Who’s Pacaso Ramirez?.

With a catalog that is 21 albums deep, and a history in Christian Hip Hop that stems all the way back to 2005, Pacaso Ramirez is a weathered emcee with nothing to lose. Prior to ripping mics in the name of Christ, Pacaso was a hungry foul-mouthed emcee that was lyrically in the same lane as the likes of Big Pun, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli and DMX to name a few.

Pacaso Ramirez embarked on his musical journey at the tender age of 8, sparked by his discovery of LL Cool J’s “Radio” and the Beastie Boys’ “License to Ill” within his parents’ tape collection. These iconic albums ignited his passion for writing and rapping from an early age. By the time he reached 6th grade, he co-founded the group Quad IV with two friends, an impressive feat for a 10-year-old, composing over 200 songs and three albums, although none were ever recorded.

In 7th grade, Pacaso’s musical aspirations began to take shape. He frequently graced the stage at talent shows and school dances, performing popular songs of the era such as Outkast’s “Elevators,” Westside Connection’s “Bow Down,” and Ma$e and Puff Daddy’s “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down.” It wasn’t until 8th grade that he met the first member of the group that would ultimately propel his career ambitions to new heights. Together, they formed “Da Imbesi,” with an in-house producer, leading to entirely original content. Their performances at talent shows showcased tracks like “Can U Feel Me” and “Godfather Assassins,” quickly gaining popularity and setting them on a path to the hip-hop scene. Unfortunately, this trajectory took an unexpected turn when the other member of Da Imbesi relocated to another school, deflating their promising progress.

Undeterred, Pacaso continued to collaborate with other aspiring emcees and briefly became a part of a group called the Inquisition. Their method involved passing verses back and forth, eventually forming complete songs, although this collaboration was short-lived.

In his senior year, with the newfound freedom of cars, Da Imbesi made a resurgence, working on a new EP intended for major record labels. A new group member, Eturniti (who would later become Pacaso’s wife), brought a fresh dynamic to the team. However, circumstances led to the departure of the other original member, leaving Pacaso and Eturniti to continue as a duo, further strengthening their personal relationship. Simultaneously, Pacaso began to explore solo projects, writing lyrics, creating his own beats, and even engaging in online hip-hop chat rooms for written and verbal battles where he frequently emerged victorious. His delivery and wordplay became known and respected among his peers.

At the age of 21, a pivotal encounter with another fellow emcee, Ben Black, led to the formation of a new group. Abandoning the name Da Imbesi, they adopted the moniker “Second Nature.” Initially, they recorded their first official album using a Karaoke Machine, which garnered positive reviews and attracted the attention of a talent agency. However, their collaboration with the agency proved to be a scam, altering the group’s trajectory. Second Nature began work on a second album that was never recorded, and they also composed their third and fourth albums. However, a shift was evident. They felt compelled to create more positive, curse-free music. Their spiritual journey led them to make Christian hip-hop, releasing their album “God’s Finest” in 2005. Unfortunately, their sophomore album, “Beyond Imperfect,” was never fully recorded and remained unreleased. Disagreements about the direction of the music ultimately caused Second Nature to disband.

This hiatus led Pacaso to continue making music and release several solo albums over the years such as “Merciful Servant,” “The Puzzled Mind,” “Spiritual Rhapsody,” “I Surrender EP,” and “Disciple of Christ,” helping his faith to mature and his skills to continue to evolve. In 2011, he and Eturniti decided to move forward as a duo, choosing the name “Not By Bread Alone.” Their journey led to the creation of an EP titled “Totally Redeemed.” Afterward, it seemed that no more collective music would emerge from the duo. This prompted Pacaso to concentrate heavily on his solo career, striving to convey messages of faith and transformation through his music. Between 2011 and 2013, he released two more solo albums, “With Full Armor” and “Flood Gates: The Overflow Lp.”

In 2014, as the vision and direction for his life and music continued to evolve, he planned to release the God-Ordained EP, “The Exodus Movement,” in December 2014 and a full-length album, “Sparxx Gotta Fly,” in the summer of 2015. It was at this time that Pacaso connected with fellow emcee Marlon Marshall, who also owned an upcoming record label, “Blood Related Entertainment.” As a member of Blood Related, Pacaso released “The Exodus Movement” as planned in 2014, and the label released a compilation titled “Beyond the Walls, Volume 1” in 2015. Pacaso also released the highly acclaimed “Voices in the Wilderness” album in 2016 and collaborated on “Until Our Last Breath,” a joint album with fellow emcee RNF Status. However, “Sparxx Gotta Fly” was not released until the fall of 2019. In the same year, Blood Related also released the “All or Nothing: Not for Sale EP.” Pacaso continued to release music, presenting “Somewhere Other Than Here” in the fall of 2020.

After a seven-year run, Blood Related Entertainment decided to shut down the label due to inactivity and a lack of enthusiasm from the label as a whole. This, however, did not deter Pacaso from continuing to write, record features, and executive produce other albums for fellow artists. In 2023, after a three-year hiatus, Pacaso released the 18-track “A Million Little Things”, which featured a heavy dose of emcees from the CHH space and beyond with the likes of CTPsalmist, Mr. Marshall, TC, Zach Menshouse, El Vow, Adamental, the late great Dimelo, Lank, King David that Vessel, gitemjay aka Josef wit’ da coat on, and Hugh Holla.

Sparked by his first album in 3 years, Pacaso Ramirez steamrolled 2024 by releasing 3 albums within a full calendar year. The spring release of “Before Chaos Descends”, which was a hard-hitting warning to mankind. The late fall release of the West Coast inspired “SoCal Circa82” EP with reminiscent vibes of early 90’s West Coast Hip-Hop. Lastly, on New Year’s Eve, Pacaso released a very heavy and introspective 18 track album entitled “Fundamentally Different”.

At 43 years of age, Pacaso continues to carry the same passion about his music that he did when he started 30-plus years ago. The signature growl in his vocals and his unwavering passion continue to nourish the foundation of longevity, fueling a fire to bring creative compelling lyrics over hard-hitting Boom Bap production with a Christ-like and Biblical Perspective. There’s plenty more left in the tank, and more music is always on the way shortly when it concerns Pacaso.