While most students took a break, Samford commercial music majors Jack Lepere and Owen Jackson spent the summer continuing their journey to musical stardom. From releasing music to traveling on tour, the two students displayed their talents and made connections within the music industry, all while glorifying God.
Jack Lepere, known on stage as Peair, is a senior commercial music major and up-and-coming Christian rap artist. Peair has been pursuing music for five years and has garnered over 10,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, where his most popular song “About Time” has over 55,000 streams.
One of Peair’s goals is to release two songs a month. In early June, he released the deluxe edition of his album “Sinner’s Soul.”. The album is filled with relaxed beats and samples from classic soul and R&B songs, and multiple song collaborations with artists like La Reezy, Christyan Scarborough, IDEGO and more.
Peair’s music mirrors his beliefs.
“I have a lot of things to share and a lot of stories to tell,” he said. “I want to keep creating music with a message that is deeper than the typical things we hear.
“I think Jesus needs to be the forefront of everyone’s lives, and I want my music to reflect that.”
Peair’s favorite song that he has recently released has been his single “Weather Man.”. At Holy Smoke, a Christian Rap festival held in Nashville, he recalled a special moment when he was recognized by fans for the single.
“It’s been really fun seeing the songs I create resonating with other people so much that they can even recognize me for it,” Peair said.
Peair also performed live this summer, playing shows in Rhode Island, Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The artist’s favorite show was in Atlanta, where he opened for Grammy Award winner Joe L. Barnes and ELEVATION RYTHMN. He had the opportunity to meet other prominent artists and get airtime on Christian radio stations in the Atlanta area.
He also performed in Rhode Island with his father, who is a fellow musician. Peair says that his father was one of his greatest influences to do music.
During his time at Samford, Peair’s major has allowed him to make connections and collaborate with other aspiring musicians. While he wraps up his Samford career, he hopes to play more shows and continue to make more connections in the Birmingham area.
Owen Jackson, known as IDEGO, is a junior commercial music major breaking into the Christian hip-hop genre. IDEGO plays multiple instruments but primarily produces music electronically using Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), song samples, and synthesizers.
As a “producer-artist,” IDEGO produces music for other artists while also releasing his own, where he often collaborates with vocalists. This summer, IDEGO released his debut album “FOR GLORY (His Not Mine)”. The album features punchy synth instrumentals, trap beats and collaborations with artists including A3, JWOODZ, Peair and more.
When co-creating with another artist, IDEGO says that he often feels “creatively stretched,” as it can be hard to satisfy both artists’ creative vision. However, he notes that this can result in creating a song that is a unique blend of both artists’ styles.
During his time at Samford, IDEGO has also networked with other artists and learn how to create a brand.
“My major has helped me understand how to network within the music industry and how to market and brand myself,” he said. “Most importantly, it has shown me how to utilize multiple revenue streams to hopefully make a career out of production.”
When he began promoting his album, IDEGO realized he would have to get used to not only marketing his music but also marketing himself.
“[I] had to get used to putting myself on camera to promote the album,” he said. “This was difficult for me because for a while I preferred to be behind the scenes but overcoming that fear and putting myself in front of the camera helped me build my brand, and the results showed.”
IDEGO hopes that he not only sees success in his career as a Christian hip-hop producer, but he also leads souls to Christ through his music.
“I hope that at least one person can hear the music I put out and find Jesus,” said IDEGO. “Nothing else matters at the end of the day…
“The only thing I can say to my fans, if they are out there, is to not glorify me but to give glory to God because he is the one who gave me the ability to create.”
Both Peair and IDEGO are releasing music soon. On Sept. 5, “Beautiful” by Peair and collaborator Sam Ramos. IDEGO is currently working with artist YUNG DREW to create a collaborative album that is expected to be released in October. Both artists’ music can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
