PEP

Straight out of Jersey where many fine artist have risen. From the likes of recording artist Red Man, Queen Latifah, Naughty by Nature, Joe Buddens, etc. Jersey has always been in the shadows of those bright lights from the big city. Now it’s time for Jersey to shine some light of its own. That light comes in the form of this slim young man with more talent then you can imagine. Who is this young man? It’s PEP! Hi! My name is PEP! PEP!? What is the world is a PEP? Its just one of those ...

Straight out of Jersey where many fine artist have risen. From the likes of recording artist Red Man, Queen Latifah, Naughty by Nature, Joe Buddens, etc. Jersey has always been in the shadows of those bright lights from the big city. Now it’s time for Jersey to shine some light of its own. That light comes in the form of this slim young man with more talent then you can imagine. Who is this young man? It’s PEP! Hi! My name is PEP! PEP!? What is the world is a PEP? Its just one of those things you need in your step to be successful in anything you do. In my case, it’s that and more. PEP is short for Pepito which came from my father’s nick name of PEPE. So, it’s not a graffiti tag or anything like that. It is simply an old Spanish family tradition of taking the father’s nick name and making it my own. I entered the world in the spring of 1987 as Jose Luis Figueroa and grew up in Jersey City Heights (Heights Pride!). I learned at a very young age what living a rough life was all about. From, being on my front steps watching junkies walk around high, to struggling to put food on the table. The neighborhood wasn’t easy for many people, and we weren’t immune. Living in the Heights is where my foundation for music and hip-hop came to be. I had no choice to listen to whatever my big brother had on the radio. All he listened to was hip-hop, so it stuck to me. We used to listen to countless hours of Biggie, Nas, 2 Pac, Wu-Tang, Black Sheep, etc. The 1990’s was huge for Hip-Hop and I was present, absorbing it all. Around 12 years old, my mother decided to change the scenery and move to Union City. This move led to meeting new friends and the starting point position at Emerson High School. Everything was riding smooth until my junior year, when my family began to experience financial difficulties and I had to help. I was very talented and had a bright future in basketball, but I had to help support my family. While in high school, my friends and I always joked around free-styling and beat-boxing but never took it serious. One day, I was watching videos and noticed how the Hip-Hop culture had drastically changed. I would have loved to say this change was for the better, but it wasn’t. There was such a huge vibe for an untalented artist. I asked myself, "How is this song even being played?” No disrespect to the artist, but I wasn’t impressed with the song. I told myself, “If he can do this so can I”. So, I started taking my free-styling and writing seriously. I have been writing since 2005 and I feel I am just beginning to develop. I am not just a student of hip-hop, but a student of all music. I have the talent and experience to show everyone what I have learned and maybe teach a thing or two. I don’t consider myself a rapper, but that’s what I do. I am a musician that focuses on making quality music not just rap songs. Thank you for visiting and enjoy the muzik!! "P,E, to the 16th letter, spitting 16's better! Than Anybody!"