WHO IS MAMI MONTANA??
Some of you may remember her as Coca-Ina, the young Latin femme fatale representing Atlanta. Today she presents herself to the world as Mami Montana, a new name to go with her killer good looks and razor sharp skills on the mic. Her desire and passion for delivering a combustion of ingenious style and incomparable flow come from being brought up within the hip-hop generation. Born in Tampa Florida, Mami Montana was raised by her Guatemalan/Belizean mother and Jewish father who helped her be the open minded spirit that she is today. Growing up the youngest of four kids would make anyone crave attention, and Mami was no different. Her older siblings were the first to introduce hip-hop music into her life and she soon began to take her verbal skills a little more seriously. The diversity in her family created a colorful backdrop to the trials and tribulations of Montana’s home life.
Mami Montana’s life took an abrupt turn when at the age of 12 her father was arrested and jailed on international drug trafficking charges. Only a few years later, her oldest brother Michael was murdered by the DEA when they raided his home in Orlando, FL. These years of hardship would help form young Montana into a mature and serious adult. The pain and anguish that crammed her life was traumatizing for any young girl, but she would soon discover her one method of comfort and relief…writing.
At seventeen, she graduated high school and the time came to attend college. Her love for hip-hop was still alive and well. While attending school at GA State she became involved in the 100,000 watt radio station’s famed hip-hop program, The Rhythm and Vibes Show. Working on the show proved to be invaluable. She was not only able to flex her skills on the mic but was also deeply involved in the crate digging and production of the show. She made several connections with many of the big name hip-hop artists that passed through the show and even made sure that Latinos like Fat Joe, Big Pun and The Beatnuts were always represented on air. Mami soon left college and traveled for a bit ending up in Jersey City. Armed with a 5- track demo she tried her best to break into the music industry. These years of struggle would help her form a bond with some special friends, the infamous Murda Mami crew that has spawned several of today’s top female urban talent.
Today, Mami Montana continues her struggle towards the top. She has appeared on numerous mix-tapes nationwide and you can find her on websites from Aftermathmusic.com to LatinRapper.com. Mami Montana has been featured in magazines galore and Urban Latina Magazine quotes: “Her flow is often compared to a female version of Jay-Z’s, but her voice and character are incomparable”. With help from Aftermath producer Focus, production whiz Neo da Matrix and many other well-known producers, she is laying down enough tracks for a full catalogue. Although she has been in the game for a minute now, Mami finds opposition around every corner. Not only has being a female affected her chances in the rap game, but being of Latin decent as well, and in some cases, sadly, even from Latinos themselves. Although she has already seen many of the ups and downs involved in the music industry, Mami Montana stands strong in the face of adversity. Being a female Latin emcee is not an easy thing to be this day in age and she isn’t afraid of doing things the hard way.
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