Today we’d like to introduce you to Flex Loaiza.
Hi Flex, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Being born and raised my whole life in South Florida, I was immediately exposed to and inspired by a bright and captivating area that has ample amounts of art in all forms and shapes. Also being brought up in a large family I was always around many genres of music and different musicians. My dream of becoming an artist started forming early on when I was 14 years old when my older cousins started recording songs of their own with a friend. What started as a young boy spitting basic level bars with a nervous and robotic like flow has grown into a confident, cool-minded artist who seeks recognition for his craft above all else. Although I’ve practiced and recorded rough versions of songs since 2010, I would say my music as well as artistic identity has really grown to serious light in 2020 due to the global hardships that were unfolding. After witnessing eye-opening events around me such as the BLM movement and COVID-19 pandemic, I had an awakening. Changing my focus of songs and lyrics towards real-life feelings and issues we all experience at one point or another. Whether the topic be of battling one’s own mental demon’s or bringing government corruption to light, I hope to be known and remembered when my time is done.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I can honestly say that the road to becoming a true “rapper” or “artist” has a lot of bumps and potholes along the way and at times may even feel like dead ends are inevitable. But through the bumps, I’ve been fortunate enough to grow mentally and develop as a person with a key vision and plan. A main factor that can be crippling to a new artist is their own brain and mental state. You have to be willing to accept a flaw and adapt it with proper practice to become the best possible musician. In the earlier stage of my career, I was always too nervous or embarrassed to play songs for people due to many not liking what they heard. At times I would consider if this is something even worth continuing to pursue or not. But in time with practice and a dedicated mindset, confidence and focus was instilled and really pushed my character development forward to a new level.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I consider myself multi-faceted in skillset, largely due to other avenues and interests that have opened up from my initial love for recording music. There came a time where I had a finished song but did not have a cover art for it. After several failed attempts to explain what I wanted created to designers, I decided to try my hand at it and was instantly hooked with the process. Creating something visually appealing to the human eye was just as interesting to me as recording a song for others to feel and vibe to. Fast forward to today, I create and design all my own art covers for songs and projects. But I also wanted to create something else that was physical for people to touch and wear, that’s when FLEX2DaGRAVE was born. An independent clothing brand started by myself allowing me to design and sell clothing but also learn a bit of business and financial areas with it. Other areas of talent being developed are writing poetry as well as beat production. A key feature that sets myself apart from others is simply the inner want and determination to be heard and recognized on a large scale, that restless fire is what makes me unique from others artists. I feel most proud of my upcoming album titled ” FLEXGOHARD!” which will put my distinct sound on full blast.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something that may come off as surprising for others to know is that I deal with social anxiety and often feel overwhelmed when at events or even just leading up to them alone, the anticipation can be heavy and daunting. Although I do feel extremely fortunate to be able to express my artistic mind on stage, A small bit of the social anxiety follows me. It’s a mental battle that I work on daily and will continue to improve on as I continue my journey. The happiness and peace that comes from expressing my art with others ultimately outweighs the social anxiety and awkwardness I experience in life.
Contact Info:
- Email: iamhiphop561@yahoo.com
- Website: https://linktr.ee/flexgohard
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flexgohard/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/flexgohard1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibHKHLNy3HQ
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/flex-loaiza
- Other: https://flex2dagrave.com/
Image Credits
Samantha Lee Trautner
