Louisiana native David Villalta began his career collaborating with Grammy-winning rap artists, and is advocating for the 2025 New Orleans Super Bowl producers to include local talent. With Jay-Z serving as the halftime show producer and Kendrick Lamar confirmed as the featured performer, Villalta aligns with New Orleans Musical Ambassador Master P, who emphasizes that local artists should also be given a chance to shine.
R&B star Ledisi also recently told the Associated Press in conversation that she’d like Lamar to invite locals as featured artists in his Super Bowl set in her hometown.
“New Orleans is the birthplace of American music—from jazz and rock to rap,” Villalta says. “I applaud the inspired choice of Kendrick Lamar, but we have an abundance of local talent that can fill the Superdome with the authentic sounds of our city. Master P founded No Limit Records, and there’s truly no limit to the talent here. There’s always a place for Joy (Clark).”
New Orleans Americana breakout star Joy Clark praises Villalta’s production with her own glowing testimonial: “When we finished tracking the guitar on ‘Good Thing,’ I knew we were greatly gonna have a good thing. It sounded so crisp, the finger picking on that song was captured so beautifully. When you’re putting your heart into your art, it helps if you’re working with someone who’s genuinely a kind person.”
(A throwback Clark show will air WWOZ-FM’s Jazz Festing in Place at 5:15 Thursday, Oct. 24, right before Dr. John‘s Voodoo Fest performance from 2011. The track will be available for two weeks on the station’s website.)
Villalta’s early career involved engineering for producer Juicy J and contributing to Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Allderdicemixtape. He later became the chief engineer for the Oscar-winning group Three 6 Mafia, touring and performing with them as David V from the age of 23.
“Not only is he a longtime friend and little brother, but he’s also a hell of an engineer,” says DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia. The Studio 55 owner, producer, musician, and General Manager for Louisiana Red Hot Records merges sports with music, shredding on guitar at an NBA Phoenix Suns halftime show with DJ Paul earlier this year.
DJ Paul and Villalta collaborated on a project with Jelly Roll, who uses his music to inspire those battling addiction. A native of Ponchatoula, Villalta returned to his hometown a decade ago to aid his own recovery after a serious car accident in Vegas, from which he miraculously emerged unscathed. He remains dedicated to mentoring fellow artists.
Villalta established his studio and reignited his passion for creating a unique sonic identity and nurturing talent after graduating from The Los Angeles Recording School. He produced the double single “Mask Up” for Louisiana Red Hot Records at the onset of the pandemic, featuring Corey J The Rapper, Lilli Lewis, James Andrews, and Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove. Under Villalta’s direction, the label also released Corey Henry’s Foot Work, Father Ron and Friends’ Forever the Seasons, and Roland Guerin’s new EP PROG:FUNK.
Related: Exclusive Premiere/Interview: Roland Guerin Concocts New Bass-Centric Genre ‘PROG:FUNK’
“Quality, integrity, understanding, creative — these are the words that describe David. You talk about someone with a certain skill set that can get the job done, he also has the ability to capture the essence of the artist and bring out the best qualities in people,” Guerin says.
Villalta’s next ambition is to release his own album, a challenging endeavor given his numerous ongoing projects. “With the diverse and incredible talent of this roster, it’s truly an honor to work among esteemed artists and colleagues that I also call my family.”
“I’m proud to be GM at Louisiana Red Hot Records, our founder Harris Rea launched Big Easy Distributing, working with Cash Money Records. Cash Money propelled Lil Wayne and Juvenile to early stardom. I look forward to the Super Bowl events showcasing the talent of my home state,” Villalta says. “From rock to rap, Louisiana has a winning musical roster.”
