Straight Outta Chi-City

UNDRGRND Magazine | Dec 5, 2021 | by Andrew Mason

The Chicago artist recently moved to Los Angeles for a promotion at his chemical engineering company. But after just two years in California, Alex Martin is capitalizing on the music scene opportunities that his new home offers.

Alex Martin (real name Julian Alexander Martin) is a 32-year-old hip-hop/R&B artist born and raised in Chicago. He attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree in engineering, with a concentration in mechanical engineering. After moving to Los Angeles in 2019 for his work, Martin linked up with popular audio engineer Big Rula, and has collabed on an unreleased track with Miami-based artist Rarri.

Considering he is somewhat new to making music—Martin says he’s only been taking his rap career seriously since he moved to California—he is making quick progress. His SoundCloud page displays a variety of tracks that show off his melodic flair and vintage R&B lyrics, and he has become a fan-favorite performer at recent UNDRGRND events. Martin has also used his savvy networking abilities to get his songs played by DJs in LA’s popular nightclubs. Looking forward, he promises three more singles and a music video in the near future.

Catch Alex Martin at the next UNDRGRND show, and follow him on Instagram @_alexthagr8_. You can stream his recent track “Vibes” by scanning the QR code on this page. Photos courtesy of Alex Martin.