Moufy: It's Massachusetts 'til I Die

CORRECTION BELOW

“I was like, dang, that’s an honor to perform at Harvard. I like Harvard,” said Moufy, who will be performing at Tommy Doyle's Pub for the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fall Charity Party in December.

Upcoming rapper Jeffrey (“Do you have a middle name?” “Na.”) Fortunato, also known as Moufy, sat in an upstairs corner of the two-story Harvard Square Starbucks, the Chateau Marmont, some say, of the 02138.

A celebrity by nature, Fortunato arrived 45 minutes late to the interview, accompanied by three groupies—including his older brother—decked out in matching Moufy apparel.

From the streets to JFK Street, Fortunato spent his adolescence traveling between the inner-city and outer-suburbs. During high school, Fortunato lived at home with his single mother while making the commute to Cambridge private school Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N). After leaving BB&N and making a quick educational detour to New Hampshire, Fortunato found his way back to his native home—Boston. With songs like “Boston Lights,” Fortunato said he sees himself as “a city boy at heart.”

The “city boy” humbly called himself and his following “just kids reaching for the stars”—a phrase which inspired his nickname for his fans, the “Star Gang,” and their accompanying line of memorabilia.

“Me and my organization are lucky enough to have the greatest fans in the world ... no competition,” said Fortunato. Move over, Little Monsters.

Another arena in which Moufy has no competition: his website’s domain name. The name “Moufy,” pronounced like “mouthy” but with an “f,” evolved from Fortunato’s nickname, “Mouf.” (A man of few words but many raps, Fortunato did not describe how “Mouf” developed from “Jeffrey Fortunato.”)

With an opening performance for rapper Mac Miller and three Boston Music Awards nominations under his belt, maybe Jay-Z and Kanye should watch their throne. Until then, Moufy will soak in the Boston lights—“617 engraved in my soul/ Ain’t that so spiritual?”

Correction:

The Nov. 10 article, "Moufy: It's Massachusets 'til I Die," incorrectly stated the location of Moufy's December performance. The location is Tommy Doyle's Pub in Harvard Square, not the Alpha Epsilon Pi house.