Local artist raps about overcoming hard times
By CRISTINA TRAPANI-SCOTT
Anthony Martinez has been dealt some challenges in life, there’s no doubt about that. His mother was a crack addict and his father, who he didn’t meet until he was 18, was a drug dealer. At one point, Martinez found himself a ward of the state before being adopted at age 15.
Still, as difficult as life has been, he said it was music that helped to save him from repeating the examples set by his parents. Martinez is a rap artist who goes by the stage name Hype and has been writing lyrics that detail the hard times he’s been through. “All that stuff plays into who I’ve become and the things I talk about in my music,” said Martinez.
He said through everything, he always kept his notebook with him, always focused on writing his thoughts down. “Everything in my life was taken from me, so I wanted to be in a place where I had some kind of stability. As long as I had my hands and I had my notepad, I could write my music,” he said.
He struggled to find solid footing, having moved from Fostoria, Ohio, where he was born, to Mississippi at age six, then back to Toledo at 12. After being adopted, he landed in Bedford where he graduated high school and even built an earlier career as a musician while staying in school. He said his earlier journey into performing rap music gave him opportunities to travel and see things he’d never imagined he’d have an opportunity to see.
Now, Martinez, his girl friend, Suzy Q. Garno, and their son, Tyson, live in Tecumseh. He’s taking classes at the Recording Institute of Detroit and giving music another go with the help of neighbor, friend and publicist Dee Wilson. Martinez has cut a new CD that morphs everything from Marvin Gaye’s classic song “Sexual Healing” to acoustic riffs into back beats for his music. He admits that the lyrics are more graphic than this area might be used to, but he said that the songs are authentic to his life experiences.
“People might ask why this guy has come into their community and why they should accept him? The main reason “why” is because I’m not lying. You may not always agree with what I say. Some might find what I say offensive or controversial, but a lot will like it and I think everybody in some way will be able to identify with me, no matter what age,” Martinez said.
He is clear that his goal with his music is to show how he’s been able to overcome the challenges he’s been dealt. “I’m not trying to tell people to do this,” he said. “I’m telling them what I’ve been through, that I’ve come from all that and that you have to follow your dreams and you don’t have to listen to the people who tell you you can’t.”
He doesn’t compare himself to other rap artists. He said he brings something totally new to the genre and because of that he feels his work is more in the ground breaking spirit of Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison and Johnny Cash.
“I’ve got a passion for this,” Martinez said. “I’m thankful that I’ve kept my head on straight. I’m thankful that God at least kept me strong, because if it wasn’t for that I probably wouldn’t be here now. It was a very sad and dark place to be, but it brought out the musical side in me. I never gave up, never lost faith, never lost hope, never said this life is too hard.”
Like many in the area, Martinez was laid off from his full time job. He’s using the time to write songs, and to get his music career underway. With the help of Wilson, he’s quickly booking gigs throughout the local area. “My big thing with this is that I just want to put it out there and say here I am,” he said. “My goal is to get exposure and to meet as many people as possible.”
To learn more about Martinez and his music, visit his Myspace site at www.myspace.com/hypeknight.
R.I.N.M
First, let's get one thing clear: RINM = Rap is NOT MUSIC. you dont have any music to "sing" your lyrics too. Any music you do use is "stolen" from someone else to use behind your lyrics. You're just story telling...yelling... about your past. Another thing is you should really take some more english and writing classes because half of what you've written does not make any sense.
IF you just have to rap then ya best get a grip on my last sentence because otherwise all youre doing is endorsing that ignorance abounds in the rap world. Based on your supporters responses and what you've written it seems to be the case; can't spell, can't write, poor sentence structure, improper punctuation, and on and on....and just plain ole ignorant sounding replies.
Go back to school and get an education that you can use to make enough money to support your family. Then you wont have to rely on your girlfriend's income to live and support your story telling. Grow a backbone and stop bragging about something that youre not (a musician), stop being a mooch (living off of the only one in the house that you stay at and the only one with some balls i.e. suzy) and get into mainstream society.
One day Suzy is going to wake up and send your behind to the curb and then what are you going to do? You will never be "the man" in HER home as long as you "think" that you can make a living using "lyrics". STOP living off of her and go make some of your own money the legal way....it's called a career job.
You have a son now that needs to be raised to be as an educated and responsible man that will contribute to society some day. IF you love him you wouldnt be wasting your time and suzy's money living in fairy tale land. You would be applying any smarts you have to make enough of an income and stop using suzy's money.
IF you want to tell people about your past then GO WRITE A BOOK!
To the rest of the illiterate and ignorant kids on this board....go back to school AND LISTEN to your teachers...you Might learn how to spell, how to write, and how to make sense.
Education....take it seriously!
My Son
To all who have posted and will post their opinions,
Without knowing my son it is very difficult for anyone to judge what he raps about or why. I do not agree with nor like every song he has written but I do thank God that he has had an outlet for many emotions. Anthony is and has always been my angel baby. Even when he did wrong I always saw the best in him. So, perhaps "my" opinion is bias but "it" like everyone elses is duly noted. Some of Anthony's music is painfully beautiful while others leave little to the imagination and are quite raw. I have listened to songs that have brought me to tears and I have also listened to songs that I had to simply turn off but either way he is trying and for that I am most proud. He has always pursued his dreams in the face of adversity. He has held strong to what he believed was in his heart at the time. Not all of his music shows that but he truly is a gifted artist in every sense of the word. I think perhaps The Herald misrepresented itself by not having all of the facts. If one is going to print a story about someone they should have all of their facts straight. I do feel that Anthony's life has been changed for the better over many years and perhaps he should take a good long hard look at that and implement some of the positives that have occured in his life into his music. I have dropped hints to him in this regard because I do believe that he has a talent and whether it be in writing or rapping he needs to be discovered and seen for the truly gifted young man that he is. I would love to see the day when an article is posted about him in a paper or magazine and there are nothing but positive reviews. The likelyhood of that however is few and far inbetween because we live in a society where people judge you by what they read and all they see is the black and white print... There is always going to be someone who is a bit of a heckler..For I am guilty of it myself but I guess that's what makes the world go round. I love my son with all my heart and soul but he is an adult making adult choices for his life now and while I don't always agree with him or his actions I will continue to support him in any way I can. Im sure I will see a ton of bashing for this comment but I felt compelled to at least write something in all of our defense. To everyone I say, May you go with God's speed....
What a joke
What a joke. Anyone who lets thier kids listen to this wanna be gangster is an idiot. Rapping about your poor old pitiful life wont do any good. This guy would be chewed up and spit out by the real "G's" in even a small city.
Fantasy
Jimmy Gack...you are SPOT ON with your comment!!! LOL
I think he should consider writing a "comic book" about his past life. I think that has more of a chance to be a hit than he ever will be with rap. Gawd, what a waste of 3 letters. r a p.
REPLYS
The negative subjects I listed didn’t even cover them all. You simply can’t rap about those subjects and tell a local newspaper that:
Re: LOL
To the one who posted LOLOLOLOLOLOL......Lets just see who has the last laugh!!!!!
" chuh-ching $$$$$$"
F.Y.I. "Concerned"
Dear Concerned,
You might want to have your eyes checked....The background on HYPE's myspace page is NOT of him holding up a "gang sign" but it is of him pulling forward his name on his shirt... So, it only goes to prove that you are very hasty in making assumptions..there is only one judge and that is God...so how can one claim to be above the almighty?? This young man has obviously been through He#@ and back... Struggle after struggle to over come the negativity in his life...Enough is enough...I'm not feeling sorry for him..we make our own choices regardless of our backgrounds but this mans at least trying... so many others "just give up" You don't have to like the music to love the man/artist behind it... Get off your high horse and get back down here with the rest of us...we are all equal in Gods eyes. Keep moving forward HYPE !!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE !!!
A Child of God
Dont Judge Me Monkey
Why is it that whenever someone tries to better themselves and talk (rap) about their struggles and how they overcame them, another person who knows nothing of the situation or who the real person is behind the words, comes along and bashes them. 'Concerned' must have a miserable life if all he/she has to do is bad mouth anothers success. HYPE is a very talented artist and an even better man and father!! Listen to the words and quit catagorizing him as just another thug rapper!
AAAAAHHHHHH SUCCCCCCCCCIIIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!
TAKE A WALK IN THOSE SHOES
FIRST OFF... UNLESS YOU KNOW THIS INDUSTRY TO ITS FULLEST, ONE NEED NOT COMMENT ON THAT FOR WHICH THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. YES HYPES HAD IT ROUGH BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU CANT SING ABOUT DEW DROPS AND BUNNY HOPS IN THE RAP INDUSTRY UNLESS YOU ARE SELLING TO PRE-SCHOOLERS. HYPE IS AN AWESOME AND VERY TALENTED ARTIST...THE EXTERIOR PROPS, I AM SURE, ARE FOR SHOW AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE MAN STANDING BEFORE YOU. HE ISNT ASKING FOR PITY OR ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THE CARDS HE WAS DEALT. HE IS ASKING YOU TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC NOT JUST HEAR IT...GO BEYOND WHAT YOU THINK YOU SEE AND READ BETWEEN THE LINES... MANY GOOD THINGS HAVE ALSO HAPPENED IN THIS MANS LIFE AND IT TOO HAS INSPIRED A LIGHT WITHIN HIM. KNOWING HIS MUSIC AND HIS MOTHER ( WHOM HAS BEEN SOBER MANY YEARS AND IS AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED, GIFTED AND SUCCESSFUL HUMAN BEING HERSELF ) I CAN TELL YOU THAT BOTH ARE ON THEIR WAY TO STARDOM... SO, DONT BE SO QUICK TO JUDGE...REMEMBER WHEN YOU POINT A FINGER AT SOMEONE YOU HAVE FIVE MORE POINTING BACK AT YOU.. I AM NOT SAYING YOUR OPPINION ISNT VALID HOWEVER OPPINIONS ARE LIKE AND EVERYONES GOT ONE!!! GOD BLESS TO YOU AND YOURS....AND TO HYPE I SAY..
TOOORAHLOOORAHLOOORAHHHHHH.... TOOORAHLOORAHLIE...TOOORAHLOORAHLOORAH....HUSH NOW DON'T YE CRY!
YOU'S THE BOMB BABY !!!!!!
Hello??
Concerning Concerned
It was cool readin all the comments. I love constructive critism. Hi
mom and hello everyone. I am not writing this to defend myself or my lyrics. This is to Concerned. If there is anyone I would want to do an interview with it would be you. Please contact me direct and lets set up an interview. My email is anthonyraymartinez@yahoo.com. I want you asking the questions and I want you to get your answers. The Herald did not mis represent and did state that my content is sometimes controversial. I do not want to go back and forth on this site waiting for responses from each other. Contact me if you want to do the interview, and I will assume that you chose not to do the interview if I hear nothing. If you do decide to meet with me, perhaps we can do lunch, at the time of your choosing and I will let you decide what you would like to happen with the interview. I want to record the interview via audio or visual and will let you decide whether to scrap the interview or to make the interview available to the public. I will not write on this subject again (Concerned) or criticize you for anything you choose. I really do appreciate you giving my story the time and hope one day you can believe in ME. If you cant then I'm not here to judge you on that either. Hope to hear from you soon....
Your an idiot whoever wrote
Your an idiot whoever wrote this comment. You have no idea what you are talking about. You obviously don't know him or your foul mouth wouldn't be running off about things you don't know or understand. You are obviously a hater. Why wouldn't you congratulate someone for following their dreams. Will you tell your own children to not follow their goals and dreams. Your ignorance is rediculous. Don't make comments on things you don't comprehend.
Flavor Flav sux anyways!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The best part about that dude is when he's getting roasted.
RE: Your an idiot whoever wrote
Sarah,
LOL
lololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololol