We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marti Obregon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mario below.

Marti, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My love for music started at a very young age. Ever since I can remember, my parents were always playing music around the house. A vivid memory I have as a kid (I don’t have many of these) was during Christmas time, the Carpenters was always being played. I began taking piano lessons at around age 8, which is an instrument I still play to this day. Around this time, my older cousins introduced me to Hip Hop and I just fell in love with it. I would spend hours in my room listening to songs, memorizing the lyrics, writing down the lyrics of my favorite songs. It was an obsession that continues to this day. This is how I learned to do what I do. It wasn’t a class I took, and there were no YouTube videos back when I was growing up. I learned how to write and perform music mimicking artists and songs that I loved.

After being distracted by sports and girls during high school,I finally started writing my own music. One of my best friends Christian “Tish” Martinez was studying audio engineering and we teamed up to create a duo called DreamTeam. So knowing what I know now, I wish that band would have started my artist journey earlier, when were 15 instead of 25.

I am a passionate and hardworking person – it runs in my blood. These are essential skills for making it in the music industry. No one is going to hand you a hit record on a platter – you gotta work for it. Everyday I’m not trying to be the best, I was just trying to be better than I was the day before. The obstacles that stand in the way were the same obstacles that stand in the way of anyone trying to follow a dream… doubt, lack of confidence, or too much confidence, family issues, girl issues, etc etc. The life of a writer/artist is a delicate balance of telling the world of your triumphs, your failures, and everything else in between. It’s a beautiful craft that I am blessed to have found comfort in.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

My name is Mario Obregon, but I go by Marti. I am a proud Cuban-American born and raised in the 3-0-5. I am a singer, songwriter, emcee, poet and I’ve been chasing my dreams in the music industry for over 10 years. I helped found a band called the Problem Kids, a Caribbean Hip-Hop fusion group that I believe is one of the best live musical acts to ever come out of Miami, FL. When the pandemic hit and live shows stopped, I began working on my solo projects more, which is what I have been focusing on these past 2 years. I enjoy working with different artists, producers, bands, etc. and catching different vibes from each one.

Honestly, I am most proud of just not quitting. Not giving up on something that most people would dream of doing. Trust me, I have those days where I don’t feel like telling people what I am going through and how I am feeling. I have those days where I don’t feel like going to rehearse or practicing my verses hours at a time. Those are normal feelings we all go through in anything that we do, even if we love what we do.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

There is always a goal or a purpose when I am writing or working in the studio. I am not one to write just to write. To be honest, the music I make is for myself. I don’t spend my time and energy wondering what the listener WANTS to hear. I am telling my story, and in turn if the listener enjoys it, that’s a plus for me.

One thing I am really passionate about writing about is my Cuban heritage. Both of my parents were born in Cuba and were forced from the island by the communist tyranny that is still running the country today. Growing up, my grandfather would tell me stories about Cuba and about the beauty that it once was. We’re in a unique position in Miami to tell the story of Cuba and so one of my missions is telling the story of the immigrant Cuban family – not just my family’s story. As long as I have a platform and a voice, I will speak for those Cuban citizens who cannot speak without being persecuted or thrown in jail for having their own opinions.

What do you find most rewarding about being creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is collaboration. Nothing brings people together like music, and I am just fortunate to have worked with so many talented artists and performed for great audiences. The relationships created through this musical journey are ones that I will have for the rest of my life. My bandmates, new and old, are some of my best friends. When we perform, there’s nothing better than seeing all our people in the crowd. Same goes for the studio, where there is always a family vibe.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.problemkidsmusic.com
• Instagram: @martimarmia
• Twitter: @martimarobregon
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/problemkids305
• Other: email – [email protected] [email protected]

Image Credits
@worldredeye @954mm @GiselleObregon