Jesty Beatz

Published October 18, 2007

Although Darrel Greene, more commonly known as the rapper Jesty Beatz, has performed with the likes of The Game, Mike Jones, Paul Wall and Kelis, he has never forgotten his Ohio roots.

A former interactive multimedia major who graduated in 2006 from Ohio University, Jesty Beatz enjoyed his four years of college.

“When I got into drawing and saw I was actually good at it, I was going to be content sitting behind a computer doing art (as my job),” Jesty Beatz said. “I learned so much at school. The most valuable thing I learned here is time management ... I had to learn to multitask … I can’t tell you what I learned in Philosophy 130 but I knew I had to study Philosophy 130 and play a show, and all that … four years here was the greatest experience to date.”

Although Jesty Beatz was doing well in his classes, he was always creating beats. During his sophomore year, Jesty Beatz created Blockrunnaz Records and worked with some unlikely collaborators.

“The Internet is the great equalizer,” Jesty Beatz said. “This guy from Germany started making beats and asked to be a part of what I was doing and we started producing songs together (via the Internet).”

Friends and teachers at OU also saw Jesty Beatz’s passion for music and supported it. His Visual Communications professors encouraged him to combine his love of art and music by suggesting he make CD covers or his own Web site. But when music came knocking, art took a backseat.

“I got the opportunity to perform in Mexico for spring break with some bigger artists,” Jesty Beatz said. “Once I figured out my music was able to translate outside of here, I refused to stop.”

He has not stopped. With several tours and three albums under his belt, Jesty Beatz is currently on an Ohio college tour, with sold-out stops at Ohio State University and Marietta College. He also promises great things with his new album, Deal Or No Deal 2.

“Instead of expressing change (as some artists do), I want to be the change,” Jesty Beatz said. “We’re meshing genres together and building upon a sweet hotness (in the studio). From start to finish it’s going to be an experience.”