The History of DLMF

In mid 2011, upon teaming with longtime local celebrity hip hop artist 'Flexxx', Chad Dundee meets Dave Marino for the first time as Dave was already working with Flexxx to revitalize the immensely popular 'Knife in ya Neck Records' known for being the original stomping grounds for several members of the nationally recognized 'Villebillies' and other popular local artists nd producers, acting as an all-star hip hop group in louisville in the early 2000's. Dave Marino was previously known as '24 Math' from the rap group 'Ill Nation' that gained a vibrant following in the early 2000's as well along side Flexxx and company. After several years inactive, Dave and Flexxx decided to take Flexxx's existing popularity, Daves master level multi-spectrum production expertise, and a young Chad Dundee's talent and drive to relight the flame that once spread like wildfire a decade before. Unfortunately, as many projects in Louisville do, this project was over before it starting due to Flexxx's exit from the group, having only recorded vocals for Chad Dundees album before his withdrawal. When finishing the mix of some of the final studio sessions, Chad and Dave decided that the ship should continue on, even if under a different name...and that's where 'Devil Level Music & Films' was born.... Chad and Dave finalized the existing studio sessions and filmed the 'Omegalpha' music video series which changed the entire face of music presentation in the city of louisville with the series' cinematic quality and artistic value.  Dave then prepared all of the album art and a concert release was booked at the venue Dave worked a weekly DJ residency. And on June the 6th, 2012, 'Speak of the Devil' was released and DLMF was officially launched.... Click the action button to see the official concert footage from the launch of DLMF. Watch the third entry of "omegalpha'' featuring Dundee and Marino by clicking the pic above.

Upon releasing his debut album 'Speak of the Devil' to roaring reviews,  Dundee and Marino immediately prepared to release the follow up Chadillac Dundee effort with a new mixtape cd featuring Too $hort, Lil Wyte, and other local talent admired by Dundee and was produced by Jonathan Duke; compiled of Speak of the Devil B-side tracks and experimental studio tracks as well. This unpublished, long time out of print DLMF record is what is now known as the alumni favorite 'Chad the Impaler'. This album would also include a dvd featuring a musical mini film compiling the popular 'Omegalpha' video series along with a special features portion that included additional videos giving watchers 'Chadillac' in person. At this point, DLMF had established themselves as the hottest and most sought after new act in town. This new notoriety found  Chadillac executive producing louisville local favorite 'J-Monkey's' at the time new record while Marino was being regularly booked for video shoots by artists such as Brabo Gator, David Ray and Lil Wyte in Nashville Tennesse. While working with these artists in Nashville, Chad and Dave were introduced to Nashvilles top underground producer 'HighRolla Krush', and the Chadillac Dundee music portfolio would blast off in full fury as he entered Krush Studios for the first time in 2013. Highrolla would feature Dundee on the opening song on his brand new mixtape 'Chess Moves 2' which was the most highly anticipated release of the summer in the region and would be an introduction to underground hip hops fans in the region for Dundee. Simultaneously, the popularity for Chadillac and DLMF would continue to grow in Louisville as he was making a furious first impression to the region on Highrollas new cd. Dundee was then booked for the "Haystak: Walking Tall Tour" show in louisville Kentucky to perform and give music to over 600 people in attendance for the first time since DLMF's opening. Click the photo to see the YOUNG STREETZ TV episode special on Chadillac Dundee, and click the action button to see the official DLMF coverage of the "Walking Tall Tour" show. 

As Dundee finished his 12 track final in-studio release with Krush Entertainment 'Connect the Cuts EP' in early 2015, things took a turn away from the normal pattern of DLMF that Chad Dundee didn't see coming. Always wanting to make each release concert also act an introduction to  a new and improved live performance, (in a time before hick-hop when a live band was far less common) Dundee thought to throw a release show featuring a full 4 piece live metal band. Being that he had released Delusions of Grandeur with a live guitarist on stage playing over the backtrack, he thought a logical upgrade would be to bring in a full band, using Lil Wayne's MTV unplugged show special as a template for their desired outcome. Dundee would bring in a group of friends that he went to high school with and carefully worked for months to prepare a stage ready show. While Dundee was already performing regularly (77 performances in 2012 and 64 in 2014), the venues he would regularly perform did not accommodate a full band set up. So upon booking the Connect the Cuts release concert, Dundee found a venue in Lexington Kentucky specifically renovated for full band performances and booked the release to happen there. Extremely nervous about debuting a full band that were still learning to play the hip hop genre, and even more nervous about throwing an album release outside of his hometown, Dundee went into overdrive promoting for the show; thinking that if the party was hot enough, it could blur the blemishes of a missed que or flat note. Part of this promotional tornado came DLMF's first interview on FM radio which would become of the most infamous moments in DLMF history. 98.9 FM debuted the first single from the Connect the Cuts EP with an interview from the 'Chadillac Dundee Band'. In excitement, as the DLMF crew drove to the Clear Channel Radio Headquarters, Eric Murray of Young Streets TV dared Dundee to do the entire interview in the voice of wrestling legend Ric Flair. Never backing down from a dare, Dundee then did an interview that on one hand got him unofficially banned from the station... But on the other, achieved the band a sold out show in Lexington that was electric from start to finish. In the end, the nervousness resulted in a hit song on FM radio with a sold out release concert with the first printing of the hardcopies selling out in less than a month. Starting a promotional run that ended up lasting the band nearly 3 years, including performances with Head PE, Jelly Roll, Bubba Sparxxx, Bone Thugs & Haromony, Twista, 3-6 MAFIA and Lil Wayne as well as headlining shows from Louisville to Peru Indiana, Columbus ohio, Nashville Tennessee, Spartanburg South Carolina and Greensboro North Carolina... What is now known throughout the organization as 'The Concert Era'. You can see footage from the release concert by clicking the photo above and can see the interview that got Chadillac banned by clicking the action button.

Toward the later end of the Chadillac Concert Era, well known Intake guitarist K-7 joined forces with DLMF and brought an initiative to make everything DLMF larger than life. K-7 brought over 20 years experience to DLMF with a quality standard of nothing less than a fully functioning national touring act. From studio quality, to state of the art musical equipment, down to the details of the materials of the t-shirts, K-7 saw DLMF as an opportunity to join forces with like minded, success driven professionals. When K-7 arrived, Dundee saw this as an opportunity to finally bring an end to the promotion of his previous studio albums and finally record an album featuring sounds the audience heard on stage instead of those who enjoy their live band sound only having the previous hip hop records to choose from. Dundee brought along K-7 back to Krush studios with help from Rockstop Studios in New Albany Indiana to record the highly popular "Unburied Adversaries" LP. The album features K-7 roaring through the Chadillac vocals in an unforgettable classic record produced by Chad Dundee with some of the most personal and revealing songs recording in his career were featured on the album. The newly revitalized Chadillac Dundee band would release the album to another sold out show in louisville Kentucky that was professionally sound-board recorded and professionally mastered and would become the "Spirit of the Valley" Live album that Dundee explains to be his favorite album of the entire collection. Dundee and K-7 would cycle Unburied Adversaries on their established touring schedule and would then record a total of 4 addition albums within the short span of just a year's time. In addition to Unburied Adversaries, they recorded an acoustic album, two live albums, and a rap album, using it for promotional items at shows in 2017/2018 in addition to filming a thanksgiving special concert as well as a live streamed Christmas acoustic concert from their social media. With all of this music accumulated, Dundee then decided to use the over top characters of Chadillac Dundee and K-7 and bring the film element back into the fold. As frustrations with the musical progressions began to loom in daily life within the company, the filming of the "on and On" and "feel me now" music videos lit a spark in Dundee for their capability to use their available resources, the local support, and existing establishment to try their hand in making their own movie......

After being met with a barrage of local support from artists, venues, and local businesses in town when announcing the coming of DLMF's debut film, Chadillac turned Director Dundee as the next year and a half was spent filming K-7 tear through the city of louisville with his signature machete and guitar in hand. The movie was written by Chad Dundee, filmed by Jerry McIlvoy, and featured the hottest artists and wrestlers in the city of louisville. Chad Dundee would also star in the movie doing all of his own stunts, including once splitting his finger open while filming the breaking of the guitars toward the end of the movie. The filming and editing process would be grueling but would be finished and released in theaters in louisville Kentucky in the summer of 2019. After seeing the support this movie drew at the DLMF sponsored premier event, with attendance from well known long time and well respected local musicians not involved w the movie and even saw former WWE superstar Al Snow in attendance as well. The day after the event, Dave Marino, Chad Dundee, and K-7 all made the decision to use the team used to create this film to launch DLMF Cinema, which would allow DLMF to go beyond just music and film with avenues and resources into digital multi-media, pro-wrestling, and regional touring venues. This is the part of the DLMF history that currently ends but remains open ended with plenty of more history to be made! To see the trailer for K-7's Revenge, click the pic above and to see the official footage of the movie premier click the action button on the right.