Students by Day, Party Starters by Night

The rapper and business mogul had to start small on his way to topping the charts. Likewise, the 5fters (Five Footers), a local company that thinks up and promotes everything from parties to concerts to cookouts, is gaining steam. While its founders might not climb as large a mountain as Sean Combs did, good word of mouth and hard work have caused the 5fters' reputation to spread.

The company was started last year by Dameian D. Battle and Juan Antonio Webster. Both are UNC students completing their graduation requirements -- Battle is majoring in management and African-American studies, while Webster is a sociology and pre-nursing major. While their studies differ, they share a love for music and entertaining people.

With the 5fters, they are able to deal with both. Their work involves coming up with an idea for a party, getting on the phones to plan it, publicizing it anywhere and everywhere applicable, booking the musical act and coordinating it until the last person walks out the door.

"Once we realized that we could make money from this and kind of do something big that would take it to another level, then it made us want to work harder," Webster said.

He and Battle have made an effort to avoid the pitfalls of their profession. They have made sure not to create false advertising, and they have prevented incidents that could take place when a lot of people fill a small space with alcohol in their systems.

After learning the ropes of the business, they were able to give something back. "The Heat," the Black Student Movement's end-of-year jam, which took place at NV on April 19, was a 5fters affair. The company donated its share of the profits to the movement.

Other 5fter projects have also had a connection to the University. Battle and Webster have worked with most of UNC's Greek organizations, and they set up an NFL pre-draft party for former UNC football players Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims.

The duo also has organized more private parties for The Roots and Faith Evans following their performances at Duke University and Alltel Pavilion, respectively. All this time, the 5fters have been making connections.

"The whole main idea of this thing is networking," Battle said. "We get to travel to Atlanta, down to Miami -- we're planning a trip to go to New York."

In order to keep the crowds at their parties diverse, the 5fters make a point not just to publicize their events at the area's major universities. Smaller schools such as Durham Technical, Wake Technical and Alamance community colleges are also targets of their promotional campaigns. As a result, the company's online listserv consists of 5,000 potential partyers from across the state.

"Honestly, a lot of people in North Carolina are more followers than leaders, and those guys are not taking that approach," said Chris Gregory, a marketing representative for Elektra Records.

At night, Gregory is better known as DJ MC, a member of the Untouchables crew that has graced turntables across the nation. He has played 5fter parties regularly ever since he met Battle and Webster and learned that they needed a DJ for their Saturday nights at Gotham.

As the 5fters grew bigger with each successful event, the co-founders brought in some helping hands -- Denielle Lincoln, an N.C. State University graduate student specializing in graphic design, and Damion Hunter, a UNC graduate who has noted the 5fters' commitment to their patrons.

"One of the most common things that I overheard or heard directly is that they are not consumed with the idea of being the big man," Hunter said. "This is what I've heard is one of the key reasons why the clubs enjoy working with them, and I really feel like it's a positive thing."

The Arts & Entertainment Editor

can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.