Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Martin Moran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Martin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
A four song EP titled “A Fashion Square Affair”. Since late 2019, I sought after a sound or genre that would evoke feelings and memories I had growing up. Vaporwave was inspiring and it became my aim to emulate that with this project. From summer 2021 up until the release in summer 2022, all the group effort from production, videos, photography, and engineering came together. Nearly a year later and I’m still finding ways to promote it and let it influence future works.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I rap and perform under the name Ahnist. Thanks to my older brother and friends, I got exposed to hip-hop early on. Dived into anything 80s-90s, underground, and beyond. Some of first songs came out around 2013. Since then, its grown to selling merchandise and helping promote shows with other artists I’ve been lucky to meet along the way and call friends. There’s a “red-headed stepchild” part of my identity I feel sets me apart. As a first generation Salvadoran American, my experiences or lack of, have bled into the music. With hip-hop, I feel a pride in adding a piece to the culture that might not have been as prominent before.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Early on, I was exposed to Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Great foundational read for anyone in any discipline. Then in terms of philosophy, anything by Ryan Holiday is a must. His approach to stoicism and relating it to our day and age has helped in many storms of life.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
The story is a perpetual work in progress from my point of view. Whether YouTube videos, podcasts, instagram, etc, I’ve posted everywhere they will let me. The funny truth is how much being out at shows and events builds you up online. Showing face is a true part of the grind in this field. Only advice I can throw out there is be consistent with your content and find someone you can work alongside with to create a familiar branding for your posts. 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ghostvice.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahnist407/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ahnist407
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHTLQ9oPF8N1XQtjj9rByYw
Image Credits
Evan Lopez Devonte Johnson