Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: My name is Marcos Ramirez a.k.a. El Marcos. I’m a rap artist who loves listening to Rock & Roll, eating McDonalds, going to the movie theater, buying sunglasses, wearing sleeveless band tee’s, drinking Miller Lite, smoking cowboy killers and making music.
As a child, I grew up listening to Classic Rock and Oldies because of my Dad, Rap/Hip Hop because of second oldest brother and Alternative Rock and R&B because of oldest brother. And honestly, I feel that all of those various sounds and distinct voices I listened to over the years, really encouraged me to be more open minded and versatile as an artist
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “El Marcos”?
A: My original plan was to use social media to grow my fan base organically but it’s a lot more difficult than I expected. So now I’m using stickers…YES, STICKERS! Custom holographic stickers with the artwork for my song and a QR code that links to my Spotify release
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Singers. Singers inspire me the most at all times. Chris Cornell, Elton John, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Whitney Houston, Alina Baraz, Chester Bennington and the list goes on.
I admire how they can tell a story so gracefully with their vocals.
I find inspiration for my music through my personal experiences and the emotions attached to them, whether it be a loss, a moment of triumph, a past or current relationship, a moment of vulnerability or even a fun night out. Basically anything I live or have lived.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “The Gift Of The Curse.”?
A: The Gift Of The Curse is about my own mental health and the struggles associated with it.
(The Gift) is being able to create music from (The Curse) of human emotion.
Fun Fact: I drew the artwork for the single, myself.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Truthful
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “The Gift Of The Curse”?
A: Honestly, the only challenge I had with this song was the mixing. I had no experience or knowledge in that area whatsoever. I watched countless YouTube videos and I did the best I could.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: Every song I create will have its own message.
Some messages will be deep and some may not. Ultimately, the listener can always decide for themselves. That’s the beauty of music right?
My overall goal is to inspire at least one person in the world. I would feel a sense of achievement, knowing that my music was the reason behind the inspiration for that one indiv
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: It’s hard to choose just one but since my music is in the genre of Rap and Hip Hop, it would have to be The Notorious BIG. His debut album “Ready to Die” is a classic that I can listen to from beginning to end.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Start somewhere. Anywhere. Write some lyrics. Record a song on your phone. Find your voice. Maybe even study music history.
Just find your starting point and don’t look back. Who knows, you might be the next big thing.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Take that leap of faith because everyone waits for the perfect time but time waits for no one.
