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How Three Ramsay HS Grads Turned Their Dreams Into A Successful Business

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — They all are 24 years old, attended Ramsay High School and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)—and together they started a movement. Micah Lewis, Jerrod Dukes, and Joshua Echols are the team behind Vibestreet Photography and Recording Studios, a rental space near Five Points South that opened this year and hosts a broad range of photo shoots, videography, art shows, meetings, and even served as a site for a local reality show.

Published

7 years ago

October 2, 2019

Oakland Post

From left: Joshua Echols, Micah Lewis and Jerrod Dukes in front of Vibestreet Studios. (Photo by: Ameera Steward |The Birmingham Times)

By Ameera Steward

They all are 24 years old, attended Ramsay High School and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)—and together they started a movement.

Micah Lewis, Jerrod Dukes, and Joshua Echols are the team behind Vibestreet Photography and Recording Studios, a rental space near Five Points South that opened this year and hosts a broad range of photo shoots, videography, art shows, meetings, and even served as a site for a local reality show.

“Vibestreet is a conglomerate,” said Lewis, the founder. “It’s a lot of moving parts.”

It’s also an example of what can happen when young African-American creatives pool their talents and resources to form a business that was not around when they were coming of age.

“I wish there had been a Vibestreet when I was 16 or 17, a place I could rent out affordably and just try [things],” Lewis said. “… A lot of people that come here, it’s their first time … and they really get to shoot. We always try to take pictures of them taking pictures, so they can use that to promote themselves. Everything is about helping people and being what they need earlier on.”

He added that it was important to start in Birmingham because it’s a growing city with many different kinds of people.

“I love it here!” he said. “Being that we are from here, I think it’s important to have a platform here. … As much as Vibestreet has done, there is nobody in front of us helping us do that. We can be a platform that does that. Who knows how far this platform can send kids who are 4 and 5 now, when Vibestreet gets bigger and they’re older and trying to do something.”

The studio already has become a gathering place for people throughout the city.

Echols, chief financial officer, said, “Some of the people we call our friends now, we go out to eat [together]. We just had a pretty big dinner in August with a lot of people who came into the studio. … That friendship, just bringing people together through the community is what [Vibestreet] does for me.”

Coming of Age

Vibestreet started with a variety of events, including art shows and a business that sold apparel, such as hats and T-shirts.

“It’s always been a passion of mine to give people in the community a platform where they are able to express themselves because I’ve never been somebody who’s big on taking a lot of credit for myself; it’s always been about putting other people in a better light,” said Lewis. “That’s what Vibestreet at its root has always been.”

Lewis and Echols met in the sixth grade at the W.J. Christian K-8 School.

“We all played basketball a lot,” Lewis said. “I lived really close to the school, so after school we would walk to my house and play basketball before everybody went home.

“When you’re younger you just kind of hang with people who have similar interests. … Even if we have differing opinions, … [Echols and I] always have similar core values, … [so] we can have civil disagreements. It comes down to I know there are some things Josh would never do and I would never do. That’s why you never really have to worry. … There’s always a mutual respect.”

Lewis and Echols both lived in the Roebuck area, so they rode the same bus every day during high school.

“I call him ‘brother’ because we’ve known each other for so long,” Echols said. “We started out hooping in his backyard. … I’ve always been around. Even since his days at the Grand, [a club where Lewis was a DJ], I was always there supporting him.”

Lewis, who had a residency at the now-closed Grand, started DJing when he used to play the music video game DJ Hero. His mom thought it was funny and bought him his first turntables when he was 16.

“I really liked it,” said Lewis, who kept moving up to the next set of turntables.

Click to view slideshow.

Meeting of the Minds

Lewis and Echols attended Ramsay High School, where they met Dukes, who is Vibestreet’s operations coordinator.

“We weren’t as close as we are now,” said Dukes, who is from Pleasant Grove.

All three graduated from Ramsay in 2013 and made their way to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dukes graduated in 2018 with a degree in business administration. Echols graduated the same year with a degree in computer science. Lewis studied audio engineering at UAB but left due to family issues, and that pushed him to focus on his dream.

“I always wanted to open a recording studio, … to have a multiuse space. That’s what [Vibestreet] is,” Lewis said. “When we started out, it was a recording and photography studio where people could also host events. Everything kind of led up to having a home base even before we had this studio. There was always an intention to have maybe a workshop, … to have an address, and to venture out and do other things. That was always the goal.”

When Dukes saw what Lewis and Echols were working toward, he wanted to be a part.

“I like these guys, so let me try to help any way I can,” said Dukes. “If that means selling merchandise, if that means helping out at whatever event [or] venue we might be at, it just seemed like the natural thing to do, to help out people out you like.”

Dukes has a behind-the-scenes role at Vibestreet, which he finds exciting.

“I really like making sure everything goes the way it’s supposed to go,” he said. “If you ever see me at any Vibestreet function, you’ll probably see me roaming around, checking to make sure everything goes right, checking in with [Lewis] if he’s DJing, checking in with Josh if he’s at the door.”

Limitless

Even while running Vibestreet, each member maintains employment elsewhere.

Dukes has a position in the UAB logistics department, where he works with teaching specialists that develop science and math curriculums for counties across in Alabama; he’s been in this role for four years. “My managers are very understanding,” he said.

Lewis, who has worked with the UAB parking company for five years, also has support from his managers.

“I haven’t worked a weekend in years because I used to DJ, so they set that up for me,” he said. “At the day job, … I work on graphics and things like that for Vibestreet. Everything feeds into the studio. I see my day job as a part of this.”

Echols has been an implementation consultant at the information technology (IT) services company everis USA for a year.

Still, all three devote a lot of time to Vibestreet, which Echols described as “limitless.”

Dukes agreed: “I think what the future holds for us is literally whatever we can imagine. … Because the space is as big as it is, it can be as big as your imagination. So, as much as we can put into it, as much hard work, as many buildings as we can get, … it’s all just about how much effort we can put it in to help it grow and help other people.”

To get more information about Vibestreet Studios or set up an appointment, visit www.vibestreet.com or email info@vibestreet.com. The photography studio can be booked for $35 an hour, and events can be held at the space for $50 an hour.

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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3 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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