Inglewood Mayor James Butts (Courtesy photo)

The rain and cold weather could not stop the annual “1500 Or Nothin’ Day” from taking place Sunday, January 15. The yearly event is a celebratory occasion for the acclaimed music academy – 1500 Sound Academy, based in Inglewood, California.

The private celebration took place at the 1500 Sound Academy & Volume Studios and included a speech from Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, live performances, special guests, and a tour of 1500 Academy’s companion facility, the new Volume Studios, located adjacent to the academy.

The event included food provided by Trap Kitchen, K Michelle’s Kitchen Catering, and drinks from SelvaRey and Ciroc. DJ sounds were provided by DJ Battlecat with performances from Kalan FrFr, Blxst, Eric Bellinger, Saweetie, Ty Dolla $ign, Terrace Martin, BJ The Chicago Kid, Kurupt, Buddy, D Smoke, and more.

From left are James Fauntleroy, Rance “Larrance” Dopson and Twila True, the co-founders of 1500 Sound Academy. (Courtesy photo)

1500 Sound Academy is bringing a community of artists together to learn, network, and provides them with the necessary tools to be successful in the music industry. Special guests took the stage to acknowledge all what 1500 Sound Academy does for the community and their students, including Mayor Butts.

Post speech, Butts told the press that from the time he was seven years old, he wanted to be one of two things. He wanted to be a corporate attorney, because it was 1960 and he had saw on the news that a corporate attorney made $360,000 a year, and also to become a Los Angeles Laker.

“It was one of those or nothing – that was my goal,” Butts continued. “But I found out that when you pursue excellence, whatever you are doing, and all the jobs I had along the way and school that you are prepared for your destiny, and every student that comes here (1500 Sound Academy) is not going to become exactly what they thought they wanted to become, but when they’re in an environment of excellence, it prepares them for their destiny.”

Saweetie performs at the celebration. (Courtesy photo)

He is also a music lover who is “multifaceted” and likes to listen to Big Sean, Whitney Houston, gospel music, and “Return of the Mack.”

The music academy, founded by Grammy Award winning producers/songwriters/artists James Fauntleroy and Larrance “Rance” Dopson, and CEO/co-founder of True Family Enterprises, Twila True, is for aspiring musicians, producers, writers, music executives. James hails from Inglewood and has worked with artists such as Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, J.Cole, Vince Staples, Rihanna, Beyonce, and more. He has won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song” in 2014 and 2018.

Larrance has worked with the likes of Ella Mai, having wrote her hit single, “Boo’d Up” which won a Grammy award for “Best R&B Song” in 2019. He has also worked with Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Roddy Rich, and more.

Ty Dolla $ign takes the stage. (Courtesy photo)

Twila is a business woman who has owned, operated, and invested in multi-million dollar companies in beauty, entertainment, fashion, fine jewelry, and real estate.

The academy offers both in person and online courses including music production, songwriting, mixing, engineering, music business, and artist branding. Guest lecturers have graced the academy to speak with students including Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Master P, Snoop Dogg, and many more.

For more information on 1500 Sound Academy, visit: https://www.1500soundacademy.com/

Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1500soundacademy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/1500sound

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1500SoundAcademy/