Famouz

Reggie Stephens, performing under the name Famouz, carved out an early ambition for music that set him apart from the typical athlete-turned-rapper, long before he suited up as a professional football player for the New York Giants in the NFL and the Nashville Kats in the AFL. At age 12 he started rapping, and three years later he landed an opening slot for E-40. Though he later attended Rutgers and devoted himself to the gridiron on the way to the pros, the drive to record never faded; he earmarked portions of his football income to revive that original pursuit. His debut album, Ghetto Passport, arrived in 2007 on the World Jam label and included contributions from E-40, Bun B, and Jon Bon Jovi.