At The Bronx Brand, we’re always looking out for the creative people within our borough.  In our “Artist Spotlight” series, we’re highlighting the projects and stories of some really dope Bronx creatives.  Our first (but unofficial) post in the series can be found here.  In this post, we’re taking a look at Efrain Opus, a Nuyorican from the Bronx with an eclectic style. Check out his SoundCloud page and follow him on Instagram.  Learn more about his story below, and listen to our favorite song from Efrain at the end of the article.

What part of the Bronx are you from? Where did you grow up?

When I was four years old, my family moved to the South Bronx. We lived on Kelly Street for three years until moving up the block to 163rd Street on Rogers Place. I lived there until last year, but my family still resides there.

How has living in the Bronx inspired or influenced your work?

Living in the Bronx has influenced me in every aspect. I grew up in a household where music was everywhere. My parents would blast salsa like Frankie Ruiz, Hector Lavoe, Eddie Rodriguez, and Willie Colon on the weekends while drinking and playing instruments. My mom would also play a lot of oldies like Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, and Stylistics. Hip-hop was extremely prevalent in my life as well because my older brother was a DJ and that’s what my friends and I listened to on the radio.

What’s your creative process?

My creative process is never the same when I’m working on a song. If I have a producer friend send me a beat, I’ll listen to it and get lyrical ideas around that beat. Sometimes a melody or a few lines I want to use will come to me randomly and I’ll record a voice note in my phone to remember and come back to. Other times life just happens and I may have some dialogue in my head and I’ll jot down what I’m feeling in the moment.

What ideas, if any, do you want to inspire with your art?

I want to inspire the idea of diversification and the ability to adjust no matter the circumstances in my music. Growing up in the Bronx helped me hone that skill of adapting and adjusting to my environment. I want my music and artwork to portray that grey area with style.

Any plans/dreams in the works you could give a little preview of?

I have two projects that I am currently working on that I can share a little bit of insight into. The first is my new album Inner City Indigo. I plan to release it this fall along with a short documentary. The title plays off of the term “indigo child.” This album tells the story of indigo children who live in environments, such as the South Bronx, where their talents are overlooked or left uncultivated, so they get caught up in the wrong circumstances. The second project I’m working on is called Summer In The South Bronx, which is a collection of fun summer songs. It will have salsa, merengue, and bachata vibes mixed with dance and hip-hop. I’m also working on a short musical film that will be West Side Story-inspired to compliment the soundtrack.

https://soundcloud.com/efrain-music/the-slums-feat-emilio-rojas