Phenom

Bronx, New York-born Phenom (Jason Pagan) is truly living the American dream. Endowed with an innate talent and yet an even greater gift for pouring out the hard work necessary, the artist is building his own Hip-Hop empire, crafting and creating his own music while helping to promote and produce that of other up and coming artists along the way. He’s sticking to his guns, being true to himself and what he believes, and his unwavering commitment to excellence, substance, and honesty permeates everything the artist touches.

Phenom’s journey has been an unusual one, finding him drop out of school in the eighth grade where he soon discovered the joys of music.

“I first started making music at age 13,” he offers. “My older sister was dating a producer who taught me how to produce beats. After a while of making beats, I started to produce songs for some local artists and by age 16, I was writing songs for other artists as well as for myself.”

Inspired by the work of artists like Nas, Jay-Z, and the legendary Michael Jackson, the artist’s work quickly gained steam, finding him release his first EP, Feeling Like a Champion, in 2011 which boasted popular hits like “Local Celebrity,” featuring DeX! and “My Better Half” which found him teaming with Jovanna. The accolades continued to come, drawing comparisons to artists such as Fabolous, Drake, and Jay-Z, while applauding the unique voice in Phenom’s work.

“I’m not one to emulate trends,” the artist shares. “I keep honesty in my music whether I’m doing a thought-provoking song or something for the radio. I stay true to my character in my music. I don’t put on a persona for sales. And contrary to most Hip-Hop artists, I don’t degrade women or talk about money and violence in my music.”

Similar success and energy fueled the artist’s work on the production end as he was provided the opportunity to work with a variety of producers from all across the globe. He’s executive produced a number of mixtapes, albums, and EPs for multiple artists and also earned his stripes engineering for well-known acts like Triple Seis (formerly of Terror Squad) and Oun-P.

With his commercial, radio-ready sounds on the move, it was time for the artist to roll out the second phase of his master plan, launching his own entertainment company, So Phenomenal Entertainment, at the age of 21. That transition saw him not only working at his own music but wearing an array of hats, taking on duties as executive producer, audio engineer, songwriter, manager, and head of artist development.

Phenom’s built his company around a set of core beliefs that resonate throughout everything he does. Authenticity is chief among his beliefs and finds itself front and center in the company’s  motto, “Be True. Be You. Be So Phenomenal.” Passion is another key virtue that fuels the artist’s drive, in particular a passion that is accompanied by a die-hard work ethic. As the artist shares, “I never considered myself overly talented but I consider myself a hard worker and hard work will always beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Phenom’s formula seems to be working, as the company and his music continue to gain steam, fueled by his lyrical honesty, musical integrity, and his desire for excellence in each and every facet of his business. And when you hear “So Phenomenal” is associated with a new song, you’re going to know it’s something special.