His difficult personal and musical origins have been expressed more than once. Alberto Mendoza, known as MC Ceja in the urban genre, knows that talking about good things is easy. Learn first-hand how fascinating it is to enjoy achievements without looking back. But also that facing the past is essential if one wants to learn and be vigilant so that others do not slip in difficult situations like those in which he failed.
Part of this intention is carried through his book Berto, a nickname by which trusted relatives know him, and which aims to show the person above all personality.
“The purpose is for people to know the story through me, not second or third parties,” he stated emphatically, adding that “I’ve heard reggaeton stories where sometimes I’m not even mentioned.”
A complex childhood, days of excess and days in prison are just a few reminders of this past that he uncovers in the 170-page publication that will be available on his site mcceja.com from next Monday. and from the following week on digital book sales platforms. It will also cover his experiences as one of the pioneers of the urban genre, starting in the 1990s.
“I really wanted to tell my story, which is like the story of the boy’s dream, who wanted to be an artist, who became successful, the problems that come with music, the ups and downs as a person, as an artist, the problems that Vice, overcoming, a bit of everything”, he mentioned somewhat shyly, with confessions that were not necessarily easy to reveal.
“It’s basically what I went through that they know me through, but also a motivation to help people who may have gone through that identify,” he said of his main goal, recalled growing up with his paternal grandmother.
“He raised me with his five children. (Before) when I was 2 years old I was very restless and I spilled a pan of oil and burned my whole back. I’m almost dying From there I moved to live with my grandmother, who was my mother and a father to me,” he recalled as one of the many anecdotes.
In other memoirs he referred to the artistic streak that had called him since childhood. “My great-grandfather was a trumpeter, a great trumpet player in Arecibo. That’s where I think the pursuit of music was born. As a kid I liked a little rock of everything, as a kid I liked some of Menudo’s songs. I liked the songs of Emmanuel, Gilberto Santa Rosa, although they are different things than what I do today, they are things that they have done to me in music, in addition to music in English, rap,” the businessman testified Arecibo who lived part of his upbringing in New York.
At times part of his journey was hearing remarks designed to discourage his musical ambitions. “All the time. That happens a lot here (in the music industry). But you trust someone and you have to give it to them because if you don’t, nobody will.”
Today he enjoys his role as owner of distribution company GLAD Empire and record label Get Low Records, roles he carries out in part as part of his commitment to encouraging new generations to explore music. He sees these successes as examples of focus and discipline.
His experiences are also told in a documentary film. “It’s almost done,” he announced of the project, which he sees in feature film format. “There is no (release) date yet, but it will be available on all digital platforms.”
Further plans commented
One of the commitments keeping him busy is the King Mendo Captain Land event on June 18th at the Manuel G. “Petaca” Iguina Reyes Coliseum in Arecibo. The musical presentation, which will serve as a tribute to his career, will feature guests such as Baby Rasta & Gringo, Casper Mágico, Nio García, Alberto Stylee, Hozwal and Pusho, among others.
“Super happy and excited to be there. Being able to bring the number of guest artists who are also, as they say, family, people who have worked one way or another, shared something in my career, and being able to support those people in my city where you don’t usually have the opportunity to enjoy these events, I’m very happy,” he said of the activity, which is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
“I also have an album coming out on June 17th, the day before the concert, called Kingmen2”, he added excitedly as part of his projects, to which the release of MiMuZa is added, “a production of rhythms, instrumental , for that, new artists can use those beats and put their voices on them and use them to make their demos.”
King Mendo Captain Land tickets are available through Ticketera.com.