- December 4, 2025
Flagler Beach resident Mike Martinez has shaken up the local rap scene by providing an opportunity for rising artists.
Within Martinez’s home, a cozy corner room is situated as a recording studio. Beaming hardware samplers, mixing gear, a plethora of records, and his ever-so-reliable Akai MPC one, a standalone music production unit designed to emulate efficiency and quickness of innovation, are lined throughout the room.
I’ve been drawn to it since I was young. It’s something in me that has to come out. I’ve met lifelong friends through it. It helps me support my family. And it connects people. That’s the whole point of music, it’s about connection." — MIKE MARTINEZ
Martinez reflects on a journey few would expect: from homelessness and addiction, to headlining local showcases and producing music played on SiriusXM and FM radio.
“I was a drug addict for many years,” Martinez said. “In 2011, I was at a very low point. I was living out of my car, and I had nowhere to go. My mom lived in Palm Coast, and I asked if I could come down. She let me, and that’s when everything started to change.”
Martinez, now 41 years old, performs under his real name on all streaming platforms and sells music directly through mikemartinez.bandcamp.com. His Flagler Beach apartment is home to Martinez, his wife, and two daughters, but also transforms into the headquarters for his independent label, Beach Village Records. The studio also serves as a home base for his rap duo, Jezus Martinez, a collaboration with fellow rapper, Jezus Borgia.
“We’re like the centerpiece of everything,” Martinez said. “But we also use our platform to bring other artists in. We feature different genres at every show — reggae, punk, rock, country, whatever. The only requirement is it has to be original music.”
Martinez’s passion for music began at a young age.
“In second grade, I wrote a poem that I got to read in front of the whole school,” he recalled. “I got recognized for writing words at an early age. Then around fifth grade, I started making up raps that I’d pass off as freestyles at the lunch table.”
His passion for writing and music led him into hip-hop, then hardcore bands, and eventually into self-production, out of necessity.
“I burned a lot of bridges during my addiction, including with producers I used to work with,” he said. “So I started making beats myself. I got into FL Studio, started learning on my niece’s little laptop when I moved down here.”
Nowadays, Martinez primarily uses the Akai MPC One and MPC 2500 samplers to generate beats.
“The MPC has always been that dream piece of gear,” said Martinez. “Once I had a little money and a major artist showed interest in one of my beats in 2022, I finally made the jump.”
Beginning as a case of being at the right place, at the right time, Martinez became more engulfed in the local Flagler Beach music scene. While at a Wednesday open mic night at Tortugas Florida Kitchen and Bar in Flagler Beach, Martinez met different musicians, mostly in the rock and folk genres. But, he said, they welcomed him.
He played his first Florida gig at the Flagler Beach Phoenix Festival in 2016.
Since then, Martinez has made a name for himself, and original music as a whole. Martinez’s monthly showcase at Finn’s Beachside Pub in Flagler Beach became a stomping ground for local, independent artists.
“Each month we feature two acts, and it’s always original,” said Martinez. “It’s like an open mic vibe, but curated, rehearsed, real sets.”
On Sept. 19, the featured artists set to perform at Finn’s are Driving Near Red and Liquid Mirrors. The featured artists for the Oct. 24 showcase are Aconitia and Awaystead.
Martinez is a big advocate for artists receiving pay for their performances. He handles show bookings across Florida, from St. Augustine to Daytona.
“I’m not saying it’s a ton of money, but every artist who plays my shows gets something,” Martinez said. “Music has value. Period.”
On top of his full-time job, Martinez devotes each weekend to his studio — recording, mixing,
producing, or assisting fellow artists develop their own personal sound.
By conscious choice, Martinez's studio remains “low-tech."
“This is the nicest it’s ever been, but I’ve always just had a computer, a mic, and whatever I needed to get the job done,” he said.
His main software tools are Adobe Audition and FL Studio, though hardware production is now his dominant workflow.
In recent months, Martinez has shown interest in expanding his sound into local restaurants, cafes, and lounges, more of a live-beat performance. Offering three- to four-hour sets of instrumental hip-hop, ambient, chill rhythms.
“Think: lo-fi beats to study to, but live,” he said. “It’s not about putting on a big show, it’s about setting a mood. I’ll be there with some lights, some visuals, a vibe. People can eat, talk, and hang. I’m just in the background providing a soundtrack.”
When Martinez was asked what music truly meant to him, a long pause overtook the quiet recording studio.
“I’ve been drawn to it since I was young," he said. "It’s something in me that has to come out. I’ve met lifelong friends through it. It helps me support my family. And it connects people. That’s the whole point of music, it’s about connection."
His latest solo album, Transits, was released on Aug. 8, on what is known as the Lions Gate Portal, a symbolic date of manifestation.
“Each track is based on an astrological concept, but it’s really about my life. I just used the themes as a lens,” Martinez said. “I wrote, recorded, and mixed the whole thing in a weekend. It was like the universe lined it up.”
While growing his reputation in the Florida music scene, Martinez holds a clear vision.
“Once I hit a certain number consistently off beats, royalties, sessions, shows, I’m out," he said. "Music full-time. That’s the dream.”
