The Jersey Shore cast has occasionally touted their show as relatable and accurate in regards to portraying their side of New Jersey. But rock band Bon Jovi had a different experience growing up in the Garden state. Jon Bon Jovi didn’t mince words when it came to the Jersey Shore. The vocalist had strong ties to New Jersey, having been born and raised there. He credited the state for turning him into the person that he was, which he felt other artists could identify with.

“New Jersey shaped who and what I am. Growing up in Jersey gave you all the advantages of New York, but you were in its shadow. Anyone who’s come from here will tell you that same story. … It dates back to Sinatra. Anybody — Jerry Lewis, Abbott and Costello — they all had to fight for what they did, and this is where they came from,” Bon Jovi once told ABC News.