Meet Alexis Tucker

Hi Alexis, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My name is Alexis Tucker and I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. Affectionately known as Ratchet City. Once I graduated from college at the University of New Orleans, I had to think… What’s next? ! I’m a firm believer in Christ so I turned to Him for the answer. He told me clear as day “Go home.” After laughing at the thought for a few days I came to Him again to make sure he was serious hahaha. For those who don’t know I graduated with a degree in Music Production and there aren’t many jobs or careers right out of school…period! Let alone in Shreveport. So, I challenged what He said (even though I don’t recommend doing that). And told Him “Okay, if I come back home, I have to have an amazing job. I don’t want any ‘rinky dink’ jobs. And it has to be in my field.” I kid you not, the next day I got a call from a news station in Shreveport, just 4 days before graduation. I had applied for the job in November and forgot about it and wasn’t really qualified for it anyway. Honestly just a shot in the dark for a broke college student. But I had no idea how divine it would be. The promotions manager told me he had a position. We talked for about an hour and he told me he could tell I would be perfect and he wanted to move me up in the company as soon as he could. I told him that I was about to graduate on Dec 12th and he told me that my first day would be Dec 18th. And my starting position would be running audio and cameras for the evening news. I ran back to God in tears because it dawned on me that even with this job, I had work to do and it would start in my hometown.

So how was it in New Orleans? Why didn’t You stay after school?
Being in New Orleans was such an eye-opener but the locals would not let me forget where I came from. They would constantly comment on my country slur and colloquialisms that resonated with my love for my hometown. Towards the end of the school year, I remember someone saying in a conversation “That’s that Ratchet City shi*” The phrase stuck with me so much that all of my senior projects had some sort of ties to Shreveport and its culture. After graduation and working at the news station for a week the phrase still wouldn’t leave me alone. Then I heard a voice telling me “Throw a festival and name it Ratchet City Fest.” Once again, I laughed at the idea and tried to tuck it away. As the details became more clear, I again questioned God to see if this was the purpose he laid out for me. He replied and said, “Give me 3 years”. And if you know what I know, WHEN GOD SAYS MOVE YOU BETTER MOVE! I was super lost and I can remember literally Googling “How to throw a festival ” hahaha. I asked Jesus for guidance and he showed me the scripture Habakkuk 2:2-3 which basically says to write the vision and make it plain so that you can run with it, and even though it may linger, wait for it because it will surely come. “Write. Run. Wait.” I lived by this and planned the festival out on paper and slowly watched it come alive. The Ratchet City Fest was to be a music festival that gave a platform to the artists and businesses of Shreveport, Louisiana, and would be held every first Saturday in August. There was no place in Shreveport that gave artists this chance. There was absolutely no platform for upcoming businesses and ESPECIALLY NOT FOR UPCOMING ARTIST AND DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE BLACK ONES AT THAT.

That’s so pivotal for your area. So what was the first Ratchet City Fest like? Any struggles getting it started?
We had at least 50 people sign up to perform for free the first year. I wanted so badly to receive the city government’s support. Unfortunately, a lot was done to try to sabotage the festival’s first year. I had to move it to a neighboring town (30 mins away) at the last minute because of the hateful conditions multiple city officials caused, I had to change the date, I was out of EXTRA money that I didn’t have, and they made things so hard for me. Even with these things we still had an amazing time and it made me want to learn more so that I would never be at the mercy of others again. For year 2 we were able to have the festival in Downtown Shreveport on private property right next to the infamous KoKoPellis, an extremely popular nightclub in Shreveport. The festival had grown and its notoriety was as well. In year two I had another city official call me with her “concerns” about the festival. She said that the name “Ratchet” incited danger and that people would get killed at my festival. I told her that “this is a God-given festival” she responded with “He won’t be able to save you when the shooting starts.” The day of the second annual festival the same woman had sent police horses and devised a written plan to arrest me (yes, I have actual proof and witnesses). They sent a lieutenant from an entirely different side of town and said we had to turn the music off because of the profanity. Keep in mind we had paid officers there already. They told me it was “against the law to play cursing music in public” Thankfully I had my “stuff” together. The artist’s music was clean, I had gotten a sound permit from the city engineer, and the officers there also told them that they had no grounds to arrest me. Even though I was ready to go down for their claims I couldn’t believe I was going through so much just to bring a change to the city. But I realized, I had even more of a reason to prove myself, the festival, and defend the vision that I truly believe God had given me. My main goal was to help the artists of Shreveport. To share the knowledge, I learned about the music business and to give the Black Community a chance to display their art in a place that had no space for them to do so. And to reach my community I knew I couldn’t do it with a name like “The Happy Safe Hip Hop Fest”. My festival was constantly judged by its name and not the mission. We never promoted violence, we never had any violent act at the festival (to this day), and so at year three we decided to change the name…slightly. The new name would be The Ratchet City Music Fest.

So, remember when God told me to give him 3 years? Well, year 3 landed in 2020. Yupp… the year from hell. We already began promoting in March and thought we would be in the clear by August. And thankfully… we kind of was, we got clearance from local law enforcement, state fire marshals, and more and the festival was a go! It was the only festival or event held in Shreveport that year and it sold out. By now I was still working at the news station and had been promoted twice. I was the producer of my own show and I was able to REALLY give a platform to everyone in the Black Community. In July of 2020 when I finally decided to speak out against that city official (because of a scandal she was involved in) I was fired for my remarks against her (she had good friends at the station). I was hurt because with help from God and under my production the show had grown to the fastest-selling and number one show on air locally. And with all the hard work, I had put into the show for almost 2 years and I felt like I let so many up-and-coming businesses and artists down. But I took it as my sign that for year 4 God just wanted me to focus completely on the festival.

So the 4th year just passed in 2021, how was it? Any different from the first 3?
The 4th year was the most successful the festival has ever been. We had 30 local businesses as vendors and 25 artists performed. Most of the past artists had gone on to be way more successful regionally. Snagging more shows and the best part is that the artists from here were WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN. I was able to share with them about how much God loves them and some of them to this day tell me how much they needed that. One of the artists recently met with Jermaine Dupree for a meeting about their possible future in the music business. We have helped over 200 artists and about 100 businesses. We partnered with a local tutoring service (Markevea’s Learning Center) and we have given away more that 500 free backpacks and back-to-school items to Kindergarten – Senior students this year alone! And the best part about this year is that the Mayor of Shreveport declared the first Saturday of every August Ratchet City Music Fest Day. I know that year 5 will be one of the greatest yet. The number 5, Biblically, stands for God’s grace and His favor. I can’t wait to see how he will move through me and how he will continue to bless Ratchet City and all its inhabitants. Sometimes I sit and think about what would’ve happened had I never listened to His voice, had I never tried, had I never simply… went back home.

Wow. Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
MC Circle Productions is the parent company to Ratchet City Music Fest. We also manage artists that we have met through the festival. We specialize in proven artist growth and marketing thanks to our sister company “The Promo Pack”. We are most proud of our festival, how we are able to minister to artists who may be lost about Christ and the music business, and how we are growing as a regionally known name. We are set apart from other company’s because we actually care about reviving our city without using outside forces but with the people who live in it!

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
+ I’m only 25 years old!

+ I’m a DJ and I started DJing when I was only 16 and started working at the radio station

+ We were the only large event held in Shreveport in 2020.

+ I say “we” sound professional but it’s just me and Jesus running this festival. But he did bless me with a sister that helps with social media and posting! (Love you Tiff! @pineapplerich) My whole family helps the day of and with other errands (Love you Mommy, Daddy, daddy Tony, Grandma Je, Anthonia, Roderick, Megan, Karanda) Without them I would be lost because I don’t really have a large permanent team, but I hope that changes soon! But I definitely appreciate who I have in my corner now!

So if we want to come or paritcipate in the festival what’s the pricing:

• We keep our admission low with tickets being only $10

• Artist Fee to perform a 10 min set is only $50
• Merch, Art, and Food Vendor Fees are $150

Where can we find you guys?

• Email: ratchetcitymusicfest@gmail.com
• Website: ratchetcitymusicfest.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ratchetcitymusicfest/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RatchetCityMusicFest
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ratchetcityfest