Birth name Andrew Luis Castro Years active 2003-present Also known as "Dru" Castro Name Dru Castro | Genres Pop/R&B/Hip Hop Soul Role Record producer Instruments Piano/Bass/Tuba | |
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Occupation(s) Music Engineer/Producer Associated acts India Arie, Keyshia Cole, Jamie Foxx, Young Buck Similar People Zach Crowell, Kuk Harrell, Lecrae, Tyshane, Mathai | ||
Andrew Luis "Dru" Castro is a Grammy Award-winning recording engineer, producer and songwriter in Atlanta, Georgia. He has produced or engineered songs for artists such as Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Usher, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Trina, Jamie Foxx and India.Arie. Recently, Castro produced and wrote songs with the Grammy award winning singer/songwriter India.Arie on her recently released album Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics. Her 2006 album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, for which Castro recorded and/or produced seven songs, debuted and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including "Best R&B Album". To date Castro has worked on 12 Grammy nominated projects (4 have won the award) See Below. In 2010 Castro won a Grammy with India.Arie as a Producer/Engineer for Best Urban Alternative Performance on the song "Pearls".
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Early years
Castro was born in Manhattan, New York and was raised in the Lower East Side. His father and mother, who are both of Puerto Rican descent, were also born in Manhattan. From an early age Castro grew up in a musical home, where his father played piano and was the musical director of a local church. This musical influence lead Castro to start playing piano at age 5. Castro was sent to study at Suncoast Community High School, a magnet school in Riviera Beach, Florida. While there, he was active in the Jazz, Concert and Marching bands.
Recording and mixing
Castro moved to Atlanta in 1999, where he began engineering full-time in the booming Atlanta R&B and Hip-Hop music scene. Tricky Stewart, Bryan Michael Cox, Anthony Dent, Polow Da Don, and Sean Garrett were among the first to offer Castro a break into the recording business. Castro has recorded, amongst others, Usher, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, T-Pain, Jamie Foxx, India.Arie, Trina, Raven-Symoné, Joe, Kelly Rowland, Stacie Orrico, and Keri Hilson. Castro has also worked on 12 Grammy nominated albums (4 have won the award) See Below.
Music House Studios
From 2006-2013, Castro owned and operated Music House Studios with fellow engineer and friend Alec Newell. The opening of "The Music House" was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Many artists including Usher, Ciara, Brandi, India.Arie, Keyshia cole, Yo Gotti, Lacrea, Rico Love, New Kids on the Block and Nelly had worked at the state of the art recording facility in North Atlanta.
Production
Beginning production work in 2003, his first major release as a producer came in June 2006 on the US #1 Debut Album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship for India.Arie. He produced and co-wrote the upbeat "I Choose" and a more reflective "This Too Shall Pass". This was followed in July 2008 with the production of the single entitled "Radio" on Musiq Soulchild's fifth album release "On my Radio". In February 2009 India.Arie's Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics was released. Castro produced and recorded 12 songs with .Arie, including the singles "Chocolate High" and "Therapy". Castro continues to produce and record in Atlanta.