This podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.

What does it mean to find your voice? For Miguel Kultura, a Mexican American musician, rapper, and producer, the answer lies in the beats he produces and the stories in his rhymes. Growing up in San José, Miguel loved hip hop, funk, and soul music. His interest in music led him to work with BAMN, By Any Medium Necessary, a South Bay collective of creatives in music and film production. The experience he gained from working with BAMN served as a tangible outlet for his creative voice.

Despite health challenges that could have stalled his creative journey, Miguel used them as motivation to push forward and as a reminder to stay positive. He began researching holistic medicines that connected him to his Mexican ancestry. He considers his work in music and with his community as the role of a ‘light seeker’ devoted to telling stories about the positive influences of Indigenous and Chicano cultures. Part of that work has been advocacy for his Eastside San Jose Mexican American community. He has engaged in activism by founding a group called Jovenes Activos, which fought to preserve community murals that represented the culture of East San Jose.

As a rapper and producer, Miguel addresses the lack of representation of Spanish rap and hip-hop culture in Northern California. His songs, typically performed in Spanish, are meant to weave together parts of his life with the broader experience of the Mexican American communities in California. His productions bend and fuse various musical genres to create a sound representing Chicanos’ rich culture and history. Core to his lyrical content is delivering a positive message that he hopes can heal hardships and highlight the strength in humility.

Miguel’s latest release, Estilo Chicano, is a heartfelt expression of the strength, joy, and style found in Chicano car culture. Estilo Chicano celebrates low-riders and the pride in a community guided by a common interest. Estilo Chicano is part of a new tape Miguel is working on that will incorporate new sounds into Miguel Kultura’s style. He mentions that specific productions will emphasize vocals and harmonies, in addition to his raps, which will lend themselves to a more soulful and romantic tone. By expanding his sound with new projects and planning future tours, Miguel hopes to continue making music that speaks to Chicanos everywhere.

In this conversation, Miguel shares the motivation that he has found in adversity, his journey of self-discovery, and the importance of representing positivity in his work.

Follow Miguel Kultura on Instagram @miguelkultura and explore his website for merch, albums, and more. 

Featured in issue 11.1, “Sight and Sound” 2019.

Estilo Chicano is now available on Spotify.