Ocel was born Leco Nejuan Garth in Louisville, Kentucky. Born to an unwed mother and a drug-dealing father, Ocel was brought up by both his mother and grandmother which included moving around the Midwest, with cities such as Memphis, Nashville, and St.Louis serving as his temporary residences.
At age 9 he began writing his own raps and rhyming. Ten years later at the age of 19 he gave his first performance at the Midwest Coliseum in Memphis.
By the time he had reached young adulthood, Ocel had no particular career ambition, running the streets, selling marijuana and working various low-end jobs. It wasn't until winning a local radio contest in Louisville that gave him the opportunity to open for Master P and other No Limit artists that he felt called to pursue a career in rap.
At this time, what was once a fun hobby to Ocel became an art-form that the young rapper honed and devoted much of his attention to. He made himself known on various circuits in Louisville, Memphis, Atlanta and Cleveland, performing at different venues and meeting other rappers on the cities' local scenes.
Since beginning his rap hustle nearly ten years ago, Ocel has built up an impressive fan base in the Louisville area and has a steady presence on the music scene. He hopes to take it to the next level with his single, Don't Hurt Me Again, which is getting airplay on Louisville's urban station, B96.
Now, OCEL is reaching commercial radio in different regions of the country and gaining new fans across the nation. In 2008, our introduction of OCEL to the world with the premier from regional talents will gain major record label recognition and attract national artist to OCEL music.
