Red Martinez | ‘Mmm…Delicious’ Review
Being different brings the world color, at least that’s what Red Martinez proves time and time again through his sound.
Red Martinez is a rapper from Providence, Rhode Island, who leads his lyrics with honesty and self-assuredness. Not to mention, he makes sure that each track interjects a little pizazz, in hopes of encouraging fans to express themselves freely. Often, Red Martinez gets retrospective when penning his verses. But during other times, he lets his carefree spirit take lead. Sonically, Red Martinez speaks his piece over lo-fi, rap, or lush R&B offerings.
Red Martinez’s name is a compilation of a nickname he received after dying his hair and his last name.
“When I was a kid, I had dark hair, and it resembled my birth family, which I hated (I was adopted).” he continued. “So I was inspired by the wrestler Lita to dye my hair red like hers. I wanted to stand out and distance myself from a standard image. I had a boyfriend call me Red all the time because of it, and it just stuck.”
For as long as he could remember, Red Martinez loved hip-hop moreso when women were behind the mic. Growing up, he’d mostly hear men rapping, but once he got in tune with femcees like Missy Elliott, Ivy Queen, and Lil’ Kim, Red knew that this was different from the norm. Not because they are females, but because of their uniqueness,
“I would always say ‘That’s so dope, I want to do that,'” he said. “If they can be innovators, maybe a queer person could be one for queer peoples. Just like what these ladies did for Women MC’s.”
Additionally, Red Martinez is inspired by bright colors, being animated, self-challenges, and RuPaul. In fact, he has a RuPaul dedication shrine in his apartment.
“The image of being bigger then life and so unapologetically queer is my main goal in life. I can get emotional talking about what he means to me. And I always want to show homage the best of my ability,” he continued.
His project, Mmm…Delicious puts the “in” in “innovator.” The themes consist of speaking one’s truth, enjoying life, loving the skin they’re in, and wanting a positive change in today’s society.
“I always try and be creative with my projects. It makes folks want to listen if something has a fun name. My first EP, ‘Dancefloor Candy,’ had four tracks that referenced candy, and it was fun making gimmicky songs that ended being fire. So it became my thing to throw food in there.” he said. “Music and food have many similarities: the preparation, the presentation, and almost a recipe for making something work. And if done wrong, you do it again until it ‘taste’ right.”
Some foods that he finds delicious are empanadas (emphasis on this), Chinese, chicken fingers with white rice and ketchup, and pizza with goat cheese.
Standout tracks include “Boo Hoo,” “Chicken Fingerz,” and “iDream (ft. Manny X).” In terms of car tunes, he suggests you listen to “Your Boyfriend Likes Boys (ft. Cali Royal)”.
“Boo Hoo” sees Red Martinez saying, “Thank heavens!” because a “bum loser bitch ass scrub with no future” is finally out of the picture. Over the somber, lo-fi offering, he gives insight as to why the two didn’t work out initially,
“I’ll say it all here. I’ll go and clear the air/Who the fuck leads someone on and says that they still care?!” he delivers along with, “According to him, he wasn’t ready for something real.”
Subsequently, Red Martinez also opens up about how the ordeal makes him feel. His ex’s lies are nothing but transparent now.
“I wish I knew that you were trash just right from the beginning. Contradicted yourself, are you fucking dumb? Fucks I give about equal negative one.” he raps with layers of frustration.
Sure, his past lover may want him back now, but Red Martinez isn’t having it. As he recants on the situation, Red Martinez begins to regret giving him a chance. Given the context clues, it seems like this lover has a lot of things to figure out. “You are not the one, so lose my information.” he raps with a multi-syllable cadence.
“Chicken Fingerz” carries super hype elements that set the tone to let loose. Not to mention, the song seemingly categorizes itself as a summer banger. Honestly, it’s the perfect jam to bounce to in moments of sheer confidence. The duration of “Chicken Fingerz” centers on Red Martinez’s unphased state of mind. When it comes to criticizers, the musician isn’t afraid to look the other way. His creative direction is his alone. After all, the numbers don’t lie.
“Perhaps I have the best lyrics/And the shit that I spit is so addictive/(He’s mad gay), Look at the hits I’ve made, I hop on the mic, I shut it down. First take.”
Deeper into the song, Red Martinez lays rhymes down about his ways with men but lets it be known that he “doesn’t want an appetizer but the main course.” Elsewhere, you’ll hear a catchy hook, followed by some playful banter from Red Martinez. By the minute mark, the musician showcases some Spanish bars. Afterward, Red Martinez speaks more about his undeniably good looks, prolific rap schemes, and charm.
“‘Chicken Fingerz’ showcases my lyrical ability, my flow, some booty shaking and presents the vital question ‘if Chickens don’t have fingers why the f*** they call it Chicken Fingers?'” he said.
Lastly, “iDream” puts soft melodies on full display. Between lyrics, Red Martinez speaks about wanting the world to be surrounded with more love than hate. It seems like there are more envious individuals, fugazi’s, and smack-talkers in today’s society. But, with high hopes, Red Martinez hopes to change that by passing kindness forward.
“I’m no different than y’all/I eat, breathe, and sleep/So let me pray, Lord take me to that place where there is no more hate and I can escape/To an atmosphere, negativity free/Surrounded by the area is where I wanna be,” he delivers.
The rest of “iDream” sees Red Martinez making a valid point: that we are all human. Before the song closes, his feature Manny X sings about the same topic, in his own words, all while showcasing a projective, velvety range.
In other recent Red Martinez news, he debuted a single called “Ravenous,” which features another queer rapper named Aja. It’ll be featured on his upcoming EP, Finding Carajoland.” He’s currently working on a song entitled “Dum Dum,” which will be assisted by a visual. His advice for upcoming rappers is to do research and to ask questions.
“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Learn from them and listen to your elders in music.”
Listen to Mmm…Delicious by Red Martinez below: