Growing up around Pomona, California, CNG learned early that life could take you through different places without changing where you came from. A first-generation Mexican-American, CNG was raised by a single mother and grew up understanding the importance of family, sacrifice, and finding his own way.
His family moved around throughout his childhood, spending time in Pomona, Ontario, Inglewood, and other cities across Southern California. He attended several different schools, including Don Lugo High School in Chino. His parents often tried to keep him in better areas and environments, hoping to give him opportunities and keep him away from trouble. But CNG still stayed connected to his neighborhood and the friends he grew up around.
Those experiences became part of who he is today.
Music was always somewhere in the background of CNG’s life. His passion started at a young age, long before he ever thought about making it a career. In elementary school, a friend gave him a simple voice recorder, and he began using it to record his music. It wasn’t professional equipment, but it gave him a way to express himself and start developing his sound.
As he got older, CNG began taking music more seriously. He started writing and eventually used money he earned working warehouse jobs to invest in studio time and professional production. Every dollar he put into his music came from his own work.
Before there were proper marketing budgets or a team behind him, CNG and his friend found their own way to get the music heard. They would head to places like Hollywood Boulevard and Venice, set up a speaker, and perform in the streets. When money was tight, they made their own promotional materials by hand. They wrote his Facebook and SoundCloud information on roughly 200 flashcards and passed them out to people walking by.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real.
CNG describes that period as ugly and beautiful at the same time. Looking back, he understands that those moments were necessary. They taught him how to work, how to connect with people, and most importantly, how to believe in himself before anyone else had a reason to.
About eight years ago, CNG made the decision to fully commit to music. It came after taking a serious look at his life and asking himself what would actually make him happy. He realized he would rather look back knowing he gave everything he had to chase his dreams than spend his life working for someone else and eventually wondering what could have happened.
That mindset changed everything.
His persistence eventually began paying off. CNG gained attention through his cover of Biggie Smalls’ “Juicy,” along with original records such as “Not My President.” Those releases helped him build a dedicated fanbase organically, without depending on a major label to create the momentum for him.
From there, CNG continued building his catalog and carving out his own lane with records like “Playmaker,” “Smooth Operator,” “Risk Taker,” “Born In A System,” “Day 1,” “Lost Soldier,” “Listo,” “Honey Pack,” and more.
What started with a simple voice recorder and handwritten flashcards eventually became something much bigger. His music has grown into a way to provide for his family while doing what he always believed he was meant to do.
Today, CNG continues to move forward while staying connected to the experiences that shaped him. His latest single, “Part Time Lover,” is currently available on all streaming platforms, adding another chapter to a journey that began long before the spotlight.
For CNG, the music isn’t just about where he wants to go. It’s also about everything he had to overcome to get here.
