Producer and mainstream veteran gospel rap artist Pettidee has been in the urban gospel music industry for over a decade and can boast of both Grammy nominations as a producer and Stellar nominations as an artist during the span of his musical career. A native of Jacksonville, FL, Pettidee grew up in an urban environment that is very similar to neighborhoods across America where young people are faced with hard decisions about which road to take in their lives.
During the course of his life, Pettidee experienced a number of things growing up as a youth including an unfortunate experience of child molestation and a secret battle with depression and suicide , of which, he almost took his own life had it not been for the intervention of his mother unexpectedly walking in on him. The call of the Lord on his life was undeniable. Even though he did not have a personal relationship with the Lord, he knew of the Lord.
Eventually, after a series of life changing events and revelations, Pettidee would come to establish an intimate and personal relationship with the Lord and experience a new life and passion for living. By 1998, he would emerge as a Christian rap artist and producer out of obedience to the voice of the Lord. Aside from ministering through music, he is a motivational speaker and evangelist who travels to both youth and adult correctional facilities and homeless shelters where he speaks with and ministers to youth and adults who are enduring serious life hardships.
In September 2008, Pettidee released the official video for his track entitled "All Alone" shot on location in South Africa. Both the song and the video touches on serious life matters and acts of inhumanity such as with the Darfur civil war in Sudan that has been referred to as blatant acts of genocide against African-Sudanese farmers and citizens. Pettidee’s production track record includes Grits, Antonio Neal, Urban D, 4th Avenue Jones and many more. Pettidee has performed alongside other mainstream urban gospel recording artists such as Mary Mary, Tonex, Lisa McClendon, T-Bone, Grits, J Moss, Cross Movement, Fred Hammond, Tye Tribbet, Canton Jones and Shei Atkins. Pettidee has also enjoyed crossover appeal and success amongst the secular music industry having had performed in major concerts and productions that featured artists such as Master P, Trina, T.I., Thrill Da Playa and Ruben Studdard.
In 2009, one of Pettidee's previously recorded songs from off of his Thug Love album entitled "Never Give Up (Making Me Better)" will be featured in an upcoming movie co-starring Lil Wayne and Bow Wow entitled Hurricane Season. It’s not just about the music for Pettidee, but the message in the music. A loving father and husband,Pettidee is proud to represent a genre of music that reaches everyone regardless of age, ethnicity and religion. “The ability to share music I’m proud to have my kids listen to is important to me”, says Pettidee. Listen to the recorded program and interview with Pettidee in the FuZion Zone.
