Rapper Rami Sharkey (aka the rapper Ballzack) lives in the shadow of a felt puppet named Doogie.

Just like their small protégé, Ballzack and his partner Odoms (Adam Bourgeois) focus on topics and slang central to New Orleans’ West Bank. The two humans have found their own success with anthems like “Rainbow in Marrero,” packed concerts in the House of Blues’ main room, and tracks featured on the HBO television show, “Treme.” But via phone from his Marrero home, Doogie himself is quick to point out, “The Beatles are the only people in music who used to be better than me.”

Ballzack and Odoms’ latest album Ace-n-Ernie find the duo playing the roles of two headbangers who, frustrated with people’s recent disinterest in their heavy metal band, decide to “sell out” and make a rap album. The ambitious video for the record’s second single, “Talk Like A Snake,” which features an impressive array of live animals, from a reindeer to a camel, has nonetheless peaked at under 3,000 YouTube hits — whereas Doogie’s videos sometimes garner over 300,000.

The Ace-n-Ernie album is as funny and clever as anything the human rappers have ever created, and yet, Ballzack said, “I’ve never sold out of any record. Maybe the first one almost sold 1,000. But I feel like I am dealing with an antiquated model.”

The boys realized they needed to hatch a new, more modern musical plan. And so, they’ve again turned to Doogie, who now sells personalized songs via his website, to any fan willing to pay. “Years ago I saw this documentary about those old Nashville song services where you’d send in like $100 and some lyrics and they send you back a vinyl 45 of a band playing your song,” Ballzack said. “We loved that idea, but we didn’t pull the trigger on it ‘til we were broke.” CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE PIECE AT The Advocate…

And here’s a video about Doogie beefin with his roommates…