First and foremost I was born and raised in Staten Island New York but don't get it confused for even a second...world wide! There isn't a corner I havent stood on or a place on this planet I havent been promoting Hip Hop music in its purest form. Through my career I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel...work as well as play with all of my favorite artist and producers such as Busta Buss..LL Cool J..Method Man..Mobb Deep..Eminem..Snoop..50..I mean everybody knows the kid on a personal level. Honestly I've been rhyming since I was 10 and Its been my thing since then. I grew up in Great Kills where at the time Hip Hop as well as anybody who listened to it or made it werent appreciated very much. Times were racially banana's in S.I! In Fact I was kicked out of New Dorp High School for constantly fighting with kids from the "other side". I would battle heads from the Pj's and have them ready to fight! Me personally always kept it genuine. I had a crew from West Brighton..I battled the hottest Mc out there at the time because we had the same name..I aired this dude out in his own hood so bad that I almost didn't leave that day. If it wasnt for the neighborhood crime boss over watching I might not be hear today. He saw something in me from a distance and came to my side. From that day forth my name was Buzzing hard in the Hoods of Static Island. In 93 I crossed paths with somebody who introduced me to this game. Shyheim the rugged child. Stapleton became my second home. I watched the whole Wu formulate and blow right before my eyes. Saw it all first hand. I was told that I had it..just needed to be where it was at...I was rocky with the dead arm since day one but just like in part 3..once the hood taught me to move with grace, speed, and power it was a wrap! Been dancing on 'em ever since! I remember knocking on RNS's door (the producer who taught Rza) everyday in those projects trying so desperately to show my capabilities and get on. Even though the streets embraced me, something didn't feel right, I felt as long as I would be in those hoods making music..dudes could always say..why should we hand success to some kid who aint even from here trying to do exactly what we are??? I had to find my own identity. As a kid my parents often left me with my Nanny Pellegrino....She always called me "my JOJO". One day it hit me and I asked her how she felt about it...JOJO PELLEGRINO was born. I emmediatly switched it up and began to tell tales from my side repping a different section. I grew up on the south shore of Staten Island so I came with that "SOUTH SHORE STUFF"! Now I had Dudes who weren't even fucking with Hip Hop nodding their heads. Me and my friend at the time Calogero formed a group of Italian rappers called "Chapter Regime". Man Calogero was and still is just as nice with them tracks as I am with these raps. We had a 12 inch out called "Crime Family" spinning on the radio (hot 97) in 1996! I couldn't be contained though! Everybody who heard the music would say lose the group and lets get JOJO where he needs to be. I stayed in the studio working on my solo material and got a major record deal a few years later. I signed to Violator records.






















After Loud records who was Chris Lighty's distribution at the time folded, The buzz I had worked so hard to build started to decrease and noone at Violator seemed to mind. At that point in time I was all over the radio tv and streets. My first song leaked called "FOGEDABOUDID" was in damn near regular rotation and won Dj Clues "Battle of the streets" contest voted 1st place by the listeners putting it in the HOT 97's "Battle of the streets hall of fame". My street record called "Where Im from" was the one that put me over the top as far as street credibility in the business. In that record I flipped Jigga's joint into a graphic description of my neighborhood and everything that came with it! The song was on mixtapes all over the world and had all of my favorite rappers Going out of their way to give me love and support. Ill never forget when I was in the Hit Factory one night and Chris Lighty comes up stairs and tells me I have a visitor. When I walked to the lounge area...Nasty Nas himself! Telling me "Joe you got it..You the truth..lets do something!" I love Chris Lighty with all my heart for doing all those things for me and making me a somebody in the game, I just wish he would of told me what was going on with Loud records. I had to hear it from Steve and his Brother. The last effort I made at Violator was this...I told them about 50 cent and How I felt he was the next Biggie. 5o and I would talk about making music. I told them look if you sign him then work the two of us..you will literally take over hip hop. They told me I was crazy..50 got issues! My man Eric Nicks who had signed me to Violator originally, kept 5o around the company. Oddly enough after I bounced from Violator they signed 50 cent and aligned him with Slim Shady. Wow! Thats when the struggle began. I went back to the drawing board formed a team with my man London who was literally the most stand up, respected, and one of the most intellectual and feared brothers on the streets period! He had me in all the magazines for our street album "HITMAN FOR HIRE". I received all flawless reviews down the line and became a force to recognize. Double XXL editors waited and held my review purposely to make sure it was in the issue with Em 50 and Dre on the cover with the ill "HITMAN FOR HIRE" review right next to Nas's "GODSON" lp. Before we were able to acquire a new record contract, things got bad. London was shot in front of me and left to die in my arms with a hole the size of a silver dollar in the middle of his chest. I was able to drag him to a truck and get him to the hospital where he survived.






















Months later London was arrested and charged with the murder of who the swine had believed to be the person who had shot him originally. He is now serving a 25 to life sentence for his second homicide..The first was in 1989 where he was sentenced to 12 years. Theres a lot more to the story but folks this is what drove ya boy JOJO into a deep depression. All I had through the struggle was my music. During this time I got in trouble with the law myself, lost practically anybody I considered a friend, my girlfriend, my sanity, my family life went to shambles and my buttons were being pushed by pussies who knew I would wipe them out but ran their mouths anyway just to kick me while I was down! I sacrificed everything including my life for this music and couldn't understand why record companies wouldn't sign me. Some people even say I was blackballed by the haters who new I could do it better then them! Listening to half of the bullshit the airwaves and street Djays were supplying didn't make this time of my life, any more pleasurable either! You wouldn't believe me if I told you some of the details of this struggle! I have been through and seen so much in these past few years, from standing in the lobby of one of the Towers as the other crumbled on 911 to violence in my neighborhood to Federal charges being brought on Uncle Franky leaving his family in turmoil to shocking unexpected deaths of friends and family to the conviction of My brother slash manager to people in this industry keeping me on a string giving me false hope to the closest people to me driving daggers through my back when it was turned! I know what life is about and what it entails, but to me its about all of this reflected through good music and moving the people. I look at each of my fans across the globe as friends because all of my fans know me personally...even if they never met me... my music brings me that close to them and them that much closer to me! Now Im stronger then ever! I got a new fully loaded library of official JOJO PELLERINO MUSIC AVAILABLE AT ALL YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE STORES INCLUDING I-TUNES. You could easily purchace any of the albums in it's entirety or seperatly download the songs. The "HITMAN FOR HIRE" is available as well as PELLAFREESTYLES VOL. 1... Ringtones are also available. Coming soon to the online PellaStore will be.."Shore Stuff" and at least two other projects offering you enough Pella to have you convinced I'm the best that never did it! Look this is what I do and I will never let up! Not even for a second. This is my calling and It's been a journey most could never endure. Now here comes the pressure! Industry dudes used to jump out windows and hide under desks when I moved on them. Ask around..Now thier best bet is to not come to the office at all and just set thier stuff up to work from home. I deserve this..I want this.. I need this..I live this and I am taking whats mine. I got alot of good people who have all the faith in the world in me and will always step up for me or do whatever they could to get us all out of this fucking hell we in out here in "Ratten Island". Even my brother London is still using all his ties and still dedicating his energy over the phone and any way he can to bringing me Closer to my dreams from a correctional facility hours from New York! As you can tell I dont even socialize with quitters. I would much rather Try to fail then fail to try! I promise there is only one JOJO PELLEGRINO in this world! I know it...my parents know it...my family friends and girl know it...my enemies know it...these labels rappers and industry people know it...my fans know it...But it just isn't enough. I want to be everybody's favorite rapper and I will be by hook or by crook! JJP!

taken from http://www.myspace.com/jojopellegrinojjp