In 1979, a young couple in love did what young couples in love do. 9 months later, St. Jerome was born in Modesto, California on December 5th. The son of a protestant preacher, Jerome was raised in church. Because rap music was not allowed in his household, St. Jerome had not yet been exposed to the sound that would consume his future. When he was about 5 years old, Jerome had a breakthrough, a moment that would alter the course of his life from that day forward. Jerome’s older brother, a rebellious nine-year old (Masta J Buddha) had smuggled home a copy of Run DMC’s Raising Hell. The sound was new, the beats were crazy, and Jerome’s mind took to the rhymes like he was pre-wired to listen to the wordplay.

                        The years passed, and the imported contraband evolved. In the early years it was Run DMC and LL Cool J. Then came NWA, Too $hort, Public Enemy, Erik B and Rakim; Jerome was in paradise when hip-hop graced his ear canals. As he grew older, his tastes for the music matured, and hip-hop music continued to grow and flourish as the universal sound of a whole generation. Coming into his teen years, St. Jerome was introduced to the most influential music group of his life, The Wu-Tang Clan, in 1993. With energy, intelligence, hunger, immense talent, and some of the most groundbreaking sounds yet heard in the hip hop genre, the Wu sparked an itch to perform and create in Jerome’s blood; something that had been buried deep down within Jerome his entire life, waiting to be found. St. Jerome thirsted for the rugged, underground rap sound, and quickly discovered that often, the best cuts were not played on the radio. As a teenager, Jerome was heavily influenced by some of his favorite music groups: Tribe Called Quest, Gravediggaz, Outkast, Common, Biggie Smalls, Nas, Snoop, Gang Starr, Camp Lo, Big L, Group Home and KRS-ONE among many others. Each artist had something different to offer. After all, every artist’s style is a compilation of life experiences, musical influences, and genetic information, all coming together to weave sonic tapestries irreproducible by any other man.

                        Saint Jerome’s first LP, Overqualified, was originally finished in 2004. This freshman effort marked a monumental achievement for Jerome in breathing life into a lifelong dream. This album was humbly created in Jerome’s apartment from top to bottom. You’ll find no studio-engineered sound mastering on this album, and no fancy CD packaging to coat the message lying within. If you want to hear the hunger of a fresh, starving young MC, this is for you. This album is nothing but raw lyrics, home-made beats, and a message that should satisfy any underground hip-hop head.

                        Currently, St. Jerome is no longer just a hip-hop fan, but a hip-hop creator. A trendsetter, Jerome loves to go against the grain and to rebel against what the mainstream accepts as popular rap or “hip pop.” St. Jerome is consumed by hip-hop music, and is absolutely dedicated to the arts of rhyming, producing, and performing the sound that relentlessly grips his soul. Jerome has been laying in wait for several years now, patiently awaiting the proper inspiration to create the right project at the right time, and determined not to force feed listeners with uninspired drivel. With his sights currently focused on moving his craft forward, St. Jerome is also behind-the-scenes creating a wicked concoction of sounds for his sophomore LP, to be titled, as well as collaborations with McFade and Desert Reign Productions. Keep an eye and two ears out for this young hip-hop lyricist, committed to taking the music to new heights.