Saint Orleans. What? That’s what the response is from most people who hear the name of this innovative artist based out of Saint Louis. “That’s different,” as quoted by Tony J from Radio One’s Hot 104.1 in Saint Louis. As Hip-Hop continues to be saturated and sales decline, the music industry seeks unique acts that can gain consumers attention. Saint Orleans came up with his name after many people continued to ask if he would represent his birthplace of New Orleans or his current home Saint Louis.

June 2008 marked the release of Saint Orleans free promotional CD entitled “Mouth of The Mississippi.” Although other major artist released albums during that same time, Saint Orleans still managed to be the talk of the city by using promotional strategies that many independent artists have not decided to use yet. The goal of the “Mouth of the Mississippi” campaign is to remind those who know of Saint Orleans and to build new supporters as Saint Orleans seeks a label home.

Saint Orleans started pursuing a career in music at the age of 12. “I remember recording on tapes thinking that a record label would accept a cassette tape,” recalls Saint Orleans. Born Joshua Stump, June 21, 1987 at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, Saint Orleans has been exposed to many different types of music. The nephew of Grammy nominated artist Guitar Slim Jr., Saint Orleans has always had a deep respect for the musicians. “Mouth of the Mississippi” displays Saint Orleans versatility by speaking on different topics and recording at different tempos. Saint Orleans plans to use a career in music to work with underprivileged youth around the United States. As a college student, Saint Orleans also possesses the knowledge to continue a career in the music industry behind the scenes after he decides to step away from the microphone.

Pursuing a career in the music industry takes patience and the ability to be a people person 24 hours a day. Saint Orleans is a symbol of where Hip-Hop needs to go in order to continue to have the success that it has had in the past. With the genre facing many obstacles artists must work harder to appeal to consumers. James Baldwin said, “If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.” I present to you, Saint Orleans.