SACRAMENTO, CA – Like many others who have grown up in the foster system, Monte Stacks didn’t have the best of experiences. His father was in the penitentiary for most of his young adult life, and by age 8 he was in the world of foster care. As a result, he said he saw a “lot of crazy things” and experienced a wide range of foster parents – some good, most bad.
But through all those experiences, Monte Stacks developed a deep love and appreciation for music. In many ways music became his therapy and ultimately his reason for living. He learned early on that he had a natural ability to put words together in ways that were witty and rolled off the tongue. Today he wants to use that natural ability to make music to help other young people living in the foster system to realize they can make it through. His mixtape “The Come Up” is a testimony of his own story and a source of inspiration for others.
“I just felt like that title meant a lot and I could see myself progressing beyond what I’ve been through,” Monte Stacks said. “I came up from the ground, from the dust, from nothing. I literally came up out of nothing. I relate to people who grind it out from nothing to something. We’re all coming up from something, and all my songs mean something and have a meaning behind it that point to overcoming hardship. I’m rapping about things that I’ve either been through, or I know someone who’s going through something. I never talk about things I haven’t experienced.”
The first single from the mixtape is a song called “Chose Up.” It’s a song that he said was inspired by the negative things that a woman may go through in a relationship, though the lyrics also apply to men in some ways.
“It’s about a woman who’s going through something crazy – like they’ve been screwed over or someone cheated on them, or they have a man who is always gone and disloyal,” Monte Stacks said. “She comes to that point where she feels like she’s worthless and wonders if there’s anyone out there who actually cares. The answer is, ‘Yes!’ There is absolutely someone out there who cares. And I made a song to go with that. I think it works for a guy or a girl. I see everyone as kings and queens out there – no one is lesser or higher, everybody is equal. And therefore I think females should be treated like queens and men should be treated like kings. When they’re not treated like that, it’s a big problem.”
Throughout all of his music, Monte said he displays a unique personality and an energy that’s infectious. When he combines that with lyrics that cut to the core and are filled with depth, he said he knows that sets him apart from the crowd.
“The message I want to leave with my music is that if you’re down or don’t have anything, anything is possible,” he said. “Sometimes you have to go through bad stuff to get to the good stuff. Look at those experiences as lessons for you to learn to get to the future. Be yourself. It’s OK to go through losses because there’s always something better that will come along.”
To listen to Monte Stacks’ music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following:
Website: montestacks.com
Instagram @Theofficialmonte
Twitter: @Montekeepit100
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