From beats to the bakery, Philadelphia hip-hop legend Beanie Sigel is teaming up with a local restaurateur to create a bagel shop.
Sigel, with the help of Angelo’s Pizzeria owner Danny DiGiampietro, is in the early stages of launching "Beanie’s Bagels." He made the announcement via Instagram earlier this week.
"Both of us being South Philly guys, it’s a match made in heaven," Sigel said.
The rap icon insists that this will be no ordinary bagel shop. Roast beef and pulled chicken sandwiches are just two of the unique, South Philly-style food options they will offer to separate Beanie’s Bagels from other breakfast-only bakeries.
DiGiampietro is currently in the process of moving his pizzeria from Haddonfield, New Jersey, to the South Philly location formerly occupied by the beloved Sarcone's Deli.
The "master bread maker," according to Sigel, will serve as the magic behind the taste of Beanie’s Bagels while continuing to run his pizza and sandwich shop on S 9th Street.
“We’ve been going back and forth talking about recipes,” Sigel told NBC10.
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The duo is still researching possible locations around the city to get the bagel business up and running. They are aiming to open the first shop by the end of the year, and hope to expand to multiple locations in the future.
In the early 2000's, Sigel, whose real name is Dwight Grant, exploded from a Philly hip-hop artist onto the national stage under Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. After spending over a half decade as one of the top rappers, his troubles with violence and law enforcement brought an abrupt stop to his music career.
He was shot in Pleasantville, New Jersey, in 2016 after being released from federal prison after serving time for tax evasion.
This transition to the restaurant business gives the rapper another opportunity to make his mark on the city of Philadelphia.
