New Orleans native David Augustine, aka Dee-1, didn't start rapping until he was enrolled at Louisiana State University, but he proved to be a quick study. He released his first two mixtapes during the mid-2000s. The year he graduated from LSU and began teaching mathematics at a middle school, he released his third mixtape. In 2009, the same year he opted to stop teaching and focus on music, he self-released David & Goliath, his proper debut album, throughout which he maintained his down to earth underdog approach. Several additional mixtape releases followed, and his profile continually grew; 2012's The Focus Tape alone featured collaborations with Killer Mike, Mannie Fresh, and Juvenile. The year it was released, he made an appearance on HBO's Treme (season three, episode nine). Augustine signed to RCA Inspiration and released an EP, 3's Up, in 2015. ~ Andy Kellman