Bike in Shawnee Park 2019

On June 3, 2016, the world lost a legend — Muhammad Ali — but Louisville, Kentucky lost one of its own. Though he passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, he was brought home to be laid to rest in the city that raised him. I live just four streets over from Ali’s childhood home in Louisville’s West End. When his funeral motorcade came through the neighborhood in June 2016, it passed just three blocks from my house. I was there filming as The Champ made his final ride through the same streets where he once ran, trained, and dreamed. This moment is personal for my family. My grandmother grew up playing with Muhammad Ali when they were young. My uncle also grew up as friends with him right here in this neighborhood. That’s how close his roots are to this community. Ali wasn’t just a world champion boxer — he was a symbol of pride, strength, faith, and courage for Louisville, especially the West End. His funeral procession traveled through the city before he was laid to rest at Cave Hill Cemetery, and thousands lined the streets to honor him. To be from the same place as Muhammad Ali is an honor. Louisville will always remember him. Kentucky will always honor him. And the West End will always claim The Champ. “The Greatest” may be gone, but his legacy lives forever in the city he called home. 👊🥊

In 2009, I created this family tree video not knowing it would change my life. I remember the day I made this. It was emotional. It was exciting. It was powerful. Seeing the names, the faces, the generations before me — it reminded me where I come from and who I represent. This video was the beginning of my journey into video editing. I didn’t realize at the time that pressing record, arranging photos, and telling my family’s story would lead me to the work I love doing today. But it did. Watching this again reminds me how far I’ve come… and how far my family has come as a generation. The struggles, the growth, the legacy — it’s all connected. This isn’t just a video. It’s history. It’s legacy. It’s love. Grateful I started. Grateful I remembered. Grateful for the roots that built me. If you still have your old projects, go back and watch them. You might just rediscover your purpose.

🎵 It Breaks Me Down (2002 Remaster) – Playa | Remastered by Faderz Up Production “It Breaks Me Down” is an unreleased 2002 recording from Louisville, Kentucky’s own R&B group Playa. This record was created during a powerful era — when real R&B storytelling, harmonies, and emotion were at its peak. I was blessed to be around during that time, recording, writing, and learning the industry firsthand. Some of these records were shared with me personally, and I’ve carried them for over two decades. Tonight, I’m releasing this remastered version with nothing but respect and love for the legacy. This is not about credit. This is not about spotlight. This is about preservation. Using Solid State Logic SSL 360 Console and high-end mastering tools, I carefully restored this 2002 recording to give it clarity while keeping the original soul intact. Louisville music history deserves to be heard. Real R&B deserves to live forever. This one means something to me. – Faderz Up Production

"Meet Me Halfway" is a previously unheard recording from the unreleased Playa sessions originally recorded around 2002. Lead vocals by Digital Black with additional vocals by Static Major and Smoke E. Digglera. The original session was engineered by Dino Johnson at The Music Grinder Studios in Los Angeles, California. After being preserved for many years on CD, this recording was digitized, restored, and remastered by Faderz Up Production using modern audio processing to bring the record to contemporary sound quality. This release is part of the Lost Playa Sessions — rare recordings from the era that have never been publicly released until now. Credits: Lead Vocal – Digital Black Vocals – Static Major & Smoke Digglera Original Engineer – Dino Original Recording Studio – The Music Grinder (Los Angeles) Restoration & Remastering – Faderz Up Production #Playa #StaticMajor #DigitalBlack #LostPlayaSessions #RNBCla #smokedigglera #faderzup #meetmehalfway

You Gotta Let It Go – Playa (2002 Unreleased Session • Restored 2026) This record is part of the Lost Playa Sessions, originally recorded in Los Angeles around 2002 with Playa. Lead Vocals by Static Major, Digital Black, and Smokey Digglera. Recording sessions took place across multiple studios in Los Angeles, including Music Grinder Studio, Encore Studio, and Burbank Studios, where the final mix was completed. Recording Engineer: Dino Johnson Production: Smokey Digglera Restoration & Remastering: Toi Real McCoy (Faderz Up Production) – 2026 This song was preserved from an original CD personally given to Toi Real McCoy by Static Major at the end of recording sessions in Los Angeles. The recording remained unheard for over two decades before being carefully restored and remastered. This release is presented for historical and archival purposes to preserve the music and legacy of the artists involved. All original composition, songwriting, and publishing rights remain the property of their respective owners. No claim of ownership is made over the original compositions or recordings. © 2002 Original Recording Owners Restoration © 2026 Toi Real McCoy (Faderz Up Production)

First Game of the Season – Highland Middle School Flag Football 🏈 Date: 03/24/2006 Location: J-Town High School What an amazing way to kick off the season! Highland Middle School faced off against Barret Middle School in their very first flag football game, and the energy was incredible from start to finish. The stadium was packed with proud parents and supporters, especially for it being the first game. Both teams came ready to play, making big plays and showing great teamwork all across the field. It was exciting to watch the kids have so much fun, compete hard, and support each other. You could really feel the passion and effort from everyone involved. Overall, a great game and a great experience for all the players. Looking forward to seeing how the season unfolds! #FlagFootball #MiddleSchoolSports #GameDay #YouthSports #ProudMoments

**“If I Could Tell You 1000 Times” ** (Unreleased 2000 Session – Remastered by Faderz Up Productions) This one right here is personal. This song was written by Smoky — my brother, my mentor, somebody who really changed my life. Back in the day, we created a lot together. He brought me out to LA, opened doors for me, and showed me the game in a way nobody else did. Because of him, I met people, built relationships, and found my path in music. We don’t talk like we used to, but that don’t change what he means to me. Real ones know — some bonds never break, no matter what happens. Smoky wrote this record, built the beat, and put his heart into it. This was recorded at Sound Castle Studio and later mixed at Burbank Studios — both major studios in California where a lot of great music has been created. Big shout out to Dino Johnson, the engineer and mixer, for making this track sound crisp and bringing it all together. Shout out to Static Major and Digital Black for holding down the background vocals and helping bring the record together during that time — but this one right here is Smoky’s story. **I just want to say this publicly: ** I appreciate you, bro. I’ll always be grateful for what you did for me. You gave me opportunities I never would’ve had otherwise. You helped shape who I am in this music. Rest in peace to my brother Gino — if it wasn’t for him, none of this connection would’ve ever happened. We started this journey playing music together, and that led me to Smoky. To everybody listening — run this one up. This ain’t just a song… this is legacy, loyalty, and real history. Faderz Up Productions 🎶