When junior EJ Carter walks across campus, some might recognize him as “that guard on the basketball team.” Others might turn to him for help on homework, knowing that he’s made the Dean’s List every semester he’s been at Baker University.

What he wants to be known for, however, extends beyond campus. It takes place on a stage like the one he recently performed on at Mad Magician, a venue in St. Louis.

“When I first got up there on stage, I’m pretty sure they were like, ‘Who is this? We came here to see Twista,’” Carter said.

Mickey Mouse Club.

When Carter was 11 years old, his parents placed him in an award-winning children’s choir.

“I was lead soprano,” Carter said, laughing as he reminisced on the days when he first got into music. “We sang songs like “Ave Maria.” My voice was really high back then.”

That was the only music Carter knew until he tried his hand – or voice – at a new genre on his very own Mickey Mouse karaoke machine.

“I would try and rap on it all day, and none of my words really made sense at first, but they would rhyme,” Carter said. “I kept practicing, though, and as time went on, I started to find myself.”

After days of practice with the karaoke machine, Carter moved on to creating his own beats on his laptop.

Up until last year, though, Carter thought making music was simply a hobby that wasn’t going anywhere for him. In fact, he thought he was wasting his time so much that he considered giving it up.

“It’s funny because I was about to quit rapping and just keep playing basketball and go to school,” Carter said.

He decided he’d go out with a bang, though, and released his first mix tape. That’s when Carter says his “life started changing.”

The movement.

“So, I figured I’d do this one last CD just to say I did it and next thing you know, people started coming to the shows. I started getting three-, four-, 500 people packed in the venue and they know all the words,” Carter said.

When Carter released #Redshirted online, he said it was an instant success and he knew there was no stopping.

The success of the mix tape led to the creation of Red$hirt Freshmen Entertainment – Carter’s own music label distributed by Nu Money Inc based in St. Louis.

“I started my own movement, and I have the opportunity to impose my creative will on everything I do,” Carter said. “Everything you hear or see is exactly how I want it to be.”

There are six other artists involved with Red$hirt Freshmen, all of whom grew up with Carter.

“I went to high school and even elementary school with these guys,” Carter said. “We’re not exactly a group, just more of a collective. A whole bunch of solo artists coming together and moving together and promotomg each other’s circles.”

Carter has performed with Red$hirt Freshmen many times since the release of #Redshirted, but he recently traveled east for his biggest gig yet.

Now they know.

On Jan. 26, Carter took the stage at Mad Magician, a venue in his hometown, and warmed up the crowd who came to see Twista, a hip-hop musician known for his tongue-twisting flow.

“I got up there on stage and there was a lot of people in the crowd who did not know who I was at all,” Carter said. “But as I started performing, I could feel the energy. I could see the crowd; they were getting into it and getting hyped.”

The best part of the night for Carter was when he started singing his final song, “Notorious,” which will be featured on his next mix tape.

“It’s such a catchy song, by the time the second hook came through, everybody in the whole place was singing the words and jumping,” Carter said. “I wanted to cry, … but I had to look tough for the people. It was just amazing.”

After the show, Carter was able to talk to Twista, who showed interest in the young rapper’s music and movement.

Twista told Carter, “(producers) want to put money behind someone who can put money behind themselves and see return.”

“And that’s just what we’re doing right now,” Carter said. “Building a fan base, building a following, and building on our investment and it’s beautiful.”

“#Redshirted” has received 8,000 downloads online and Carter has produced multiple music videos, one of which has accumulated more than 140,000 views on YouTube.

Carter has built a website, merchandise, and a profit from his ambition to become a rapper.

After tasting success, he is thankful he didn’t give up, and says he expects his passion to become a career.

“All I have to say is, #RedshirtedII is coming out soon, and it’s going to be even bigger than the first.”