BEING BORN UP NORTH THEN MOVING DOWN SOUTH IS AN ADJUSMENT SOME PEOPLE NEVER HAVE TO MAKE. THE FAST CITY LIFE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE SOUTHERN DRAWN RED CLAY OF ALBANY, GA. STEPHEN BECKFORD ALSO KNOWN AS PACKMAN WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK ON JAN 21, 1987. AFTER BEING RAISED IN ONE OF THE TOUGHEST BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK PACKMAN AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO ALBANY, GA IN 1996. THEY LIVED ON THE NORTHSIDE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER KNOWN AS CME. HAVING A YOUNGER SISTER, AND BROTHER HIS HOUSE QUICKLY BEGAN TO BECOME THE NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT. COMING UP HIS MOTHER WORKED SEVERAL JOBS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR HIM AND HIS SIBLINGS. PACKMAN BEING THE OLDEST WISHED THERE WAS A WAY HE COULD HELP OUT TO LIGHTEN THE BURDEN. AS PACKMAN GOT OLDER HE REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HIS ENVIROMENT A LOT OF GANG ACTIVITY AND DRUG SELLING. ATHOUGH HE WAS YOUNG AND VULNERABLE HE DIDN’T GET DRAWN INTO THE STREET LIFE RIGHT AWAY. TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE BALANCE PACKMANS STEP FATHER AUDIE MURPHY WAS THERE FROM THE START. HE TOOK A CARRER CHANGE IN 2002 WHICH RELOCTED THE FAMILY TO DUVAL COUNTY FLORIDA. AT THE AGE OF 15 PACKMAN FOUND HIMSELF IN MIXON TOWN, A WELL KNOWN HOOD IN JACKSONVILLES WESTSIDE AREA. EVERYBODY FROM DUVAL KNOWS ABOUT MIXON TOWN. SAVAGE LIFE MENTALITY AND PACKMAN FOUND OUT FIRSTHAND. THE FIRST DAY HE WITNESSED AN ARMY OF UNDERCOVER OFFICERS SWARM THE BLOCK AND LAY EVERYBODY DOWN IN WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A MAJOR DRUG STING. KNOWING THE PRODUCT WAS THERE PACKMAN BEGAN TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND GOT INVOLVED IN THE DRUG TRADE AND STARTED A SMALL TIME HUSTLE OF HIS OWN. WATCHING HIS MOM GO TO SCHOOL AND WORK FULL TIME TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY BEGAN TO TAKE A TOLL ON HIM. PACKMAN DECIDED HE WANTED TO HELP. KNOWING IF HIS MOTHER FOUND OUT HE WAS SELLING DRUGS IT WOULD BREAK HER HEART PACKMAN TOOK THE CHANCE ANYWAY. ALLURED BY THE GLITZ AND GLAMOR OF THE DRUG TRADE THE MONEY JUST WASN’T ENOUGH ANY MORE. PACKMAN WANTED MORE, AND MORE HE GOT. HE STARTED HUSTLING OUT OF ABANDONDED HOUSES A.K.A THE TRAP THAT WAY HE COULD CATER TO HIS CUSTOMERS 24/7 AND KEEP THE HEAT OFF HIS MOMS HOUSE. THIS DEEMED TO BE VERY PROFITABLE FOR PACKMAN AND HE BEGAN TO CREATE A NAME FOR HIMSELF. MUSIC ALWAYS HAD AN IMPACT ON PACKMANS LIFE. HE WOULD OFTEN FIND HISSELF IN THE STUDIO WITH HIS GOD BROTHER PERK. AFTER AWHILE HE BEGAN TO MESS AROUND ON THE BEAT JUST FREESTYLING WHATEVER WAS ON HIS MIND AT THE TIME. HE NEVER TOOK IT THAT SERIOUS, JUST ENJOYED HANGING OUT WITH HIS GOD BROTHER. IT WASN’T UNTIL HIS LATEST ENDEVOR THAT PACKMAN REALLY DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO PERSUE A RAP CARRER AND TRY AND REACH THE PEOPLE THROUGH HIS MUSIC. PACKMAN HAS A STORY TO TELL AND IT WON’T BE LONG BFORE EVERYBODY HEARS IT. PACKMAN MEET SOUTH BREED THOUGH HIS LITTLE BROTHER AUDIE MOE AND FROM THE JUMP THE 2 HAD A MUTUAL RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER. THEY BOTH HAD THEIR SONS WITH THEM THAT DAY. SOUTH BREED BEING ANOTHER UP & COMING ARTIST WAS ALWAYS IN THE STUDIO AND IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE PACKMAN FOUND HISELF IN A FAMILIAR PLACE. PACKMAN ALWAYS JOKED AROUND ABOUT RECORDING BUT MADE IT OFFICIAL JUST MARCH OF THIS YEAR RECORDING HIS 1ST SOLO TRACK ENTITLED “TAKEOFF”. HE LINKED UP WITH IN HOUSE PRODUCER OWEN GESSLER (O.G PROD.), AND THE REST HAS LITERALLY BEEN HISTORY OVER NIGHT. IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS PACKMAN HAS ALREADY CREATED QUITE A BUZZ FOR HIMSELF. IN HIS SONG TITLED “UNDERDOGS” HE DELIVERS INSIGHT ON THE NAME THE STREETS GAVE HIM “YEA THEY CALL ME STEPLEP NOW IM PACK NIGGA/ PACKMAN JONES YEA I GOT THAT PACK NIGGA/”. WITH A FAN BASE CONTINUING TO GROW PACKMAN HAS HIS EYES ON THE PRIZE AND NO PLANS OF STOPPING. HELL, HES JUST GETTING STARTED. STAY TUNED!!!