"I never had connections at any point to the industry," Cuco tells us. "This shit is real, no bullshit, raw as fuck, me." The 19-year-old artist makes music in his bedroom in Hawthorne, South L.A., but that hasn't stopped him from building a dedicated fan base that sells out shows and knows every word to all his songs.
Cuco (real name: Omar Banos) is playing most of the major festivals this year, but financial success or fame for himself isn't what motivates him. What Cuco, as a first generation Mexican American, cares deeply about is providing representation in the music industry and helping his family. There have been obstacles on the way, like needing to prove to his parents that music was a viable career and major labels underestimating him and his manager, but in 2018 Cuco is in a great place.
We spent a day with Omar and his friends as they prepared to play a community oriented show in the Coachella Valley in between performing at the two weekends of Coachella festival and stopped by his home to meet his proud parents and grandparents. Watch the video above to learn about one of 2018's most exciting rising artists and read our extensive feature on the exciting new wave of artists with a DIY spirit here.
Cuco has already released two projects, but now he's working on his debut album. In the meantime his new EP Chiquito comes out May 4, featuring "CR-V," "Sunnyside," and four other songs.
