By Yesenia Martinez
Anthony Blanco is a Salvadoran-American rap artist who talks about his life’s struggles in his music. Blanco started writing music at the age of 15. He grew up listening to Hip Hop and he said that he just picked up the art along the way.
Blanco attended the South Gate Educational Center, but started dropping his classes to pursue his music career. “I couldn’t even start with the struggle. I was living in a two bedroom home with five people,” Blanco said. Both of his parents were unemployed and they were living on Cup Noodles.
In 2010, Blanco said he stopped writing music after the death of one of his close friends, Fresh Ave, who was a well-known MC in Las Vegas, “I didn’t believe I had it in me to go on after losing him,” Blanco said.
“But he believed in me, that I could make it. So I put in my all,” Blanco said. After his friend’s death his work ethic and commitment grew. “Now it was about making it more than anything else,” Blanco said.
“I want to be respected with my music. Especially being Hispanic,” Blanco said. He felt that people automatically labeled him as being Latino, but that is not what his music is like. Blanco said that performing is something new to him. “I vibe out when I’m performing. It is a hell of an experience. It is a big thing for me. I love it,” Blanco said.
He was contracted to do two records for “Organize Chaos,” a feature film by S.R. Farman and Malkiat Meet. “Just the fact that someone wants to work with me is a good feeling,” Blanco said.
Two of his close friends, Wilmer Chavez and Marco Diaz, manage Blanco.”When I met Blanco I heard something special. I knew if Blanco puts in all his effort, he would make it someday,” Chavez said.
Diaz said that it feels good managing him. “Our managing team is strong and I’m sure we can help Anthony Blanco become the ‘next big thing, ‘” Diaz said. “We live in a culture that if you are not trending, it is hard to gain interest. My music is about real life experiences, whether they are positive or negative,” Blanco said.
He will be performing at 2nd Street Jazz located in Little Tokyo on Jan. 20. His first mix tape, #KeepThemWaiting, will be available to download for free on Dec. 16. Blanco will post the link to download the mix tape via Facebook. A few months later he will be releasing another mix tape, The Last Debut.
For more on Anthony Blanco visit, www.facebook.com/IAmAnthonyBlanco or www.twitter.com/TheRealBlanco.
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