At first, all Brian Covelli received for his original song was a “goofy” trophy.
Covelli, an 2009 SIUC alumnus, created a rap beat his final semester and submitted it to the university’s Radio and Television awards. He won Best Producer and was told he should give the song it to SIU Athletic Director Mario Moccia, he said.
The song, which has been dubbed “SIU Sports Anthem,” is now played at home football games, Moccia said.
Covelli said he created the song after he had made a similar track dedicated to the Chicago Bears. He went online and listened to the university’s fight song and some other fan-made tracks. Covell said he used bits and pieces from the fight song for the finished product, he said.
The beat started out simple, but as he had more ideas and developed a feel for the sound of the song, he added more elements, Covelli said.
“I don’t feel like anything is ever finished until it’s finally pressed up,” he said.
Before he could finish the track, he had to find the right rapper to add the vocals. He was introduced to local artist Dub Zero (Bilal Spiller) and played him the track; from there, the two started working on the song, he said.
Spiller said Covelli told him he had the idea to make a school song and played the beat for him. It only took Spiller 10 minutes to come up with the song’s hook.
Spiller, a Du Qouin native has been rapped for years and has four studio albums, he said
He has always been interested in SIU athletics, especially when Nick Hill was quarterback because the two went to high school together in Du Quoin, he said.
The response to the song has been incredible, Covelli said.
Covelli said he wanted the song played at games and used in university commercials.
Moccia said he heard the song at the end of last school year and immediately enjoyed it.
“I popped it on in the car and was like ‘Oh my God, this is so good’,” he said.
The music played in pregame is used to get the team ready to play and pump up the crowd, Moccia said.
“The song is specifically about the athletic program and has a hard, driving beat; it’s something the players can get amped up to,” he said.
After the first home game of the season, Covelli said he started getting texts and calls from friends after they heard his song before the game.
Saturday’s football game against Illinois State will be the first game of the season Covelli will attend, he said.
“I can’t wait,” he said. “I’m so excited to hear it this weekend.”
Spiller said also received messages from friends about the song, and he said he plans to Carbondale for the game as well.
When the two made the song and Covelli told him he gave it to the athletic department, he never thought it would get played, Spiller said.
“It makes me want to get down there and hear it,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the crowd’s reaction.”
For more information on Dub Zero visit myspace.com/bspill
Luke McCormick can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275
