HBCUs are often purveyors of culture, and this is especially true in the social media era. For decades, musical artists have performed on HBCU campuses and found their selections embraced by students and alumni. If you hear a song being embraced by the Black community, you can be sure to hear that same song played on an HBCU campus, often with a unique dance or shuffle intertwined.
This year, several popular songs have permeated the culture and become staples at HBCU homecomings. Louisiana-based musical artist S. Dott enjoys the fortune of having two hit songs that are not only receiving immense love on social media platforms like TikTok but also on HBCU yards around the country.
His two singles, “Cowgirl Trailride” and “Slow Wind,” have generated over 400 million views on TikTok alone, and likely hundreds of millions more on other streaming platforms. Both songs invite audiences to dance to a smooth beat and catchy lyrics, a factor that has contributed immensely to their popularity. In an exclusive interview with HBCU Pulse, S. Dott spoke about the significant impact that HBCU support has had on the success of his music.
“I'm thankful. The biggest blessing is that HBCU and all colleges are keeping ‘Slow Wind' relevant. When I say ‘going,' I mean trending in the top 10. This is a song I released in 2018. That alone, Cowlgirl Trailride is doing what it's doing. Again, as I always say, just to have something that's still relevant after all these years—as relevant as “Slow Wine” is, bro—it's all a blessing, man. I appreciate everybody.”
The secret to the infectious style of both hits is S. Dott's undying support for Zydeco music. Zydeco is a specific genre of dance music that is a mixture of Louisiana French accordion music, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, blues, and Creole influences. The genre, which emerged from the Francophone Creole peoples of Louisiana, features unique instruments that emphasize the sound, such as the guitar, drums, frottoir (washboard), and accordion.
S. Dott considers his musical style “new-wave Zydeco,” which incorporates the traditional Zydeco sound with modern production.
“Sometimes I use the accordion, sometimes I don’t, but the foundation of the drumbeat is what Zydeco music typically relies on. Whether it’s a single beat, triple beat, or double beat, people familiar with music will understand what that means. That beat is the foundation of Zydeco music itself, along with added instruments—the main one being the accordion. Like I said, I may use it sometimes, or I might substitute it with keyboards. I was pretty much one of the first to rap on a lot of Zydeco songs, especially when performing solo without my band.”
He continued, “It’s just a new wave of things. A lot of the older generation sticks to what they believe in, which is fine, but the blessing is that I get to spread this music to new audiences—like I’m doing right now. People like yourself, who may have never heard of it before, are now being introduced to it. In many of the places I visit, even if people have heard Zydeco music before, they often don’t know what it really is. They’ll call it southern soul or blues, but truthfully, it’s Zydeco.”
While HBCUs have embraced both “Slow Wind” and “Cowgirl Trailride” as danceable hit songs, S. Dott is looking to give back by performing on various campuses this fall. He has already performed at Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State and looks forward to fellowshipping with HBCU students and alumni.
“HBCUs, y’all call me! If I’m free, we’ll work it out and make it happen. I’d love to be a part of it. What’s crazy is, out of all the videos I get, most of the requests for me to repost or reshare come from college students. They want to be seen on the shuffle, but more than that, they want their school to be known. Like, ‘Hey, I go to this school, and look, we all did it. Can you repost it?' So it’s crazy you brought that up. It all makes sense to me.”
He added, “I mean, y’all can book whoever you want, but sometimes you’ve got to reach out, see what’s up. That’s HBCUs for you. You’re the inside plug, so tell your people to hit me up. Let’s do it, man. Let’s make it happen!”
“Cowgirl Trailride” and “Slow Wind” are available now on Apple Music, Spotify, and all streaming services worldwide.
