LA EQUIS is a reggaeton artist, producer, engineer, label runner, app builder, and hot sauce entrepreneur. That’s not a list of side hustles… it’s an ecosystem, with each piece feeding the others… and how it all fits together is something he thinks deeply about.
I’ve been following his work since the early blockchain days. He was one of the artists who was always a few steps ahead, building direct-to-fan models before they had a name, custom apps before “superfan platforms” became an industry talking point.
We talked about world-building as a practical framework (theme parks as inspiration), why he’d rather fund a live show than spend on ads, the hundred-person WhatsApp group that forms his core community, and how the skills from music translate to launching a hot sauce brand and so much more.
Explore: https://maravilla.city
Extended chat for Paid subscribers:
Im going to start adding on the chat that often follows these interviews, where we both relax more when the record light is off.
Bonus topics:
The realistic dream: what does a mid-level artist career actually look like? (40k? 50k? We don’t have a clue)
The hidden funding behind “successful” indie artists (10k/month on agencies, low stream numbers)
PR spend that doesn’t convert vs. strategic promo spend
Why LA EQUIS targets Latin America where CPM is lower
Spotify Marquee jumping from $300 to $1200 recommendations
The pressure to compete with major label campaign budgets
Funding the exciting stuff (shows, experiences) vs. funding ads for vanity metrics
Why independent artists need to capitalise on new models before major labels do
