“Over time, I just got better and met more people who actually took making music seriously.” At only 15 years of age, Chicago rapper Gustavo Bands knew where his life was headed. It just took crossing paths with the right like-minded people to push him in the right direction. Writing and recording songs in his makeshift closet studio while still in high school, the grind for success in the music industry has been a long one for Gustavo Bands. Through a myriad of influences and an unmatched work ethic, the lifelong rap hopeful is making a name for himself as both an artist and an entrepreneur in the Chicago music scene. “Before I knew it, I had developed my own sound, and here I am,” he joyfully remarks.
Born and raised in Calumet City, Illinois, a small city just outside of Chicago, Gustavo Bands proudly represents both Calumet City and Chicago’s southside with his music. Acting as a “high-ranking representative of the 147th/Sibley Blvd area”, Gustavo Bands has made it a point to help local artists since he first started making a name for himself in the industry. Stepping onto the scene just around a decade ago, the Rapper put his own career aside for some time to help other local artists with their songwriting and creative development. This passion to help is what landed Gustavo Bands the role of CEO at ThrulBred Entertainment.
Gustavo Bands has used each inspiration in his life to its fullest capacity in order to further his artistic abilities. While it used to be self-motivation or looking up to the rap game’s biggest names, nowadays, the Chicago rapper is motivated by his role as a father. “My greatest inspiration for my music is my kids looking at me like I’m a superhero, honestly,” Gustavo Bands states proudly. As he funnels his inspiration into his music, it’s clear what Gustavo Bands is capable of. While he has been hard at work in the studio, Gustavo Band states that he has over 1,000 songs ready to go at any point and a full-length project is on the way soon. “I got a lot of timeless music in my catalog that could drop at any time, honestly,” he says.
With all of his success and a decade of continually growing name recognition, the pressure has begun to build on the Chicago rapper and entrepreneur. Finding success and acceptance in the busy Chicago music scene can be a difficult task. For Gustavo Bands, the anticipation around him as an artist and a businessman is a stressful reality to deal with. But by keeping a level head and focusing on his craft, the sky seems to be the limit for this budding rap star.
Keep up with Gustavo Bands by following him on Instagram, @gustavobands
Check Gustavo Bands’ music out on Spotify: