Ignatius Weche

Ignatius Weche (born Jacob Ignatius Weche Ekere) is a Kenyan-born artist raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He began his music career at a young age, producing and writing his own songs, and audio engineering at his mother’s church. He has released multiple albums and EPs, including “Ralph Vuitton,” “Fresh Prince of Belair Road,” “JACOB” and “KID RAGER”. Early Releases: He released his first mixtape “Ralph Vuitton Vol. 1” in 2013 under the name “Weche”. In 2014, he released “Fresh Prince of Belair Road” as “Ralph V” on SoundCloud. This mixtape received positive reviews and was featured on The Source Magazine’s website.. Popstar Jay: He transitioned to the name “Popstar Jay” and released numerous albums and singles from 2018 to 2023, including “Trap Boyz No. 9,” “The Party Never Ends,” “From Baltimore, With Love,” and more. In summer 2025 he adopted the name Papi Merlot after his favorite drink and released the EP “JACOB”. In August 2025 he released his EPs “Music in Color”, and “PURPLE”.