Everlasting Hitman: The New Orleans Rapper Who Helped Shape Bounce Music

#NOLAZINE - Before New Orleans bounce music became recognized around the world, artists from the city’s neighborhoods were creating a raw and energetic sound that belonged entirely to the culture. Among those early voices was Everlasting Hitman, a talented rapper whose brief career left a permanent mark on New Orleans hip-hop.

Born Floyd Blount, Everlasting Hitman came from the St. Thomas housing development in Uptown New Orleans. He emerged during the early 1990s, when bounce music was still developing its identity through neighborhood parties, local clubs, block performances and independent cassette releases.

Hitman brought something different to the growing movement. While many early bounce records relied heavily on repeated chants and dance instructions, his music blended the excitement of bounce with a harder, more lyrical street-rap approach. His delivery was confident, aggressive and unmistakably New Orleans.

“Bounce! Baby, Bounce!”

Everlasting Hitman became best known for his local anthem “Bounce! Baby, Bounce!” The record captured the energy of the city and became an important release during bounce music’s formative years.

The song demonstrated that a bounce artist could make people dance while still delivering strong verses and street-centered storytelling. It helped separate Hitman from other performers and established him as one of the young artists pushing the genre forward.

Music historian and rapper Sporty T later credited Hitman’s approach with helping bounce move beyond its earlier sing-song chants and into a more lyrical direction. Today, “Bounce! Baby, Bounce!” remains a treasured piece of New Orleans rap history. Red Bull Music Academy

Signing With Mobo Records

Hitman eventually became associated with Mobo Records, an independent New Orleans label that contributed to the city’s underground rap movement during the 1990s.

In 1995, he released “Work That Back,” backed with “Holla If You Hear Me.” Both songs continued his combination of bounce rhythms, forceful vocals and streetwise personality. “Work That Back” was classified as both bounce and gangsta rap—a fitting description of the musical lane Hitman was creating for himself. Discogs

Although his known catalog consists primarily of “Bounce! Baby, Bounce!,” “Work That Back” and “Holla If You Hear Me,” those recordings were enough to secure his place in the city’s musical history.

A Career Tragically Cut Short

Everlasting Hitman never received the opportunity to reach his full potential. On February 3, 1996, Floyd Blount died after being shot in the Fischer housing development. He was only 21 years old.

His death came as New Orleans rap was beginning to gain greater attention outside Louisiana. Cash Money Records, No Limit Records and several independent labels were building momentum, creating opportunities that could have taken Hitman’s music to a much larger audience.

An archived report from OffBeat Magazine described local rap fans as mourning the young Mobo Records artist and identified “Bounce Baby Bounce” as the song for which he would be best remembered. OffBeat Magazine

An Everlasting New Orleans Legacy

Everlasting Hitman’s story shows that an artist does not need an extensive discography to influence a culture. His music represented a period when New Orleans rappers were building their own sound without major-label support or national recognition.

He was part of a generation that helped establish the foundation upon which future New Orleans stars would build. His ability to combine raw street rap with bounce music’s infectious energy made him an important bridge between two styles that would eventually become central to Louisiana hip-hop.

Nearly three decades after his death, old performances and recordings continue to circulate online. New listeners are discovering his music, while longtime fans continue to preserve his name and acknowledge his contributions.

Everlasting Hitman may have left the world at only 21 years old, but the sound he helped develop continues to live through New Orleans music. His career was short, his catalog was small, but his impact was truly everlasting.