March 19, 2024
Tevin Studdard

The city of Indianapolis — and more specifically the high-school sports conferences of IPS and The M.I.C. — has been cultivating great athletes for decades. From Basketball Hall-Of-Famer Oscar Robinson of the 50’s, to the current reigning NBA Sixth Man of The Year & 3-Point Champion Eric Gordon, being a sports-great in Indiana often coincides with becoming one on the professional level as well.

While the Circle City has long been heralded for their production of top-notch sports talent, it is rare for these student-athletes to have their achievements celebrated throughout our local media the way Tevin Studdard has been doing.

Tevin Studdard
Some of the guests from “The Tevin Studdard Show”

Studdard has become an official ambassador for local student-athletes, and uses his talent in broadcasting and media production to produce high-end programming that features these youth. Starting with “The Tevin Studdard Show” –a radio platform where Tevin would regularly feature athletes, coaches, and other prominent personalities in the local sporting community — and culminating with a Papa-Johns sponsored music production that highlighted the schools of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference that has already reached over 50,000 on social media.

 

After attending Crispus Attucks and Cathedral High Schools — where he was a standout athlete with a 4.0 GPA — Studdard has dedicated the last few years of his life to being a Youth Advocate using Sports as the vessel of his message. He takes pride in having interviewed over 400 local teens — including one from every high school in the city of Indianapolis — while simultaneously  raising awareness for social issues currently facing these young adults.

Black Indy Live Editor L.A. got to sit down with Studdard and had the chance to ask him some questions about his journey.

 

LA: Thank’s for joining us, let us know how you started down this path?

Tevin Studdard: I fell in love with music after seeing my cousin Ruben Studdard win American Idol. I always sung in the kids choir (Kids N Praise) at my church Harvest Prayer Center. I started playing football at Crispus Attucks Middle School in the 8th grade, won Outstanding Lineman award for that season as well as had a 4.0 GPA. Recevied a scholarship to attend Cathedral High School and played 4 years and was apart of 2 state championship teams. My senior year I wanted to do something special for our team, so I recorded a song called “Irish Nightmare” it was played over the loudspeakers at our games. I had sent a song to Tamika Catchings she enjoyed it and my senior year I was paid to perform an official anthem for the WNBA Indiana Fever at Bankerslife Fieldhouse, as they came out during warm ups. The Fever made a music video which aired on my graduation night. I had received a scholarship to Indiana State University to write a song for the school and I performed it at the homecoming game my freshmen year of college. Went on to manage my own theme song tour where I performed custom anthems for 80 university sport teams in 33 states, ranging from the University of South California, Ohio State University, University of Florida, Kansas University, Baylor and many more schools across the country. While on tour a young man had got shot on the street I grew up on so it made me want to return home and do something special for our citys youth. I invited kids from my high school on the first episode this past January 23, 2017 and it took off where kids from all over Indy wanted to come on the show. I got an opportunity with the MIC Network to record a music video with 8 township high schools and most of the kids had been on the show and were very excited to be in their first professional music video.

Tevin with his cousin, and American Idol Winner, Ruben Studdard

LA: Why do you the local youth in Indy need someone like yourself doing the work you do in our community?

TS:Youth don’t need me, God can use anybody, they need someone to come alongside and encourage them, whether they are an All-American or All-Bench, somebody that genuinley cares for them and has their best interest in mind. Kids will see through you if you aren’t genuine.

tevin studerad
Youth Advocate

 

LA: Where do you see the future of this journey taking you?

TS:In the future I’d always enjoy doing theme songs and music videos for various high schools, universities and professional teams. I’d also like to have my own station thats dedicated to the youth of Indianapolis. To enchance their communcation skills as well as provide them with the adequate resources to thrive in the areas of electronic media, public relations and audio and video production. I also want to be very involved with using my gift to point others to God. Without the Lord none of what I do is possible.

tevin studdard
A standout athlete at Cathedral High School, who also sported a 4.0 GPA

 

Tevin Studdard will also be a guest on the segment “Is There Hope For the Youth in Indy” on the premiere episode of the program “Yeah I Said It” Hosted by Black Indy LIVE Editor-in-Chief and Founder, LA. You can listen to this program on Tuesday September 5th from 7-8pm on JHM Radio, also on TuneIn Radio, and on the newly added JHM Live Radio page here on Black Indy Live.

Tevin Studdard Yeah I Said It JHM Radio