There are times when we witness a breakthrough in different industries where a unique individual comes up with a completely new innovation that holds the potential to alter the concepts we have been accustomed to for many ages. Naturally, it was only time before we finally witnessed such an occurrence within the music industry- and American rapper Ceno was the man to bring home the glory of setting things never done before in motion.
But before we can tell you exactly how he brought about a change in the industry, it is crucial to know his origins first so that it is easier to understand the emotions that took place before his revolutionary actions. Born Lionel Bradley in Gardena, CA, Los Angeles County, Ceno lived under inconvenient circumstances in his childhood. Both of his parents had active Crip affiliations.
He was the second oldest of his four brothers growing up engulfed in gang culture surrounded by violence and drugs. His parents were swallowed by unfortunate circumstances erasing the picture of ideal role models, so he learned at an early age, he had to rely on himself. However, he had his grandparents around who partly raised him.
A significant influence in his childhood years was his uncle Tony, famously known as Big Bone, a member of the notorious 87th Street Gangsta Crips. Ceno looked up to him as a father figure which is why he ended up following in his footsteps being influenced by his positivity as well as the most negative.
After a while, Ceno fell into the same atrocities that plagued the rest of his family.
While enrolled in Bethune Middle School, which became his comfort place from all the horrible things going on in his life. He would take part in many jazz bands, educate himself on different music genres, and even excelled at using many instruments.
However, his happiness didn’t last long. A few years later, Ceno lost his uncle and his older brother to a gang conflict, which made his mental state spiral out of control. At 17 years of age, he dropped out of school and solely indulged in minor street crime, which quickly led to major street crimes, and he was apprehended for his crime.
When he went to prison, he really sat down and got to thinking about whether this was the path he wanted to pursue in the future. Or turn his life around into something better and worthwhile? While he was weighing his options and thought about how music was the only good impact on his life. That helped him make up his mind, and as soon as he was out of prison, he set out to find a prospering future as a rapper in the music industry.
In 2015, Ceno received his first success when his debut single ‘Say My Name” was positively received by the crowd landing him an opening slot performance for The Real Show held by The Real 92.3 at The Forum in Inglewood Ca. And then, not a year later, he released an unofficial mixtape, ‘The One Take Mixtape’, and several other singles, which once again were shown love by the crowd, and his popularity took to new heights.
And just when people were expecting his popularity to come to a stable standpoint, he proved them wrong when he made a breakthrough by mixing two completely different genres, rap, and classical music, together which had never been attempted before.
Initially starting out as a challenge, Ceno managed to flawlessly rap to Beethoven and Mozart marking an original innovation within the music industry going viral on Facebook.
In 2020, Ceno decided to capitalize on the momentum and dive into entrepreneurship forming his own record label 700 Family with Merchant Wade a former, fellow inmate turn business partner. He then went on to release more singles under his new label which were all well-received. In June 2022 Ceno teamed up with west coast royalty and former member of Eminem’s Slaughterhouse group KXNG Crooked fka Crooked I to release Clip Clic Bang. A highly energetic banger produced by Stone Zone coupled with a preeminent lyrical display.
CLIP CLIC BANG (Offical Video)
ft. KXNG CROOKED dir. CHRISCAMERAGUY
For the unknown, Ceno is definitely one of the best-kept secrets in the music industry with a promising future. He will be categorized years from now when the word “GREATS” is the topic of hip-hop conversation. Can’t wait to hear what is to come in 2023.
To Learn More
ceno700.com
@ceno700
