Music & Money was founded in Colorado in March 2015 by Elite (Mario Salazar) and he couldn't have started the label at a better time. As the hip hop scene changes profusely, Music & Money is needed more than ever to remind us of a time when hip hop had REAL content. Esu The Illest (Joe Boyd) first contacted Elite in search of a new place to record. Esu's talent was immediately noticed and Esu was
offered a spot on the team. Born in the heart of Denver, Elite grew up between two worlds: one his hip hop background in battle rap, studio records, live performances, and becoming a certified audio engineer through Berkelee College of Music; the other his entrepreneurial lifestyle with his ability to create profitable businesses after taking additional courses marketing and accounting at Arapahoe Community College. His first professional album "Revelation" (2012) touched on the lifestyle and culture, but his new album "Lost in the Moment" (2017), dives deeper on the subject and casts a new view on reality with his smooth yet punchy vocal entertainment. His music is fueled by powerful punchlines, well-written lyrics, and melodic hooks. Ultimately, Elite is a committed CEO with the goal of putting on artists with great music, including himself. Recorded in the span of 3 days, "The Odyssey of Esu" (2017) was self-produced by Esu The Illest, then recorded and engineered by Elite. The album is a full story about Esu's life from what he calls "a journey of self-discovery" ( https://www.musicandmoney.net/blog/the-odyssey-of-esu-a-journey-of-self-discovery ). As a concept album, Esu's deep lyricism delves on a very personal narrative, speaking about existence and trying to find an understanding about purpose. While these stories are well-crafted, this album is broken down into fragments and shards of his reality. Esu had full creative control of the album, from production to design. These fragments piece together with his creativity to prove Esu's artistic capabilities and show that Esu is wise beyond his years.
