About Me
Montana Millz aka Michael Persaud was born in the boogie down Bronx of New York. Anyone who lives in NY knows it's not cheap and it can be a constant struggle to make ends meet. At an early age, Montana learned that in order to survive you have to hustle to make it in this world, and that success doesn't come without dedication and perseverance. It wouldn't be until much later in his life that this proved to be such a valuable lesson.
Montana's mother and father divorced and he was uprooted, moving every two years from St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands to Tallahassee, Florida to Jersey City, New Jersey. It was in St Croix where he began rapping at the age of 12. He was drawn to Hip Hop, he loved everything about it. The music, the clothes, the graffiti art, the lifestyle, it represented something he could relate to, the struggle for a better life. He began to work at his craft daily performing in front of anyone that would listen. And more did with every passing year.
In 2003, he moved to Providence, Rhode Island and has lived there ever since. Providence was different from his other home in the Bronx, things were a little more laid back, but it wasn't long until he realized that the same struggles with money weren't exclusive to New York. In RI, jobs were scarce and unemployment was high. In December 2006, money became more of a concern when he had his daughter Melody. The expenses of a new child were more than he had imagined. He needed to make money fast. Montana began spending much of his time with his friends in the streets of Providence where drugs had brand identity like McDonalds and violence came with it. The lure of money and lack of it drove Montana to make a decision he would come to regret. He began selling drugs as a way to help his family through a difficult time, but the money became addictive, so he proceeded down this path. Close friends were killed or robbed for drugs, and he felt like he could be next.
In June of 2006 came a day that many in the game would consider unfortunate, but this would later turn out to be the opposite. Montana was arrested for distribution but was able to post bail. While out on bail he tried to make one more deal in case he had to go away. He remembers the day, "It just didn't feel right", and his girlfriend begged him not to go. He was set up, and arrested again within a month of the previous charge. Things didn't look good for Montana and he was facing time. While he was awaiting sentencing he had a talk with God and said that he would change his ways and focus on his love of music if the Lord would get him through this difficult time. He was looking at the possibility of 3 years or more. God had listened because he sent him a lawyer that got the sentenced reduced to 4 months time served.
In jail Montana wrote songs every day and he knew that he would put everything he had into music when he got out. That's just what he did, spending 14 to16 hours a day in his small home studio that he built himself recording songs that would go on to hopefully get him noticed.
In September of 2007 he heard an advertisement by hip hop industry producer Mike Lewis aka MLP, that was searching for the next hot artist or group. The spots ran daily on Hot 106-FM, a major New England radio station. It wasn't until the third time he heard it that he decided to call. He had gone to auditions before but something inside him told him that this was the one. He sent his demo in, gave it all he had at the auditions and won the talent contest featuring 300 contestants throughout New England. Soon MLP was sending beats to him every day and they worked in pre-production for 3 months straight, 14 hours a day. The hard work paid off because MLP had him in NYC recording in the 5 million dollar studio of a multi-platinum artist who MLP had worked for previously.
Montana Millz is an extremely versatile artist who can write melodies that stay with you. He also writes songs that he feels at that moment in time. If he wants to take you back to the days he was slangin and bangin, he will, if he feels like writing a club banga to make you dance, he will, if he wants to sing a hook on a love song or write an emotional track, he will, because he can. He does not hide from who he is and that's why his fans love his music. Montana believes in God and the higher power and that nothing in life is coincidence. He feels strongly that everything happens for a reason and if you want something bad enough, stay focused and go after it and if God has it in the agenda, the time will come for you to shine.
Montana Millz and MLP are currently working on the final selections for the album. The songs you are hearing (produced by MLP) are mixed, engineered and mastered by multi-platinum veterans in the game, so you can purchase them with confidence knowing that they are going to bang in your system. Keep coming back to this page because you will be notified of the drop date for the full album. Thanks for stopping through and showing love. Support Montana Millz by spreading the word… Peace.
