double-jointed. “Believe it or not, I’m not double-jointed,” he responded. “I was always a fan of James Brown and, at a young age, I started doing splits like him. It still comes to me naturally.” Next up for Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. is a new CD he hopes to get underway soon. With a dozen records already under his belt but nothing new for the past nine years, he said the upcoming recording will consist of mostly original tunes. A few covers are envisioned but “The rest of them will be stuff that I’ve written and some good songs other people have written and given to me,” he said. Discussing the future of zydeco, Dopsie Jr. is both optimistic and a bit leery of the direction it appears to be taking. “A lot of the young guys that are coming up playing zydeco are doing a good job but I wish they would keep to the tradition and not get away from it. A lot of the zydeco music I hear now has guys rapping in it. Everybody does what works for them but, unless I’m joking around, I would never put it in my show or on my records. I keep it traditional.” When asked if there is a Rockin’ Dopsie III coming up through the ranks, the response was, “I don’t think so. I have one son, Nicholas, who’s 24. He’s a lefthanded guitar player but he’s not very musically inclined. He’s very intelligent; book smart. He wants to be a writer. Unlike me, he’s very shy.” So, for now and well into the foreseeable future, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. will proudly wear the mantle passed down to him from his father. Performing the indigenous music of the state in which it originated is a legacy he is proud to continue. �� PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCKIN' DOPSIE JR. “SOMEBODY SCREAM!” PHOTOGRAPHY BY BIONCA FLOT SYKES 18 | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | breakthrumediamagazine.com JANUARY / F E B R UARY 2 0 1 7
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