Daily Inspiration: Meet Cristian Martinez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristian Martinez.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey with music began from the time I was born. My parents played all the classic songs most children with a similar background grew up listening to. I’ve always liked to dance to the music, or at least nod my head to the beat. I was first introduced to Hip-Hop when my brother and I were hanging out with a neighbor who showed us Hip-Hop music. I fell in love with the music, and ever since then I had dreams of one day making my own and rocking crowds to it. I wrote my first rhyme shortly after that. In high school, at the encouragement of my homie, I began performing written material at open mic nights in coffee shops, barbershops, and art shows in the San Gabriel Valley. I met some like minded friends in college (who are still family and actively making records) and we formed a music collective together. With them, I began to take my music seriously; recording, and releasing music and performing the most I ever had up to that point. I also decided my stage name would be Pyro Brown, to represent my emphasis on lyricism and the Mexican immigrant working class culture I grew up in. I continued performing at community events back home in the SGV, in Los Angeles, and on campus. I was passionate about the art and was determined to do what was necessary to make true my dreams of rocking stages. But I also quickly realized to be an artist how I wanted, making music wasn’t enough. I had to be a personality. I hated that part, I just wanted to rap. I started to feel unsure about who I was as an artist and the marketing was always a weakness. Although a struggle, I remembered not to let the more business side of things impede my creativity. After graduating, I continued collaborating with other local artists and producers throughout LA. Mostly stuff I recorded but never released. Since then, I’ve developed my sound significantly and I’m excited to start releasing and performing again.

The glass and glazing trade is not as common as other core trades. So if you’re in it, you were either born into it or someone brought you in. In my case, the former is true. Growing up, my father had his own glass and glazing business, and from the time I could remember, he took my brother and I with him on weekends when work was light. Soon, we were helping him install storefronts, windows, and shower doors on weekends and vacations all over Los Angeles and SoCal more broadly. I was always either reading, listening to music, or writing my own lyrics on the drives to and from worksites. In college, I went home nearly every weekend to help my dad with installs. This was my job most of my life and it was my full-time job for a bit after I graduated from college. I wasn’t ever thinking about continuing it though. I was looking for something else, something more fulfilling doing some kind of community or political work. So I stepped away when I joined the labor movement as a researcher and political organizer for a labor union. I recently stepped away from that position to take over my father’s glass and glazing business with my brother after my father passed away. Now, I spend most of my time writing, recording, and releasing songs and installing storefronts, windows, and shower doors with my brother (who I co-own the business with and is also a videographer/photographer) and my cousin (who helps us complete the work and is working on a clothing brand).

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. But it’s been its own wonderful blessing. Within this last year, the trajectory of my life has changed quite rapidly in ways I had never imagined. Obviously, our family took a huge loss with my father passing away last year. I thought I was done with the glass business when I joined the labor movement. I never thought I would be stepping away from my position to continue building this business with my brother. But after my father passed away and my brother told me he was going to try to keep this thing going, I knew he couldn’t do it alone and I wanted to do my part in this family affair. It was an established business with twenty years behind it and we knew the opportunities were limitless for us if we took the initiative and committed to building it.

Stepping back from the labor movement was the toughest decision I’ve made as of yet. But it was also my most thought-out decision. I prayed a lot, and I had many tough, but good faith conversations with people close to me professionally and personally before I made the leap. But I’m glad I did. Those conversations were necessary and forced me to really understand what I am doing and what I am ultimately working towards, as well as the commitment and sacrifices required of me to make it happen. It’s important to keep the bigger vision in mind always so as not to get lost in all the small details of what you’re building. Glass and glazing is the beginning. We plan on expanding into general contracting and wherever else we can. I loved the labor movement because it was an opportunity to change people’s lives. I’ve lowkey fantasized about eventually being in a position where I can provide the work myself. I realized this business can be an opportunity to get there so I hope to continue having an impact by hiring workers to staff large construction projects I manage in the future.

My journey as an artist has been its own rollercoaster, which many times has stalled and fell off track admittedly. Likely due to perpetual imposter syndrome, I’ve hit many walls and plateaus trying to figure out what exactly I represent as a man and also as an artist, and then more importantly, how to articulate it in my music and any other platform I’m privileged to be on.

One of my biggest struggles as an artist has been accepting that it takes much more than just making music to be a successful artist. For years, at any gatherings I hated getting asked “How’s the music” and “when are you dropping again?” I felt frustrated that I had built up an expectation and wasn’t delivering because I was too in my own head with unfinished ideas, unsure of what I even wanted to say on records, but also just focusing on working like everyone else. I had to check myself and remember that these questions are coming from people who genuinely support me and want to hear more, and they’ll be the first to listen and share every time I drop.

I’ve realized a critical part of being an artist is getting people to love you and want to see you win. People really need a reason to support you and you can’t do that if you’re not visible and communicating with the people. I feel I am at a point where I am understanding what that looks like for me and I am excited to share with whoever lends an ear.

During my time in the labor movement, I learned how to run political campaigns and how to fight for what I believe is right and inspire others to do the same. I’ll continue fighting for what I believe in through my music and use my campaign skills to organize others where I believe it is necessary. Now, music and the family business are my priorities. Pursuing my passions is a lifestyle, and growing up with ever-changing priorities and responsibilities, I feel I have a smarter handle on the balance between commodifying my passions to be able to support myself and my family while not sacrificing authenticity and creative control.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I make music and I co-own a glass and glazing business.

I’m not sure if proud is the right word, but I’m certainly grateful to God for the drive, boldness, family, and friends that have supported me throughout all of this. I know this journey will continue being a balancing act between competing priorities. So, most importantly, I remember to put my faith in God first, stay focused and move with good intentions, and always be ready to adapt and correct course when necessary.

When I first began recording, I hated the sound of my voice. It sounded high pitched and like it definitely didn’t belong on a microphone. I also rapped mainly in English at first. Now, I record mostly in Spanish and I love how I sound. I can genuinely say I make what I’ve always wanted to make now.

When I thought about leaving my job to co-run the glass business, my family and close personal friends were initially concerned. They wanted to know my thought process and ensure I wasn’t chasing ghosts. Ultimately, they just wanted to see me happy doing what I really wanted and ensure I wasn’t making a rash decision. I’m grateful for their concern because I can say today I am happy with my decision and I am committed to making this work. When I stepped back into the glass business, many of the tricks of the trade came back to me like muscle memory, but there was a lot more I didn’t remember or know, but my brother did. Thankfully, we are a solid team and we have a lot of support around us.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
For all your custom glass needs, please reach out to us at [email protected].

For any music collaborations, please reach out to me at [email protected] or on my Instagram @pyro_brown.

Follow me on my Instagram @pyro_brown if you have time to kill and want to support the journey.

Thank you for reading.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pyro_brown?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Pictures taken by Oscar Martinez (Instagram @afilmbyoscarmartinez)