Ryan Martinez Has His Eyes Set On The Stars

Ryan Martinez is a 16-year-old rapper from, that’s right, Martinez. He has a Facebook page and a YouTube site, and lots of songs he records from his bedroom studio. Martinez has his eyes set on a music career.

Martinez Patch recently asked Martinez to share some of this thoughts with us. Here is what he had to say.

Q: How long have you lived in Martinez?

A: I've lived in Martinez my whole life. I grew up going to John Swett Elementary, Martinez Junior High, and now I am currently attending Alhambra High School, just entering my junior year. I don't think I could ever leave Martinez; people find it amazing that I’m Ryan Martinez from Martinez, its pretty cool. 

Q: How long have you been rapping?

A: I have been rapping for almost two years, but never took it seriously until I uploaded my first video on YouTube on September 3rd, 2010 just a little bit over a year ago. I've always had the inspiration to write music/poems/short stories when I was younger, but music was the best way for me to explain my life, and my story that I want to share with everyone.

Q: Who are your inspirations?

A: I'm inspired by anybody who has a dream and is willing to put in the hard work and pursue it as I am doing right now. I was really influenced by Chris Brown when I was younger and Lil' Wayne because of the creativity they showed through their music. Now as a growing musician, I am very much influenced by a YouTube rapper by the name of D Pryde. I look up to him as a role model because he keeps his music real (as do I) and just tells the truth and it goes to show that people do respect you if you keep it real. Also, he started making YouTube videos when he was 14, and he is 17 now and has gone viral on the Internet with millions of views. I hope one day I can be as successful as him and all of my role models.

Q: Where do you record your material?

A: Most people don't believe it when I tell them I record all my material inside my bedroom at my house. My music does sound very good quality but it hasn't always been that way. It took me about a little over a year to finally master Adobe Audition 3.0. I am currently in the process of trying to upgrade my studio to Pro Tools 8 but that might take a while, so for now I continue to record in my bedroom and keep making my music videos on YouTube and hopefully continue gaining the support of all my local friends and family.

Q: Do you have any plans to make this your living?

A: I hope to make this a full time career. I have so many feelings and emotions I would love to express through my music I don't think I would ever run out of experiences to write about, although whether this is a life-long career or a childhood hobby is not totally up to me. I will continue to work hard for my dream.

Q: Do you flow free-style, or write your lyrics down?

A: Sometimes when I'm just hanging with my friends, I will mess around and freestyle (make up rhymes on the spot), but when I'm seriously making music, I always write because I try to put a message through all of my songs and show people another aspect of my life. Personally, half of the fun of this music for me is the writing process, getting a new beat and then grabbing my pen and paper and start jotting down ideas and then its always a good feeling when I share my lyrics with someone and they appreciate it. Makes me realize my hard work is paying off.

Q: Where do your ideas for lyrics come from?

A: I get my ideas for lyrics depending on the style of beat I'm working with. For example, if it is a slow melody piano beat I tend to write a love song, or a song dedicated to my family. If it’s an up tempo beat, I might write a song about just livin' my life and being happy and not letting things get in my way like my song "Live My Life". I like to put a positive message behind all of my music and I tell my life story so that people know they are not alone when struggling with pain or fear because I know its always more comforting when people know that they are not alone in this world and have somebody they can relate too.

Q: Do you have any advice for younger people who want to start a music career?

A: My advice for anybody trying to be a musician, is that you can't stop because people don't like you, not everyone will be a fan of your music and that's fine because there will be people out there who will support you if you put a meaning behind your music. Anything can happen, and it all happens so fast. A year ago I didn't think I'd be doing the things I do now with my music, booking shows, interviews, working with big local artists etc. I believe nothing easy is worth having, so work hard and you will see results.

Q: Any shoutouts?

A: I would like to say thanks to everybody supporting my dream and helping me with all the promotion and booking my shows, I'd like to thank Foolish Ways for asking me to open up for them because that was my first big show at RedHouse! I would like to say thanks to Scott Alstad and Etienne Carter for helping me put together my second show which I was a headliner, on September 3rd. Thanks for my mom supporting me, and my whole family, Auntie & Rich! Can't thank you guys enough for coming out to my shows! And shoutout to my team for helping me with my videos and being there for me, Taylor Poyadue, Andrew Peterson & Mike Marty! And thanks to my girlfriend Ashley for inspiring all my love songs and helping me edit some videos! I love you all, can’t thank you enough! Ryan Martinez Music, we heading to the top! RIP Dad.