Junior Rolando Martinez has used his musical talent for a school project only once. He and junior Aiden Osman worked on a French Rap song for a French technology project. Photo by Patricia Ortiz

By Patricia Ortiz

A love for something can begin at a very young age.  For example, the purchase of a new camera may spark an interest in photography.  For junior Rolando Martinez, the love for music began with a Christmas gift.

“When I was four years old, my uncle bought me a drum set for Christmas,” said Martinez.  At that point his love for music sparked.  His love for music may have started when he was four, but according to Martinez, he did not begin to record any of his songs until he was a freshman.

To record the songs that he writes, Martinez uses his own recording studio that he has in his bedroom.  According to Martinez he began to create his recording studio back when he was in junior high.  Little by little, he saved up all the money that he was making and Martinez said that, “bit by bit I started buying recording equipment.  I built it [recording studio] in the place where I enjoy being the most, which is my [bed]room.”  Martinez also says that he probably has, “more recording equipment in there than bedroom items.”

Like many famous artists, Martinez writes his own music.  According to Martinez, he writes songs based “on things that are occurring or happening in [his] life.”  There are multiple music genres.  Each artist writes songs based on the genre that he or she likes.  Martinez says that he loves “incorporating my own style into hip hop music.”

Martinez has showcased some of his songs.  He says that with some of his songs he likes to, “keep to myself and many of my music I like to share with people.”  There has been only one time in which Martinez has showcased his talent for a school project.  He explains that he and a friend, “created a french hip hop song for one of our French [tech] projects.”