Worked His Way Up In The Industry From Selling Merchandise To Cutting His First Mixtapes

Cave Spring, GA. (Top40 Charts/ Tommy Pope, Jr Official Website) - Tommy Pope, Jr. always had dreams of hitting it big. Born in Rome, Ga., and raised in Cave Spring, Ga., he was miles away from the bright lights and the big city, but wanted to get into the Hip-hop music scene. He stayed on his grind working his way up the ladder and today, the rap star known as Tha Pope has fans all over the Southeast.

'I dreamt of being a big rap star someday with my own album and fans,' Pope said. 'But I had to start on the bottom and make my name and reputation on the street.'

Influenced by Tupac Shakur and Cash Money Records, Pope always wanted to make it big in the music industry. He joined a local label and got to cut his teeth alongside big rap stars like T.I., B.G. and Soulja Slim. But Pope was always waiting for his big break and instead worked the neighborhoods hustling clothing, CDs and DVDs to pay the bills while he paid his dues in the industry.

'I was just focusing on making a name for myself on the streets because I knew some day my day was going to come,' Pope said. 'There were some rough times while I had to scrounge my way up to get my big break.'

It was finally in 2004 that he worked with other local artists and finally got a break with Mobstyle Entertainment. He renamed himself Tha Pope, cut five mixtapes and went back to the streets to grow the popularity of his music.

'It was the first realization that finally rap music was no longer my hobby but I was able to make it my business,' he said. 'It was the underground rap circuit that gave me my first break thanks to pounding the streets and staying connected to the 'hood.'

It launched his career as an up-and-coming star in the rap scene and scored him opening act opportunities with some big names in the industry. Before he knew it, he was sharing the stage with superstars such as T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Trina, Young Buck, D4L, Young Jeezy, Field Mob, Yo Gotti, Gucci Mane, Nivea and others. Reaching out beyond Atlanta, Tha Pope has been able to grow his fan base throughout the Southeast United States.

'I have accomplished a lot since starting out selling t-shirts, CDs and DVDs while waiting for my big break,' he said. 'I am looking forward to expanding my fan base and making some great music that grows my popularity. It's all about the fans. They gave me my big break and I look forward to putting out some more hot singles.'

To check out the music that launched Tha Pope and to get some insider tips on what's next in his future; please check out his website at www.thapopemusic.com.