Today we’d like to introduce you to Neat Martinez
Hi Neat, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started composing rap songs at the age of 9. Grew up in a Christian home where mom was in the church chior so music was always a part of my family. Brother plays drums and makes Christian rap music and sister sings at church and plays guitar. At age 12 I was part of a Christian rap group with my brother and 2 friends but slowly got away from Christian music and transitioned to secular
Rap & Reggaeton.
In my teenage years I got into street art (grafitti) and started tagging around the city with my street tagger name “NEAT” Fast forward to 2018 started releasing Reggaeton music as “Neat Martinez” keeping the street name people knew me by and adding my government last name.
I performed at many venues around LA, opening up for many big name reggaeton superstars such as Tego Calderon, Ivy Queen, Rakim y Ken-Y just to name a few. In 2019 started doing tv and radio appearances in Mexicali, B.C. Mexico and had radios playing my music all across the Mexican border with the U.S.
In 2023 I released a single titled “Mariachi” merging Mariachi/ Mexican regional music with Reggaeton. After the release I started uploading reels onto Instagram and Tiktok singing my song while wearing a completely custom golden mariachi suit until one clip suddenly went viral. I noticed more and more people started to recognize me as the “Golden Mariachi” so I ran with the Golden Mariachi idea and continued to wear the suit. Video after video going viral on social media ever since.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Some of the struggles I encountered have been
Doing this alone. When no one knows you
People don’t care about you or your music and that can be very discouraging.
Dealing with scammers. I had a manager steal 10,000 dollars from me leaving me practically broke a couple years back.
Dealing with gate keeps. People who have access to platforms and other resources that can help artists grow but they choose to interfere or reject.
As an independent artist;Money.
It gets expensive very quickly having to budget everything from music production, to promotion costs, videos, graphic designs, marketing , merch ect…
Finding the right people to have on your team. Seems like the music industry people like to take advantage of people and is hard to trust people.
Criticism.
Once you finally get people to hear you or see you people are always quick to judge and say very mean and disrespectful things through social media.
And last finding a formula that works.
The music industry is very competitive so you have to find a way to stand out and offer the people something new and fresh.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make primary spanish music.(Rap & Reggaeton) but being also American I like to add bits of english to my music.
I am known through social media
As the “Golden Mariachi” who makes reggaeton music in LA.
I grew up on a famous street in LA (Figueroa st.) where theres prostitution on every corner. So one day I asked some girls on the corner to be part of my video and that video clip went viral. Ever since that clip Ive gone viral about 10 times throughout all LA country.
What makes me different is that
Im a Mexican American guy from one of the most infamous ghettos in the country who dresses in Mariachi clothes , makes spanglish music, and is not ashamed or scared to embrace his culture by going around the city and showing the beauty of the ghettos and its people.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me comes in different forms.
Being an active father of 3. Success to me is being able to provide and be there for my children.
Success to me is being able to overcome the obstacles of our environment. Coming from where I come from not falling into street gangs, jail and being able to do what I love to do is a form of success to me.
Over all I feel that success is doing what you love but at the same time being recognized, respected and loved by the people you showcase your work to.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neatmartinez?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@neatmartinez?si=XcjRiwJbsJdTKm8I
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@neatmartinez?_t=8ohnfh2RG14&_r=1
