Dominican Republic born Miami resident J. Peguero may not live in New York anymore, but that doesn’t change the fact that his rap skills are Brooklyn bred through and through.
When did you start performing?
I started pursuing my rap career about 9 years ago. I have been performing for around 5 years now, jumping on just about every opportunity I can to get people to hear my music.
Name some of the artist who have inspired or influenced you.
I would have to say Jay-Z, Pharrell and Kanye. I am most inspired by these artists because they are constantly evolving, trying new things and creating music that will last a life time. My motivation is to follow that same blueprint and constantly push the limits, trying new things, from the beats, to the flow on to the content. If I hear a beat that impacts me and someone says, “oh that’s not a hip hop track”, I’m inspired even more. To me art is about pushing the limits and as artists, we all have a clean canvas to create masterpiece after masterpiece as long as we aren’t scared to push it to the limit. That’s what I feel Jay Z, Pharrell and Kanye have done over their careers, is constantly infuse new ideas into the music and the results speak for themselves.
How would you describe your style?
My style is a fusion of an Up North Swag with a Down South Flow. I have personally tagged the style “New South”. I think the “New South” is a blend of the best of both worlds. Historically, artists from up north have been known for their story telling and deep lyrics, while the south has become known for simple, but catchy metaphors. The J. Peguero approach is that perfect blend which gives you a story to follow, that’s laced with metaphors that keep you hooked. I paint pictures with my words, you can visualize each song if you listen and follow the lyrics.
Do you have any major offers on the table?
There is definitely an interest, but our focus is really on continuing to create hot music for the fans, touring and touching down in every city that I can possibly put my feet in and building the legacy of J.Peguero. It’s the J. Peg Movement and it’s coming to a city near you soon! That’s what we have our eyes on and if we follow thru on what our responsibilities are, then it will be a win, win for all involved. When the right opportunity comes along for me and the RedStar Entertainment family, we’ll be ready!
What advice would you offer other aspiring artists?
The best advice I can give is to stay focused, committed, consistent and never give up! Throughout my life I have had plenty of doubters and situations that have come in my path, but through it all, I never swayed and never faltered. Every challenge is a test to see if we are ready and if you truly want this and have what it takes to be an artist in the world today, nothing can get in your way. I look at the obstacles and adversities as ammunition for great songs that people can relate to. We all face crazy things in our lives, there’s never a day of smooth sailing. I know that when I face something in my live, that there’s people around the world going thru the same thing, if not worse. So if I can create a song that others can relate to and use it as a tool to get them thru it, I know I’ve done my job and that’s fulfilling to me! More advice is to be dedicated and humble, touch as many people as you can with product, whether it be online via social media, digital retailers, radio and blogs, most importantly I must say NEVER forget the streets…
Any shout outs?
Definitely, a shout out to my family, friends and fans who motivate and support me. And of course a shout out to RedStar for believing in me and their commitment to truly support their artists!
