Joe G Brings On ‘Felicia’

Don’t call Joe Gauthreaux merely a DJ and remixing dynamo anymore. He has now added record mogul to his name with the launch of his own music label, Prop D Recordings, and its first single, “Bye Felicia.” “Bye Felicia,” an expression of dismissal that was first heard in the motion picture “Friday” and brought back by Nene Leakes on the Bravo TV show “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” is a throwback to ‘90S house.  The song features vocals by Mitch Amtr@ck, an artist best known for his recordings with late house music great Peter Rauhofer. the just-released music video features NYC tranny hostess Erica Gabriel and model Steven Gant.

Bye Felicia Le Film is more than a music video.  It’s like a short film.
Joe Gauthreaux:
It has kind of morphed into that because of Merritt Chase and his amazing direction.

The video tackles some powerful topics.
I hope it will make people think twice before labeling others or trying to put certain people who look different into a box. Who knows?  There may be some struggling transgendered teen who watches the video and realizes there is a life out there for him or her. It’s a positive story about a beautiful girl, played by Erica, who gets the boy of her dreams, played by Steven. Sometimes you have to put a stereotype in front of people to break it once and for all.

Erica and Steven are pretty fierce in the video.
And they’re really, really cute together!

Let’s talk about Prop D.  This is a big step for you, Joe.
I have pretty much stopped remixing songs I don’t care about and have now started to make my own music that I do care about.

Are you modeling yourself after DJs like Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Avicii?
No, I’m honestly just trying to be myself.   I mean, these DJs are amazing at what they do. They are great songwriters and artists too, and that is what sets them apart. We’re living in an era where being a DJ is not really as big a deal as it used to be. Anybody can download software and learn how to mix beats. The true artistry comes from what DJs bring to the table.

Is your heart in making new beats or spinning them at clubs?
Both. I love making music, but I also love watching people dance to sounds I play. Nothing beats that feeling of knowing when to play the right record, saving it up all night, positioning it just right into your set and watching the crowd explode. When it happens the right way, it’s kinda awesome.

You are presenting a new dance party in San Francisco in November. What’s the concept?
It will be an LED visual show, coordinated to my music. I’m really excited about it.

Will you bring the party to NYC?
Maybe. It’s kinda like Broadway. You wanna have a test run somewhere else before you bring it to New York.

What’s next for Prop D Recordings?
I have two new projects coming up. One is with Tony Moran featuring Michelle Weeks called “Let’s Find A Place.” My next single, though, will be “All This Time” featuring Jared Bradford. I’m excited to share because Jared and I wrote it about our ex-boyfriends.

Ohh, drama!

“Bye Felicia” from Prop D Recordings is available on iTunes and all major online retailers now. Joe spins Viva Saturday, August 23. Visit djjoeg.com.