Meet Ladaro Pennix, II

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ladaro Pennix, II.

Hi Ladaro, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Ladaro “Monsta Yo” Pennix, II. I was brought up in Long Beach California where I found myself a prodigy of my upbringing and my surroundings.

Because I was so influenced by the lifestyle of the street life I ended up losing my life to a system of confinement at the age of 16. Out of 27 years plus I had spent 17 years in solitary confinement where I would find myself and educate myself and discover a world beyond what I had already known.

That very education transform my perspective on life which led me to write my first books. From suspense thrillers to self-help, to even children’s books I begin to thrive in the literary world from a prison cell. I then begin to explore my academics accomplishing various degrees, and even receiving a business certificate from Baylor University. Today I wear many hats I am a motivational speaker, and a youth mentor to prevent suicide. I’ve been featured in many magazines including

The source magazine for my music. I did all that from a prison cell. I have to show people that it was more to life than just being a part of the stereotype of what we are supposed to be in an environment of incarceration. I had to set a new tone because the reality is if we keep proliferating the same ignorance we will get nowhere fast. And so I decided to no longer be in the box in which people wanted me to be. I believe that in order to give your best self to people you have to change that internal disposition within. And dare yourself to be better than what you allowed yourself to be when you came in here in the first place.

I now use music as a way to change people’s lives. I even include at-risk youth by giving them an incentive to record with me if their behavior begins to shift from negativity to positivity. I understand my position in life. Some people have to go through things in order to appreciate everything. I appreciate everything and so what I am doing is building my own empire of positive change through my music, through my writings, through my testimony of where I’ve been so that other people can relate and realize their own potential and no longer give excuses that just because they’re subjected to unusual circumstances that they can’t succeed.

Success is possible through the audacity of believing in who you are and believing that the Creator got your back.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My struggles along the way I was being subjected to some of the illest things being incarcerated. At the beginning stepping into an adult facility as a kid was one of the hardest things, I could ever do. I was terrified and all I knew was survival. And so I survived. Many people told me that I would never be anything. They told me that I was too stupid to write.

Because my reading was slow at the time they deemed me illiterate. But I realized something other people’s opinion is exactly that a small opinion that bears no relevance to your life unless you give it to them. I started off alone with no one there but through God’s grace Earth Angels came out of the woodwork like my sister from Twinzkitchen who prayed with me and refused to allow me to fail myself.

It was crazy how God works because you can go up against some of the coldest things in life and he will still bless people in your life to help you get through it and that’s what he did in my case.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As of today, I do music. I am a pioneer of hip Hop from Long Beach. One of the things that I’m known for is my song called A Monsta Yo Story Monsta Yo feat LongBeach EWill and Sociopath Monsta Yo feat Young Buck, SmallWill, Lord Daze and an intro by Jason Statham from the movie The transporter. I have had many features on tracks with artists like Kurupt, DWFlame, Realz Sinatra, Planet Asia, Compton Menace, M.u.r.d.a.h. Rue, TayF3rd, Thee Poetic Muse, Hooliii, and many more.

I’m most proud of being able to create music in an environment where it is so unusual yet I make things happen. The connections that I’m able to make, the bonds, the loyalties are all based on respect and honor, and integrity. It reminds me of the endless possibilities that we all dream about but for some reason can never reach. I’m reaching those endless possibilities. What makes me stand out is my tenacious spirit. I’ve been through so much that there’s nothing else that can hurt me. There’s nothing that can break my spirit.

I fight hard to build a legacy. I realize that at some point how do I want my legacy to be written? And at that point, I said to myself I am going to do better so that the trajectory of my life is a noteworthy one that changes other people’s lives and gives them a reason to believe In The impossible.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I believe that taking risks is everything. I once read a book called think and grow Rich. It is said that millionaires become millionaires and billionaires become billionaires because they’re not afraid to take risks. It is usually those who do not have the funds and are trying to make ends meet who are afraid to take the rest. I have no problem taking that leap of faith, and even losing sometimes because I understand that the reward, in the end, will be lucrative and prosperous. Taking risks is what gets you to the next level.

There’s a saying that the best investment is in yourself. And so how do you lose when you’re investing in yourself? Even if it doesn’t come out in your favor you’ve learned a valuable lesson and you take that valuable lesson with you to the next risk and determine at that moment what are you willing to lose. Risk-taking is always bittersweet. Simply because it’s hail, Mary.

But at the end of the day, one of those risks is going to pay off and so I encourage everyone to go for it even if they have low funds. If you believe in yourself, and if you have the talent OR the knowledge to manifest then take that risk because you are worthy of that risk every time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Monsta_yo
• Instagram: @Monsta_yo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Monstayo3
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Monstayo3?t=G4fPrqu5Ci3c0xwNQwCyow&s=09
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCqAdm-SPOBsG0jETOUGXZ9w
• Other: https://linktr.ee/Monsta_yo