Talented, Young Local Spreads His Wings, Plans to Give Back to the Community

By R. Gabriel Villalobos

In the high desert of Southeast New Mexico, Jeffrey Rey Rascon Jr., known to his friends and colleagues as “Suge,” moves to the beat of a different drum. His studio, a creative enclave adorned with hip-hop memorabilia, including a prominent Wu-Tang Clan tattoo on his arm, is where the 30-year-old records his lyrical flow.

“Music's been a big thing for me since I was a kid,” Suge said, recalling a childhood soundtrack provided by his father and uncles, who were “hip-hop fanatics” of the ’80s and early ’90s era.

His first introduction to movement came from his cousins. He’d watch them spin on their heads and backs in a makeshift studio, a sight that captivated the young boy. Films like “Beat Street” and “Breakin’” sealed the deal, fueling a five-year passion for breaking. Then, like many, adolescence intervened.

“I stopped doing it,” he said, “started hanging around with the wrong crowd and tried to be something I wasn't.”

For almost a decade, the artform lay dormant. The turning point came 10 years ago when he connected with Anthony “G Money” Alonzo, a local community pillar and supervisor for the federal WIPP program.

“He pushed me back into this life,” Suge said. “Since then, I've been doing it every day, constantly.”

Along with his best friend, Kenan “Poppin’ Keys” Williams (now a Green Beret serving in the Army), Suge formed a dance crew. They started teaching local kids, an experience he describes as mutually transformative.

“Teaching these kids was the best part of it all,” he explained. “As much as they were learning from me, we were learning so much more from them because of what they would produce from the styles that we taught them.”

The crew grew, eventually packing the local recreation center for battles that drew dancers from as far away as Los Angeles. Suge found himself meeting with city officials, including the mayor, his influence growing through the universal language of dance.

His musical journey, however, took a slightly later and more independent path. While he’d been freestyling since middle school, he got serious about recording and producing about five years ago. He formed his own label, New Tribe Entertainment, LLC, and is now working with three artists.

“Being an independent artist, I think, is the hardest thing ‘cuz everything is on you,” he said, noting the challenge of getting heard in a saturated digital landscape. Despite that, his SoundCloud has amassed a global, if niche, audience. “I got people in Russia listening to my music. I got people in Japan listening to my music.”

His influences are a blend of East Coast foundation and West Coast innovation. While the raw style of Wu-Tang Clan is a clear inspiration, he points to the often-overlooked DJ Quik as a major influence for his production artistry and longevity.

Looking forward, Suge’s goals are deeply tied to Carlsbad. He aims to reassemble his dance crew, reigniting the local street dance scene. His most ambitious vision is a festival—a “cars and cannabis” event on private land that would blend music, food, and local culture, sponsored by his employer, NM Canna Co., and his own label.

But his biggest dream is to bring a major national rapper to his hometown, an expensive endeavor he sees as a way to give back.

“That's my biggest goal is to be like my pops,” Suge said, referring to his father, Jeff Rascon Sr., a local HVAC business owner known for his generosity. “He gives and gives and gives… I want to give back to my city.”

From a cousin’s backyard to a personal studio, from spinning on his head to spinning records, Suge’s journey is a testament to the enduring power of hip-hop culture and its potential to create rhythm, community, and purpose, even in the heart of the desert. His SoundCloud can be found by searching on soundcloud.com for SuGe-G.