on a popular Savannah station.
The two rappers worked perfectly together, with Duddy making the beats and Lo Down focusing on the arrangement and the lyrics. These two trailblazing pioneers laid the foundation for the Athens hip hop community.