Meet Marcus ( S3RF ) Blake of Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus ( S3RF ) Blake.

Hi Marcus ( S3RF ), so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was 18 when I moved out a few months before high school ended, graduated then that summer I went and l got therapy, learned about my childhood trauma plus how to work through it & then by October 2014 I moved in my car with $300 my mom helped me with to move into a spot near San Diego. That fell threw so my grandma put me in contact with a family member the night before I thought I was going to have to go back home. I then then lived with her and she broke me into the film world. I lived in Temecula working at a restaurant & hookah lounge. I use to stay at the hookah lounge after work and learn how to dj. We would go to one of my co workers house to DJ and he helped me learn by letting me practice on his equipment. Eventually the owner of the hookah lounge helped me get my first dj board.

About a year later I moved to Orange County where I lived at a frat and split a room with my friend who was in the frat. We worked on a project called How To Survive High School 6 months prior and became boys. Living at the frat we shot a few projects and I would DJ the party’s which is was a big part of my journey to understanding how to dj & what music really does for people. I always knew what it did for me but I finally got to guide the nights with music and that’s when S3RF was really born ( I just didn’t know it yet).

Around thanksgiving 2016 I had just got back to orange from spending time with my dad, totally forgetting that I sent in an audition for a movie. My buddy had the audition originally & I was helping him with his sides reading opposite, after we do his audition – I’m like, what do you think of me doing a tape for this part? It would be sick if we both got it” he responded with “let’s do it! I got the casting directors email”. Well come to find out when I got back to orange and opened my laptop, I booked the role.. tha was the first thing I saw on my computer. Next thing you know I’m in the movie Princess Of The Row.

New Years 2017 I DJ my first Hollywood hills event through a buddy I made on set of the movie Rocksteady Row. It was epic, I had an hour set and ended up releasing that mix on SoundCloud. It’s called “A Night Out”. A week later I was dj’ing another Hollywood hills party this time for a YouTube influencer.

Here’s the catch. I wasn’t suppose to DJ, I was just there because I had the equipment and he said I might be able to dj but his business partners son is coming to town to dj, so just have fun. 11pm hits the music wasn’t hitting & his business partners son laptop was buggin’. I walked up to the dj and said “yo bro, Im about to dj in 5 minutes play your last songs” he looked at me confused but was like okay…

So I took over and let’s just say the event became a whole wave. As the night kept going the vibe kept rising, a couple artist wanted there songs played but I was too in the vibe. A little later a duo came up to me & asked to play there song, with them I did. Why I don’t know, it just made sense… it went crazy. 6 months later my buddy and I move up into Downtown La off of 6th and rampart. Splitting a room cause the cost of living is crazy. I work with a duo as a dj for a couple months but it didn’t work out. I did do a show in Tampa though so it was fun. When I left that group because the vibes were very off, I hit up the artist from the Hollywood hills birthday party & they connected me with there manager. He said pull up to the studio so I did and as I get out of the uber the artist are downstairs already randomly. We all connect again and then go upstairs to where we make some music, chop it up & decide I’m there official dj. One of them say to me bro you like surf & then DJ S3RF was born. Eventually everyone started just calling me S3RF so I decided to just be S3RF without the DJ. We all ran together and did some really epic things until Covid hit. By that time things weren’t the same and I decided to part ways.

2020 I opened up my own studio room that a couple of buddy’s helped me get into. I got my name on the lease & ran it for about a year and a half. I spent every waking moment I could there, some might say too much but hey it was worth it. I elevated my sound to the next level. At this time I met Young Miller, we got linked up to do a record called Golden. We been rocking with each other ever since and that’s family for life. After that experience I was ready to back home to the northwest for awhile. I needed a reset now that I had a skillset. Creating the bond with young helped me grow the most, having the knowledge & talent he carries really showed me the level I’m at. It was dope. Another person is my boy ThreeSix he my family for life too, he brought out the highest creative in me. He showed me how open the gate to endless possibilities. Those two came into my life at a time where I was pretty lost, they helped me get back on the path big time.

2022 I was back in the northwest. I went out my 3rd night back to just get around the music and relax a little bit. I was in Portland Oregon, went down to district where I met my best friend to this day. She was having people over after and I pulled up with my guitar cause I was still in my La headspace, it was a whole vibe & a great night. I would make music at her house all the time and we created this creative vortex in the city. She put me on my first artist show in Portland at district. At this same time I met one other individual who put me on DJ’ing at detour which is also my best friend to this day. With those two & all the creative love & support, S3RFBOY was born.

Through my time in Portland I ran a club, created forever family, grew up a lot & made music with some of my favorite artist that are my friends to this day. The album mirage is an example of that. With Young and I always strategizing on creating the the future of music we were able to build some real motion through various forms.

2025 we locked in and became business partners alongside laliltee and Super Star On The Track. We run a label called DMG which stands for Define My Greatness.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d say it’s been quite the wave of ups and down but always moving. Most of the struggle’s come from trying to find balance between music and life. I’ve noticed that I’m very much the type that goes all in at what I do. Music is how I spend majority of my time so creating the life around it has been bumpy. But the journey is everything and so I’ve kept the mindset of stick with it no matter the adversity.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have a line in one of my unreleased songs “Vegas Penthouse Freestyle” that goes “I’m a jack of all trades and a master of many” that’s in reference to my artistry & what I do with music/film. I’ve been Dj’ing and acting the longest which is 10+ years now. I have been focusing mainly on my artistry and my next movie role which is actually my first lead role!

I produce, engineer, mix and master all my music as well as produce/engineer for other artist. I love collaborating with other artist who respect the artist part of me,

What sets me apart is my ear for music, eye for film and feeling for humanity.

I’m most proud of the dedication I’ve kept to keep building a home for music and entertainment that people can feel and relate with.

Teaming up with ThreeSix ( Jared Creason ) creating is one of my proudest moments because of the respect I have for him creatively is the highest. He is the best I know.

Teaming with up Young Miller Tha Don & DMG becoming a Co-ceo is another really proud moment I have. Young Miller is another one I have the highest respect for, we’ve created records that are timeless.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My advice for networking is do it. Absolutely as much as you can. Networking is the best possible way to meet people that you align with. It’s tough when you build good relationships with people but somewhere down the line a storm happens that isn’t rebuildable. That doesn’t mean forever that just means it’s time to get back out there and network. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt and keep going. You never know you could just be in the right at the right time and boom… your life changes.

When it comes to finding mentors I believe they find you and then it’s up to you to build the relationship while staying true to the vision. My two mentors I met organically and we just clicked. They have a lot more experience with things so the knowledge they have shared with me has really help shape/guide me into being who I am today. At the end of the day we are all like family, that’s where I feel blessed and fortunate at with having great mentors.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s3rf_
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@s3rf?si=9jbZlMp4D1ymCk2t
• Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/s3rf/1498402550