00:20.8
I got a chance to interview those who have already been there
00:23.8
what I'm trying to accomplish.
00:25.0
And their stories are amazing.
00:27.0
It's all rooted in the love of music.
00:29.0
It can only take one jerk to throw off your vibe and to throw off your mood.
00:34.0
It's happened to me before and I still encounter it to this day.
00:39.0
But I think I'm getting better at it
00:42.0
because I can't please everybody, Paco.
00:45.0
Welcome to the Paco's Place Podcast.
00:49.0
Visit AbbaEServices.com for fast medical transcription service.
00:53.0
This episode is brought to you by Dr. Lourdes Capulon,
00:57.0
specializing in general and cosmetic dentistry.
01:00.0
And the podcast will begin in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
01:07.0
Ladies and gentlemen, live at Paco's Place.
01:09.0
Big round of applause.
01:16.0
My stage name is really Marlon D.
01:19.0
But my government name is Marlon Dyto.
01:21.0
But thanks for having me, man.
01:22.0
I'm honored to be here.
01:23.0
Maybe you want it to appear in the lower third.
01:29.0
Yes, yes. That'd be cool.
01:31.0
But you can call me Marlon.
01:35.0
So what's your...
01:39.0
What was the goal?
01:41.0
Like, a while ago I asked you,
01:43.0
do you do beats and you said you rap.
01:47.0
When did this come about?
01:50.0
I started writing rhymes when I was 10 years old.
01:55.0
I started to become a fan of hip-hop.
01:57.0
I left the Philippines in 1995.
02:00.0
I arrived in Oxnard when I was 10 years old.
02:05.0
Who was happening when you were 10?
02:07.0
So I just want to give you your props.
02:09.0
I just want to say, yo, Intro Voice.
02:12.0
I just want to say in 1995,
02:14.0
when me and my sisters were about to leave the Philippines,
02:16.0
Intro Voice was the band that was blowing up.
02:19.0
And we were big fans.
02:20.0
I'm honored to be here, man.
02:21.0
My sister's a big fan.
02:22.0
Thanks for having me.
02:23.0
Shout out to your sister.
02:24.0
Shout out to Joyce.
02:26.0
She loves you guys.
02:27.0
And when I did Mayfest, I was so excited.
02:29.0
I had to text my sister and my cousins.
02:32.0
Man, mad respect to everything you guys have done, man.
02:36.0
For reals, I'm honored to be here.
02:38.0
So you were 10 in 1995.
02:41.0
Who was happening with regard to hip-hop
02:43.0
here in the States when you came?
02:44.0
Yeah, it was Snoop Dogg,
02:48.0
of course, Tupac, Biggie, Wu-Tang,
02:53.0
everything and everything in 1995.
02:56.0
The 90s, the best era.
03:00.0
And you were like, I'm gonna drop some bars.
03:04.0
My cousins were DJs.
03:06.0
Shout out to my cousins, Daryl Jr. and Fred.
03:09.0
So when I first came to the US,
03:11.0
they showed me their turntables,
03:13.0
their vinyl collection.
03:18.0
My moms couldn't really afford turntables,
03:20.0
but I was really influenced with the music that I heard.
03:23.0
I mean, I've been hearing hip-hop in the Philippines
03:25.0
since I was young.
03:27.0
Of course, Andrew E, Francis M,
03:29.0
and of course, Tone Low, Chris Cross,
03:32.0
Vanilla Ice, Hammer.
03:33.0
So I was hearing hip-hop in the Philippines,
03:35.0
but when I came to the US,
03:37.0
my cousins' collection was just like
03:39.0
what I've been missing out on in the Philippines.
03:41.0
So I became a fan,
03:43.0
and it really started out with me just mimicking
03:46.0
my favorite rappers like Da Brat or Snoop or Corrupt.
03:51.0
And from there, just mimicking them
03:53.0
to writing my own rhymes.
03:55.0
But I didn't really start saying these things out loud
03:59.0
I started performing in front of people at 15,
04:02.0
high school rallies, or lunchtime,
04:05.0
just battling, or maybe sometimes just...
04:07.0
When you say battling,
04:09.0
that's like going toe-to-toe with someone,
04:12.0
freestyling, right?
04:14.0
Responding to someone else's...
04:16.0
I'm not saying I've done it continuously,
04:18.0
but I've done those in high school.
04:21.0
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04:23.0
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04:26.0
Along with general dentistry,
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Dr. Capilong specializes in cosmetic dentistry,
04:32.0
including teeth whitening, bonding,
04:34.0
dental veneers, and surgical crowns.
04:37.0
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04:40.0
she'll take care of you and your smile.
04:43.0
To schedule an appointment,
04:45.0
call the clinic at area code 323-257-7582.
04:51.0
And then from there,
04:52.0
I just started releasing my own albums.
04:53.0
At the beginning of 2005,
04:55.0
I started releasing my own mixtapes
04:57.0
and started doing shows nonstop
04:59.0
and releasing my own albums and mixtapes since 2005.
05:03.0
Dropped my first album in 2006
05:06.0
and I've been an opening act
05:09.0
for a lot of hip-hop underground acts
05:12.0
when they come to Southern Cali.
05:14.0
I've been an opening act for so many years
05:17.0
and I still am, you know?
05:18.0
And I opened for Intro Voice, yo.
05:22.0
That's when I knew I was doing something right.
05:25.0
I wanted the same show as Intro Voice.
05:27.0
I had to call my sister.
05:29.0
I had to text my sister
05:30.0
and I never text her for no show.
05:33.0
I never tell her what shows I'm doing
05:35.0
but for that one, I was like,
05:37.0
I had to text my cousin in the Philippines,
05:39.0
like, yo, you're not gonna believe this, bro.
05:43.0
Mad respect to you guys, man.
05:44.0
You guys are an influence to me, an inspiration.
05:48.0
I'm glad you're here.
05:49.0
Wait, did you drive from Oxnard?
05:50.0
I live in San Diego now,
05:52.0
but I grew up in Oxnard.
05:54.0
So, San Diego is about, what?
05:57.0
200, 170 miles away from here, right?
06:01.0
It's about an hour, hour and a half from here
06:04.0
during the night.
06:05.0
But I left during rush hour, so.
06:07.0
But just so that the people in the Philippines
06:09.0
and anywhere in the world who go by kilometers
06:13.0
It's about, what?
06:14.0
About 100 plus miles.
06:18.0
100 miles talang is 160 kilometers.
06:21.0
So, that's about Manila to Tarlac.
06:25.0
Just in case you guys wanna know
06:27.0
how far Marlon B drove just to be here.
06:30.0
I'm happy to be here, man.
06:34.0
I'm honored to be here.
06:35.0
What's, you said you'd release your own mixtapes.
06:39.0
And my own albums, yeah.
06:41.0
What's the latest,
06:43.0
what's the latest song you have out on stream?
06:46.0
So, my latest project is now available
06:48.0
on mcmarlindy.bandcamp.com.
06:51.0
I dropped a mixtape called Dido Mixtape.
06:54.0
And my whole catalog from 2005 to now
06:57.0
is also available there.
06:59.0
My albums and mixtapes.
07:00.0
My last album that's available now
07:02.0
on all streaming platforms
07:04.0
is called The Orphan.
07:05.0
I dropped it on November 2022.
07:13.0
I dropped 22 songs on that one.
07:15.0
And then for the Dido Mixtape,
07:18.0
And the mixtape's purpose is like,
07:21.0
I put out a free mixtape in between albums
07:23.0
just for people to have something to hear
07:27.0
while I'm working on the next one, you know.
07:29.0
So, I've been busy pushing that.
07:33.0
now, you've been busy doing this.
07:41.0
Had an epiphany at 10.
07:43.0
Decided to pursue this on your own.
07:47.0
Because hip-hop made me feel good.
07:50.0
It made me feel happy.
07:52.0
I'm a huge fan of the music.
07:55.0
I'm a fan of music first
07:56.0
before I became an artist.
08:00.0
I started doing it when I was young
08:02.0
because it made me feel good.
08:04.0
It made me feel happy.
08:06.0
There was something healing about hip-hop
08:08.0
or about writing or performing music.
08:10.0
There was just something healing about it
08:12.0
that every time I did it,
08:13.0
I felt like I needed to do it.
08:15.0
What was going on in your life back then?
08:18.0
This guy's good, man.
08:21.0
I'm telling you, man.
08:22.0
I was watching all the interviews.
08:24.0
You're good, you.
08:26.0
Remember that movie by De Niro?
08:28.0
Nah, you're very, very good, you.
08:31.0
You're very, very good, you.
08:32.0
Nah, this guy's good, man.
08:35.0
What was going on in my life?
08:38.0
When I arrived in Oxnard,
08:41.0
me and my sister was born in the Philippines.
08:43.0
Mom and dad split up
08:44.0
when I was maybe eight or nine.
08:47.0
After they split up,
08:48.0
mom moved to Oxnard.
08:50.0
Her family was already living in Oxnard
08:52.0
because my aunties and my grandparents
08:56.0
have been here since the 70s.
08:58.0
Are you the younger sibling?
08:59.0
I'm the youngest, yeah.
09:02.0
I got two sisters.
09:07.0
they're in their mid-40s.
09:10.0
Don't throw them under the bus.
09:12.0
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
09:15.0
Nah, they're good people.
09:21.0
Nah, they're good.
09:22.0
They're gonna kill me
09:23.0
when they see this shit.
09:24.0
I love them to death.
09:27.0
So, you guys went with mom?
09:28.0
So, mom moved first in 1994.
09:31.0
She left the Philippines.
09:33.0
Me and my sister stayed for that
09:36.0
and we didn't really get
09:37.0
our petition papers fixed
09:41.0
A year later, me and my sisters followed.
09:43.0
My dad stayed behind
09:44.0
after the breakup.
09:46.0
You weren't asking questions?
09:48.0
What was going through your head?
09:51.0
We asked you what was off the table.
09:55.0
So, what was going on in my head?
09:57.0
I wasn't asking too much questions
09:58.0
when it happened.
10:00.0
But as a young kid,
10:01.0
I already knew that
10:02.0
they weren't getting along.
10:04.0
I'll stop you there.
10:05.0
I wasn't that surprised.
10:06.0
And the reason why
10:07.0
I'm trying to emphasize this
10:14.0
husbands and wives
10:15.0
who think their 10-year-old
10:16.0
or 9-year-old kid
10:18.0
doesn't have a father
10:19.0
or 10-year-old kid
10:20.0
doesn't have a clue
10:22.0
Don't fool yourselves.
10:23.0
Kids are not stupid.
10:26.0
And if I knew what was going on,
10:28.0
definitely felt the vibe.
10:30.0
They weren't getting along.
10:32.0
When they split up,
10:33.0
it wasn't that big of a surprise.
10:36.0
a single parent out here
10:38.0
three kids on her own,
10:42.0
She did her best.
10:43.0
Worked two, three jobs.
10:44.0
She was a teacher.
10:46.0
My mom's a teacher.
10:47.0
I love her to death.
10:49.0
And she did her best.
10:50.0
What happened to dad?
10:52.0
Dad's back in the Philippines.
10:54.0
I love you too, Pop.
10:56.0
Dad's in the Philippines.
10:58.0
You know it's crazy.
11:00.0
Sometimes we see parts
11:01.0
of ourselves in our fathers.
11:06.0
I'm in a place in my life
11:07.0
where I've forgiven dad and mom
11:09.0
for whatever happened.
11:11.0
I'm not saying that I'm
11:12.0
completely healed
11:13.0
because that's BS.
11:16.0
We've been having
11:17.0
a better relationship lately.
11:23.0
It's a work in progress.
11:28.0
We're in a better place.
11:29.0
The best place we've ever been.
11:33.0
hip-hop music helped you.
11:35.0
That was like therapy
11:36.0
for you to express yourself.
11:40.0
Are the lyrics about them?
11:42.0
About your journey?
11:44.0
They definitely come up
11:45.0
in my songs a lot.
11:47.0
I called the last album
11:50.0
I know a lot of people ask me
11:51.0
why would you call it that?
11:53.0
Because sometimes
11:55.0
I probably do feel like that.
11:57.0
Of course, mom had three jobs.
12:00.0
Yeah, she was a teacher
12:01.0
but she was also a caregiver
12:02.0
during the weekends.
12:04.0
So you grew up with what?
12:05.0
Your siblings and your Lola?
12:06.0
I got two sisters.
12:08.0
My cousins were around.
12:09.0
My uncles were around too
12:10.0
but they didn't live with us.
12:13.0
my mom and sisters.
12:14.0
So when your mom was gone,
12:15.0
it was just the sisters
12:16.0
taking care of you?
12:18.0
And you had questions
12:19.0
when you were a kid, right?
12:23.0
I didn't question much
12:24.0
what was happening
12:25.0
between mom and dad.
12:26.0
But between you and life,
12:29.0
who do you talk to?
12:31.0
That's a good question.
12:35.0
That's a good question.
12:36.0
I probably didn't have too many
12:37.0
to turn to for guidance.
12:40.0
And I don't want to say
12:41.0
that my mom didn't try
12:43.0
but she was there
12:44.0
to guide me as much as she can.
12:45.0
But being a single parent
12:46.0
with probably two, three jobs,
12:47.0
it was probably hard.
12:49.0
You can't take it on mom.
12:50.0
She wasn't home too much.
12:56.0
My cousins were big influences
12:57.0
as big brotherly support.
13:00.0
My uncles were male figures too.
13:04.0
to connect hip-hop,
13:06.0
I probably turned to that
13:07.0
to fill all the void
13:08.0
that was missing.
13:10.0
I probably look at these
13:11.0
hip-hop artists as like
13:14.0
I was getting game from them
13:15.0
as if they were my bigger brothers
13:16.0
and bigger uncles,
13:21.0
what was being said.
13:25.0
what Tupac meant to me,
13:26.0
what he rapped about.
13:28.0
When Tupac would talk about poverty
13:33.0
when he was saying that shit,
13:37.0
that's exactly how I feel
13:39.0
and he's saying it for me.
13:41.0
Or when Eminem would talk about it,
13:47.0
I'm undergoing a lot of therapy
13:49.0
and I've been for the past
13:50.0
three, four years
13:52.0
to kind of unpack a little bit
14:00.0
I know I need it.
14:05.0
Cheers dog, for real.
14:07.0
Because people deny themselves
14:11.0
people deny themselves
14:20.0
There are people who are
14:22.0
admit that they need to go
14:30.0
When I first started,
14:31.0
it was really COVID
14:33.0
during 2020 where
14:35.0
I do behavior therapy
14:36.0
for kids with autism.
14:38.0
So when COVID happened,
14:40.0
everybody got laid off.
14:43.0
from the school district,
14:44.0
we all got laid off.
14:45.0
So there was some time to kill.
14:47.0
And too much alone time
14:49.0
and too much time to kill,
14:50.0
I think it gave me anxiety,
14:52.0
a little bit of depression.
14:54.0
So that's when I started
14:55.0
seeking out therapy
14:56.0
because you know,
14:57.0
shit, I had insurance,
14:59.0
But you seeked it out.
15:05.0
Let's amplify this.
15:08.0
You knew you needed help.
15:14.0
my brother probably needed help.
15:17.0
He ended up killing himself.
15:20.0
My deepest condolences, man.
15:22.0
So mental health is really,
15:25.0
that's big on me.
15:29.0
How do you encourage
15:32.0
Let's not wait until later, but
15:36.0
what's the conversation like
15:39.0
between you and yourself
15:41.0
and the people around you?
15:43.0
If someone needs to go to therapy,
15:47.0
address that to themselves first?
15:50.0
Everyone that loves you
15:51.0
is going to point out to you
15:52.0
that you got some problems
15:55.0
if people love you
15:56.0
and they care, man,
15:57.0
they're going to tell you the truth.
15:59.0
I knew I was holding in a lot of pain.
16:01.0
That was probably
16:03.0
I'm probably taking it out
16:08.0
business partners.
16:09.0
I knew that I had
16:11.0
I had an anger problem.
16:18.0
I started seeking it
16:19.0
at least once a week,
16:22.0
I'm not saying that I did it consistently
16:24.0
these past three years,
16:25.0
but I definitely went
16:26.0
even for 2021, 2022.
16:30.0
Like once a week,
16:31.0
once every two weeks.
16:35.0
I think there's some things
16:36.0
that music probably can't heal for me.
16:41.0
I've been seeking help.
16:49.0
you were doing that.
16:50.0
You mentioned behavioral therapy.
16:51.0
That's what you do with kids.
16:53.0
I was doing that.
16:54.0
So there was a day job.
16:58.0
currently also doing home care
16:59.0
for kids with autism.
17:04.0
leaning toward kids?
17:07.0
I think subconsciously,
17:10.0
My mom is a teacher,
17:11.0
but she never pushed me
17:13.0
the educational field.
17:15.0
when I graduated Cal State Fullerton
17:17.0
with a human services degree,
17:20.0
my first job right in 2010
17:22.0
was working with adults.
17:25.0
Working with adults
17:27.0
that had to go to this program,
17:30.0
a 12-step program
17:31.0
because they were crystal math addicts.
17:35.0
work in that facility.
17:37.0
I started working with adults
17:39.0
with autism in Orange County.
17:41.0
So that was my introduction.
17:44.0
I lost my job in 2009.
17:47.0
A car broke down.
17:49.0
Started taking the bus.
17:51.0
Started becoming late.
17:54.0
All in one season?
17:57.0
because I graduated college,
17:59.0
moved back to Oxnard for one year.
18:01.0
Didn't really like it.
18:02.0
Moved to Orange County for one year.
18:04.0
I did have a job doing
18:05.0
a day program for adults with autism.
18:08.0
Then my car broke down.
18:09.0
Started taking the bus to work,
18:11.0
but I was running late.
18:12.0
I was still irresponsible
18:13.0
at that time in my life.
18:20.0
I didn't want to move back home to mom.
18:25.0
for that next two, three months,
18:26.0
I considered myself homeless.
18:28.0
I was either sleeping,
18:30.0
crashing from couch to couch,
18:32.0
or crashing in my car.
18:35.0
There'll be nights
18:36.0
I'll just be in my car,
18:39.0
sending out resumes
18:40.0
looking for a job.
18:43.0
I sent out a resume.
18:45.0
It was this company
18:48.0
that was hiring people
18:49.0
to do behavior therapy
18:50.0
for kids with autism
18:51.0
in the alcohol school district
18:54.0
I took the interview.
18:56.0
There was nothing else
18:57.0
going on in my life anyway.
19:00.0
and I've been in SD ever since.
19:02.0
For like 14 years now.
19:05.0
I learned on the job
19:06.0
how to work with kids with autism.
19:09.0
I had no experience prior,
19:10.0
but as soon as I learned
19:12.0
how to work with kids
19:13.0
in the school setting
19:14.0
and the house setting,
19:15.0
I just started learning
19:16.0
how to love it, man.
19:17.0
And I've been in SD since.
19:20.0
And when I'm not working,
19:24.0
when you moved to SD,
19:25.0
what was the conversation
19:27.0
and your sisters?
19:31.0
you better take it.
19:35.0
You better take it,
19:38.0
you're not gonna take it?
19:40.0
You're not gonna sit
19:41.0
in my motherfucking crib
19:42.0
and just eat all the rice
19:43.0
up in this motherfucker
19:44.0
and the Vienna sausage
19:45.0
and you're not gonna take it?
19:46.0
You better take it.
19:47.0
That's what my mama said.
19:48.0
You know what I'm saying?
19:56.0
Am I allowed to cuss?
19:58.0
You're allowed to be you.
19:59.0
I had a broken down
20:02.0
that my older sister
20:06.0
Hold on, hold on.
20:07.0
Go ahead, go ahead.
20:08.0
Before you throw your
20:09.0
sibs under the bus.
20:10.0
Did they pass it on
20:14.0
or did you break it down
20:16.0
after they passed it on?
20:18.0
It probably got broken down
20:21.0
was so fucked up.
20:28.0
I'll never forget.
20:31.0
up in that motherfucker, man.
20:35.0
you couldn't even roll down
20:37.0
and then by the time
20:38.0
I had to really move
20:40.0
I didn't even have
20:41.0
a car that was working
20:42.0
I would take the train there
20:44.0
I sold that Civic
20:48.0
and then that 500 bucks
20:49.0
I made that shit last
20:51.0
until my first paycheck
20:54.0
and I got a room for rent
20:59.0
and from there, dog
21:00.0
I've just been in San Diego
21:02.0
Major reset, right, Marlon?
21:05.0
That was a chapter
21:07.0
I can't believe that.
21:08.0
Let's talk about that
21:09.0
let's talk about 2009.
21:10.0
Crazy hard times.
21:12.0
But I've been through it, man.
21:13.0
So looking back at 2009
21:16.0
that was a humble moment
21:17.0
in your life, right?
21:20.0
I didn't want to turn to family
21:23.0
I'm gonna just thug it out
21:25.0
if I'm jobless, I'm jobless
21:26.0
but I'm not gonna go back home
21:29.0
and for about 2-3 months
21:30.0
I was living like that
21:31.0
until I landed one
21:33.0
like God saved me on that one
21:34.0
gave me a purpose
21:40.0
and I did it till about COVID
21:41.0
then when COVID happened
21:42.0
I left school districts
21:43.0
and I've just been doing
21:47.0
it's at the home setting
21:48.0
but we're still working on behaviors
21:50.0
working on how to
21:51.0
we're working on social skills
21:57.0
yeah, I'm working with the kids
22:03.0
finding ways to make your life work
22:06.0
blaming the system
22:07.0
or blaming parents
22:09.0
or blaming the situation
22:11.0
2009 was a crossroad
22:19.0
it's probably still be irresponsible
22:21.0
yeah, that had to happen
22:24.0
that had to happen, dog
22:25.0
that taught me some responsibility
22:36.0
and then what happened
22:37.0
how did you build your life
22:44.0
yeah, until I finally
22:45.0
got a down payment
22:48.0
I was taking the bus
22:50.0
before all that went down
22:54.0
how long was for a while
22:56.0
the reason why I'm dissecting this
22:59.0
you're telling your story
23:09.0
there's a daily grind
23:11.0
the bus will not wait for you
23:13.0
I did it for like
23:16.0
you had to wake up
23:17.0
at a certain time
23:20.0
and at the bus station
23:21.0
at a certain time
23:22.0
and you're taking me back
23:23.0
I have to take you back
23:25.0
at some crazy times
23:26.0
I had to get up at 6 in the morning
23:31.0
I was living in Miramasa
23:33.0
but I had to get to El Cajon
23:34.0
which is how many
23:41.0
that's more than an hour
23:42.0
shit it's 3 hours dog
23:45.0
I did that for about
23:46.0
I did that for a couple weeks
23:47.0
and I would take the trolley
23:49.0
I would have to take the trolley
23:50.0
trolley's more of like
23:51.0
a little train right
23:54.0
until I finally saved up
23:55.0
for a down payment
23:57.0
and I just started working
23:59.0
two jobs in San Diego
24:00.0
what was your mindset?
24:04.0
all I have is myself
24:05.0
and I have to survive
24:09.0
so working two jobs
24:12.0
and I'm still surviving dude
24:14.0
did you complain in your head?
24:18.0
there was no time for that
24:19.0
shit I had a car payment
24:31.0
you know what's funny
24:32.0
I never took a break
24:35.0
the only time I did
24:36.0
take a break was maybe
24:37.0
for a year and a half
24:39.0
when I dropped my album
24:41.0
I think after I was
24:44.0
I'ma be honest Paco
24:46.0
you've been in the music industry
24:49.0
you know what this takes
24:52.0
yeah because you're
24:53.0
putting it out there
24:54.0
you're putting your heart
24:57.0
it took a toll on me
24:59.0
on the music industry
25:01.0
and I started taking
25:02.0
some acting classes
25:03.0
and I started doing theater
25:04.0
and I started doing
25:05.0
some independent films
25:07.0
and I did that for about
25:08.0
a year and a half
25:10.0
I decided to get back
25:14.0
and then the pandemic
25:17.0
all the shows were
25:18.0
canceled for like
25:19.0
a year and a half
25:20.0
but then I stayed busy
25:21.0
I met people like Mick
25:25.0
I was in the studio
25:26.0
I was just making
25:34.0
mixtapes and albums
25:36.0
every five months
25:38.0
I try to stay busy
25:40.0
if I didn't answer
25:42.0
no you can answer
25:59.0
you were saving money
26:01.0
you were creating music
26:02.0
all the way to 2017
26:04.0
and then after that
26:06.0
took a year and a half
26:10.0
but I never stopped
26:11.0
going to the studio
26:12.0
I only took a break
26:14.0
for a year and a half
26:15.0
and when I was about
26:20.0
as soon as the venues
26:22.0
how about the whole
26:27.0
a community actress
26:28.0
theater in San Diego
26:31.0
I did some Shakespeare
26:34.0
I did some Shakespeare
26:39.0
of a screenplay writer
26:40.0
who was alcoholic
26:43.0
pursue his dreams
26:44.0
but his alcoholism
26:45.0
got the best of him
26:48.0
so I got a lead role
26:50.0
I got a lead role
26:52.0
and some supporting roles
26:58.0
that was my first
26:59.0
full length feature
27:02.0
I had a small role
27:03.0
in The Year I Did Nothing
27:09.0
I pursued some acting
27:12.0
I'm not auditioning
27:14.0
I've been really busy
27:20.0
I still want to do acting
27:25.0
with regard to your music
27:26.0
how far are you going
27:30.0
like 2020 being beyond
27:32.0
just to be independent
27:36.0
booking my own shows
27:41.0
I'm content with that
27:42.0
and I was just telling
27:43.0
somebody the other day
27:45.0
I don't care about
27:47.0
I just care about
27:50.0
I spent a lot of years
27:54.0
a conclusion Paco
27:58.0
so I want to start
27:59.0
making music for those
28:02.0
I don't want to make it
28:03.0
sound like a cold following
28:04.0
because it sounds like
28:06.0
the loyal supporters
28:07.0
I still believe that
28:11.0
um with all the social
28:12.0
media and technology
28:13.0
I still believe in like
28:16.0
and building with the fans
28:19.0
I hate to say fans
28:21.0
connecting with the peoples
28:22.0
and shaking hands
28:23.0
and that's how you build
28:28.0
I'm still on that grind
28:29.0
I'm still doing shows
28:30.0
once or twice a week
28:31.0
and I'm still releasing
28:33.0
on an annual basis
28:37.0
dropping an album
28:38.0
I'm definitely dropping
28:41.0
I also started the podcast
28:42.0
these past three years
28:43.0
let's talk about that
28:44.0
I want to hear that
28:46.0
I started the podcast
28:49.0
where can we find it
28:50.0
it's on apple music
28:54.0
if you guys follow me
28:57.0
you guys click on my
28:59.0
you'll see all the
29:01.0
links where you can
29:04.0
it really started out
29:05.0
as me interviewing
29:06.0
my fellow hip hop
29:07.0
artists that I met
29:10.0
but then me being
29:11.0
in the mental health
29:14.0
interviewing people
29:15.0
that are Filipino
29:17.0
I was interviewing
29:18.0
my fellow Filipino
29:19.0
American business
29:21.0
artists of all genres
29:24.0
when all the shows
29:26.0
but I drop an episode
29:27.0
every Friday night
29:31.0
probably 169 episodes
29:34.0
every Friday night
29:36.0
excited for season 9
29:37.0
I got some people
29:38.0
that I really look up
29:41.0
and I gotta get you
29:43.0
you gotta get me on
29:44.0
you gotta get Mike on
29:47.0
not on the same episode
29:50.0
gotta get you on man
29:51.0
your story's amazing too
29:56.0
when you started it
30:01.0
I'm seeing you right now
30:03.0
you'll think of something
30:05.0
you'll take action
30:07.0
and you'll see it through
00:00.0
30:43.000 --> 30:45.000
30:45.0
and it's not gonna come out
30:49.0
that people even like it
30:51.0
and I'm still getting booked
30:55.0
it's a hard grind
30:56.0
you know how it is Paco
30:57.0
like you've done it big
31:02.0
and you're still doing it big
31:06.0
now that you're pushing
31:09.0
as of this taping
31:17.0
I wanna keep releasing music for sure
31:20.0
I wanna keep doing shows
31:21.0
whether I'm headlining
31:22.0
or whether I'm opening
31:23.0
or whether I'm sharing the bill with people
31:27.0
and I wanna keep working with the youth
31:29.0
I wanna keep working with the youth
31:30.0
I don't wanna stop working with the kids
31:34.0
I'm still developing the podcast
31:36.0
I felt like it took three years
31:37.0
to really start seeing some results
31:41.0
and with the next couple of guests
31:43.0
that I got coming up
31:44.0
I got a chance to interview
31:47.0
those who have already been there
31:48.0
what I'm trying to accomplish
31:50.0
their stories are amazing
31:51.0
it's all rooted in the love of music
31:54.0
but this music thing
32:00.0
but that doesn't block me from critique
32:01.0
people still critique me
32:04.0
probably judge it
32:08.0
how do you take it
32:09.0
when they critique
32:14.0
sometimes it hurts
32:21.0
sometimes I think
32:22.0
we need our feelings
32:23.0
to get hurt a little bit
32:27.0
maybe they're telling us the truth
32:28.0
some are constructive criticism
32:31.0
sometimes some critique
32:34.0
sometimes people are probably just
32:36.0
or throwing shade
32:39.0
but it's never made me stop
32:44.0
I love making music
32:45.0
I'll share something with you
32:46.0
this was from the lead singer
33:05.0
and they were doing this
33:10.0
thousands of people
33:18.0
one derogatory remark
33:22.0
pounce on that person
33:24.0
but he caught himself
33:30.0
if he was going to
33:44.0
who gave him a critique
33:45.0
that probably doesn't work
33:48.0
do you think that
33:49.0
advice can work for you
33:50.0
or for other people
33:51.0
what do you think
33:53.0
it can only take one jerk
33:55.0
to throw off your vibe
33:56.0
and to throw off your mood
33:58.0
it's happened to me before
34:02.0
I still encounter it
34:05.0
I'm getting better
34:09.0
please everybody Paco
34:11.0
but I'm reflecting
34:13.0
and like how come
34:14.0
you haven't taken in
34:15.0
the role of being
34:17.0
you know what I learned
34:19.0
and this music industry
34:26.0
and I've had those
34:32.0
the responsibility
34:33.0
the responsibility
34:40.0
the responsibility
34:45.0
I just wanna be an artist
34:47.0
and being an opening act
34:54.0
the music to this day
34:55.0
but in order for me
00:00.0
35:32.000 --> 36:02.000
00:00.0
36:03.000 --> 36:04.000
36:06.0
the reason why that show
36:07.0
meant a lot to me
36:10.0
sold out in San Diego
36:13.0
and then you go on
36:17.0
watching your set
36:24.0
it meant a lot man
36:27.0
and such a student
36:28.0
of the game you know
36:31.0
for so many people
36:33.0
for people who are
36:45.0
Immortal Technique
36:46.0
I can go on and on
36:51.0
sometimes the venues
36:53.0
not a lot of tickets sold
37:01.0
to meet the producers
37:04.0
I meet them at the shows
37:05.0
and that's how I meet them
37:09.0
and friends to this day
37:17.0
sustain longevity
37:20.0
underground scene
37:23.0
consider yourself
37:25.0
I would consider myself
37:27.0
I guess if there's
37:34.0
but I was thinking about it
37:36.0
the older I get to
37:39.0
what I got right now too
37:41.0
I planned it too much
37:52.0
who's your favorite
38:01.0
why you like them
38:09.0
I've always been a
38:12.0
these last 5 years
38:14.0
Nas has been dropping
38:18.0
redefine his sound
38:26.0
I see him out here
38:28.0
he's still touring
38:30.0
even if he's acting
38:36.0
so I gotta give him
38:43.0
I gotta give props
38:44.0
to Ice Cube and Snoop
38:45.0
I think Ice Cube and Snoop
38:46.0
is still relevant
38:50.0
I'm impressed with longevity
38:51.0
those who are still
38:52.0
doing it to this day
38:54.0
I think that's something
38:58.0
they're still doing it
39:00.0
if I can add another one
39:03.0
when I saw Common
39:04.0
perform at the Hip Hop
39:06.0
at the Yankee Stadium
39:08.0
his stage presence
39:16.0
never forgot the art
39:17.0
and the craft of MCing
39:18.0
cause he's acting too
39:20.0
but I think he's still
39:23.0
you know what I'm saying
39:24.0
those are my top 5
39:29.0
I was talking to him
39:32.0
in the Philippines
39:37.0
about both of them?
39:48.0
was more like a nice
39:49.0
a little bit more
39:57.0
I know I'm missing out
40:04.0
I love his delivery
40:11.0
I gotta give props
40:17.0
super proud of her
40:23.0
I know I'm missing
40:24.0
gotta give a shout
40:36.0
distributing songs
40:39.0
in the Philippines
40:40.0
have you considered?
40:41.0
Yes you know what
40:43.0
Post Break Melody
40:45.0
in Manila right now
40:56.0
he's been playing
40:59.0
he's been spinning at
41:11.0
I lace the vocals
41:18.0
in the Philippines
41:20.0
how do you record?
41:21.0
like you have a studio
41:26.0
and one in San Marcos
41:28.0
have their own spot
41:30.0
it's someone else's spot
41:31.0
so you go to a studio
41:38.0
so you're investing
41:41.0
how important is it
41:46.0
therapy a while ago
41:48.0
in yourself right?
41:49.0
but for your craft
41:59.0
at the recording studio
42:04.0
explain it to the audience
42:06.0
to invest in yourself
42:08.0
I'm an independent artist
42:10.0
of making the album
42:15.0
I'm my own booking
42:16.0
I'm my own booking
42:18.0
everything's going
42:22.0
the talking for me
42:23.0
it's important for me
42:24.0
to be in control daw
42:25.0
I'm gonna be honest Paco
42:30.0
I don't wanna give
42:31.0
my music to someone
42:37.0
I don't get a lot of help
42:38.0
I probably don't even
42:40.0
and seek for help
42:45.0
I've been juggling it all
42:46.0
everything's going
42:49.0
making my graphic design
42:54.0
I've been releasing
43:05.0
I take care of all that
43:06.0
I've gotten a lot of
43:08.0
I've been fortunate
43:11.0
who didn't charge me
43:14.0
to me for the love
43:15.0
I've been fortunate
43:24.0
I did have to pay
43:27.0
paying at some point
43:30.0
the more you invest
43:32.0
the more it sounds better
43:35.0
investing in my merchandise
43:37.0
just pressing it up
43:40.0
mailing my own copies
43:41.0
of the CDs to people
43:47.0
and then how much
43:50.0
investing in the music videos
43:56.0
talent fee doesn't cover
44:00.0
your talent fee doesn't
44:01.0
cover for all of that
44:04.0
and I hope people
44:06.0
people think like
44:09.0
if we're starting
44:11.0
it's not that I hate it
44:19.0
they have to know
44:20.0
what goes on behind
44:22.0
so they can respect
44:26.0
when we put it out there
44:29.0
after you make the project
44:31.0
you can't sit on your ass
44:32.0
you gotta hit the road
44:33.0
you gotta do shows
44:36.0
it's like this man
44:38.0
doesn't really stop
44:40.0
so in order for us
44:42.0
and to keep our sanities
44:43.0
it's very important
44:46.0
a year and a half
44:49.0
and the COVID gave me
44:52.0
breaks are needed
44:55.0
in this music business
45:00.0
that's an investment
45:10.0
I'm living on the road
45:18.0
I've done shows in
45:22.0
I've flown out to Phoenix
45:24.0
I've driven to Oakland
45:30.0
of the Wu-Tang Clan
45:34.0
it's been a journey
45:36.0
underground scene
45:37.0
what would happen
45:38.0
it's been a journey
45:41.0
what would happen
45:47.0
and do a hip hop night
45:51.0
independent hip hop artist
46:01.0
and I'll tell you why
46:11.0
you know how many people came to watch
46:17.0
15 hip hop artists
46:19.0
only 15 people came to watch
46:26.0
where is the support
46:28.0
was it promoted right
46:29.0
was there enough promo going in behind it
46:32.0
according to them yes
46:34.0
did the artist push it
46:36.0
did they make promo videos about it
46:38.0
was there instagram reels to push it
46:40.0
so you're telling me
46:44.0
if all those things you said were in place
46:46.0
there would have been more than 15 people
46:48.0
I think we need 3 months
46:50.0
3 months the least
46:51.0
to watch DIY artists
46:53.0
yeah I think 3 months the least
46:55.0
is what you need for a good promo
46:58.0
I think the flyer needs to drop 3 months prior to the show
47:02.0
besides posting it
47:04.0
you gotta do personal invites
47:06.0
and it shouldn't fall on the artist to promote the show
47:09.0
I think the promoter's gotta do a great job too
47:13.0
it's a hit or miss Paco
47:14.0
you know how it goes
47:15.0
it's a hit or miss
47:17.0
sometimes the venues are super packed
47:19.0
and sometimes it's
47:25.0
say they're gonna come and they don't
47:34.0
I know you have thick skin
47:35.0
because you've been in the industry
47:38.0
I didn't always have thick skin
47:40.0
but I think it's given me thick skin
47:51.0
you know we were talking
47:52.0
sometimes people don't get to go on
47:54.0
sometimes my set got cut
47:56.0
sometimes the sound system wasn't right
48:00.0
I don't really give up
48:05.0
yeah I don't really give up easily
48:08.0
I do take breaks though but
48:10.0
I get back at it again you know
48:13.0
give me an advice
48:17.0
everybody watching and listening
48:23.0
and we have this in our head
48:32.0
what advice would you give us?
48:34.0
if the kids wanna start writing music
48:36.0
or doing the path
48:38.0
that we actually took a step with
48:41.0
if you guys wanna pursue the music business
48:44.0
whatever genre of music that you're pursuing
48:47.0
study it you know
48:48.0
study those who came before you
48:49.0
I think you'll learn a lot
48:51.0
I think you'll learn where you're headed
48:53.0
and where your genre's going
48:56.0
if you study where it came from
48:58.0
be a fan of the genre that you're in
49:08.0
all I gotta say is keep doing it
49:11.0
if you wanna get in the music business
49:15.0
you're gonna go through some shit
49:19.0
you're gonna go through a lot of backstabbing
49:21.0
you're gonna go through a lot of people who are shady
49:24.0
people who will try to cheat you out of money
49:27.0
but to be an artist
49:28.0
you don't need the music business
49:31.0
you can always just be an artist
49:33.0
and don't have to get in the music business
49:36.0
but to be an artist in the music business
49:38.0
you're gonna go through some shit man
49:45.0
I think rejection made me bitter
49:47.0
probably made me tainted
49:48.0
you know I've pushed
49:50.0
I've pushed my albums to record labels you know
49:56.0
sometimes people are all talk
49:58.0
sometimes people lie
50:02.0
I probably am speaking from a little bit of a jaded
50:07.0
but I think jaded is good
50:08.0
because with being jaded
50:10.0
I think it gave me a lot of growth too
50:13.0
with the content that I've been pushing
50:22.0
throw in the towel anytime soon?
50:27.0
When I go on stage
50:28.0
and I really physically can't do it no more
50:30.0
I probably will stop performing
50:33.0
as far as recording and writing
50:35.0
I don't picture me stopping
50:38.0
unless something happened with my voice
50:39.0
and I can't do it no more
50:43.0
yeah I'm gonna do it till I
50:44.0
till I can't do it no more
50:49.0
you know I was watching De La Soul
50:51.0
do an interview with Talib Kweli's podcast
50:55.0
you know one of their members died
50:57.0
rest in peace Dave
50:59.0
one of their members died and they said
51:01.0
Talib Kweli asked him
51:02.0
what's your advice for artists
51:03.0
who's out there listening
51:05.0
he goes the only way you can be a touring artist
51:07.0
is if you take care of your physical
51:09.0
mental and spiritual health
51:12.0
so before I can even think about
51:15.0
how long am I gonna be in this for
51:17.0
Paco I gotta think about how to take care of my
51:19.0
physical, mental and spiritual health
51:22.0
that's how I know if I can keep doing this
51:24.0
I gotta take care of those things first
51:26.0
so in so many cases
51:27.0
I gotta take care of life
51:29.0
before I take care of music you know
51:32.0
cause I can't do this unhealthy
51:34.0
winded, out of shape
51:37.0
and not being able to get on stage
51:39.0
no more cause you're so exhausted
51:40.0
cause you're not taking care of yourself
51:42.0
like I don't wanna do that either
51:44.0
when I start looking like that
51:45.0
I'll probably bow out you know
51:47.0
are you taking good care of yourself?
51:51.0
I know my eating habits can be better
51:55.0
but I do try to do cardio
51:57.0
at least 3-4 times a week
52:02.0
and I try to do shows twice a week
52:03.0
just to see if I can do it
52:05.0
I think every show for me is a practice
52:07.0
every show whether the crowd's small or big
52:09.0
I always look at it as practice
52:11.0
cause you're preparing for the bigger and bigger stage
52:14.0
and looking back when you say like
52:17.0
how come you haven't been the headliner yet?
52:19.0
I also think God's probably looking at me like
52:21.0
you're not prepared yet
52:22.0
maybe you need to get through some more hurdles
52:25.0
before you feel like you can be the headliner
52:28.0
and I do feel like taking that year and a half break
52:31.0
that when it canceled the shows
52:33.0
I feel like I'm still
52:36.0
it's like riding a bike
52:37.0
getting on stage is like riding a bike
52:39.0
I feel like I gotta do it
52:40.0
maybe 200 more times
52:42.0
till I feel like I'm polished again
52:44.0
I'm still trying to catch up
52:46.0
if that makes sense
52:48.0
so yeah I care about the craft so much
52:51.0
I care about the craft of performing
52:54.0
I take so much pride in the stage show
52:57.0
so will we see you at the top?
53:01.0
ladies and gentlemen
53:11.0
don't forget to like, subscribe
53:12.0
and we'll put details
53:14.0
Marlon D's IG link
53:16.0
the link tree and everything else
53:18.0
in the description
53:19.0
don't forget to support his podcast as well
53:25.0
hey that's what we live for
