Hello, my name is Elliehue Devon Bets, and my stage name is Popeye". I'm 22 years old and my birth date is July 17, 1981. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, on the south side of 39th street, I attended Doolittle Elementary School and graduated from Wendell Philipps High School. Raised under the loving guidance of my maternal grandparents since the age of 4 when my parents separated, I'm the oldest of six boys, with my only sister the eldest of us all. At the age of 3, when my ears really first heard music I've been in love with it. It was something that took my soul to another place, made me feel good about myself-something unexplainable. Little did I know then that now, I would be making music, but God works in mysterious ways. I've been rapping and making music for the last 10 years-performing professionally since the age of 12 and in the studio recording for the past seven years. The name Popeye I got from my old dance group-"Phase 2" Dance Troupe. Initiation of each troupe member was adopting a name based on that person's funniest looking body part. For me, the name Popeye seems to fit due to my "pop eyes". Naturally, I didn't like the name at first, but it was memorable, people used it and I got used to it, although I chose to spell it differently. Through music I've been given the opportunity to give back to my community, it has allowed me to inspire kids of all ages in a positive way by teaching them to dance and make their own music. These kids view me as a role model and I try to pass on to them the same unconditional love that I've received from those around me. For my own role model, I need look no further than my coach and manager, Jimmy Simmons. Jimmy, in addition to his role as president of What's Up Productions, has consistently taken the time to instilled in me a sense of pride and confidence, which ultimately, has led me to become both a better man and a better performer.