By Jody Flanigan
It is rare to come across someone that believes in humanity. Someone that truly wants the best for everybody. Wake Self was that person. As a rapper and lyricist, he was able to spread this message through his music. Born as Andrew Isaac Martinez, at the same hospital as his parents in Roswell New Mexico, he was affectionately known as “Andy” to his friends and family. To the rest of the world, he was Wake Self. The Martinez family relocated to Fort Wingate, NM in the early 1990’s and later to Gallup, NM – both areas that border the Navajo Reservation. In his late teenage years, Wake relocated to Albuquerque and in his late twenties moved once again to Santa Fe, NM. All of these places had a significant impact and influence on him. Wake provided a bit of insight to his past through an Instagram post stating “My family lived in government housing,” he wrote. “We had no carpet just a dirt floor, and the water quality was bad. Drinking the water got me really sick as an infant. I had to stay in the Intensive Care Unit for months without going home to my family. When my mom tells me this story, she says they weren’t sure I was going to make it, but when things were looking their worst a miracle happened and one of the doctors found a treatment that saved my life.”
“When my mother first told me all of this, it made me believe in miracles. Later I learned that we are all miracles. We have this precious opportunity called life! Every day I wake up and give gratitude for this blessing to be alive. I pray a miracle happens to you and changes the way you think and see the world. You are going to make it.”
Wake was inspired by Hip-Hip from a young age. Being raised in New Mexico he was also heavily influenced by Native American cultures, most notably the Dine’ (Navajo) culture. Wake loved Hip-Hop and worked hard to develop his skills as a lyricist. He spent a lot of his free time as a teenager at the Foundations of Freedom dance studio in Gallup. It was a place where the community would gather to practice Hip-hop, dance, and other disciplines. For Wake, this was a place where he and other artists could practice freestyle rapping and engage in rap battle contests. Before Wake concentrated on making albums he was known as a prolific “Battle Rapper” and won many contests over the years and gained regional and national recognition. His recording catalog consists of at least 10 completed studio projects spanning 15 years as a solo artist, as a band member of “Zoology,” and as one-half of the rap group “Definition Rare” with his best friend Christopher “Def-I” Bidtah.
Wake was not a typical rapper, however. He frequently made songs speaking out against misogyny and materialism – two things that have become prevalent in popular rap over recent years. His most famous work may have been his 2016 album entitled “Malala” named after Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace prize winner. In the title track “Malala” he expresses his views supporting women’s equality. He never focused on money or materialism but rather carried a message of self-love and recognizing the beauty found in nature.
Most people only knew him through his music but Wake was also a very talented artist and painter, dabbled in breakdancing, and was an avid basketball player.
He would regularly go to local parks to play pick-up ball on the outside courts, and frequently hiked trails located in the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque. Wake Self was an activist in many causes. He would often travel to Hawaii and Washington D.C. to participate in protests involving the protection of Native land and water rights. He held workshops at local schools both on and off the Indian Reservations where he would teach kids how to write lyrics and record songs. He would also participate in food and clothing drives for less fortunate and non-sheltered people within his community.
Wake was introduced to cannabis first through recreational use – which is pretty typical of hip-hop artists. He was part of a group named “Breathe Deep” that would use cannabis as a motivational tool to produce sounds made through beatboxing and experimental use of drums, Native American style flutes, and exotic instruments like the didgeridoo. Around age 25, Wake became completely sober, however he would still use cannabis when cooking and baking vegan dishes to enhance his hobbies and life. Wake had researched cannabis in treating cancer and easing the side effects associated with traditional treatments. His mother is a breast cancer survivor and Wake would make her cannabis edibles to combat pain and nausea from the chemotherapy and radiation treatments. His brother Eric’s wife is also a cancer survivor and Wake would do the same for her. This was before edibles were widely available in dispensaries as they are today.
Wake was scheduled to perform at a prerelease party to promote his latest album “Ready to Live” at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe on Thursday November 7th 2019. Tragically on the night of Sunday November 3, 2019, Wake was driving with his close friend Kevin Allende, when they were struck by a suspected DWI driver on a Santa Fe road not far from his home. According to a Santa Fe police report, a witness said he saw a black truck traveling west on West Alameda in the eastbound lane at about 60 mph about 10 p.m. Sunday. About 30 seconds later he “observed the lights to the black truck pop up into the air as if the truck hit something.” The driver of the truck was later identified as a 24-year old. All three men were taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Wake was later transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque where sadly he succumbed to his injuries early Tuesday morning November 5th, 2019. His brother Eric Martinez issued a statement saying “Remember him at his best. Rest easy now, little bro.”
The suspected DWI driver said he had nothing to drink that night. When asked why he smelled like alcohol, he replied “because he works in the industry,” the report says. The officer did not believe him and was able to get blood drawn via a search warrant to test for alcohol content. Pichardo has since been charged with DWI, two counts of Causing great bodily harm by vehicle, Homicide by vehicle, and driving on a revoked license stemming from past DWI charges. This is the third time he’s been charged with DWI. Hearing of Wakes death drew a strong reaction from fans and others. Many in the community were in shock and paid homage right away. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller issued a message stating “With the passing of Wake Self, ABQ lost a powerful voice. His music was about resilience and respect for young people, elders, and women – and his legacy won’t be forgotten. We’re thinking of his family & friends today, and those he touched with his music.”
Meow Wolf tweeted, “Our hearts pour out to the family and friends of Andrew Martinez (@WakeSelf), “… Andrew was a monumental force of positivity in the hiphop scene and one of Meow Wolf’s most frequent performers. His energy will forever reverberate within the walls of our venue.” Wake had spent the last three years performing all around the world. Leaving his struggles in the past and building on his successes seemed to make him feel more confident than ever of a positive future. In one of his last Facebook posts, he wrote about his excitement to share his new work:
“This is emotional for me. After these last few years, I feel like I was completely torn down, and rebuilt from the bottom up. My faith has been tested, I took a lot of losses, big financial losses, lost friends, opportunities, but I never lost sight of my vision. I truly believe if we keep the faith no matter what we go through God/Creator will be there to pick us up. We can choose to come out the other side of our hardships and struggles with more strength, more love, and more light than before! After 3 long years of growth and personal development, I finished a new album, FINALLY. It’s beyond words how excited I am to share these songs. BIG Announcements coming. Love you all.”
The Martinez family continues to spread Wake’s message through his music. Working with longtime girlfriend Nisa Touchon, and others, they completed Wake’s Holy Water and FTP videos then released them posthumously.
Fans can access Wake’s music and gear on his website Wakeself.com.
His journey of enlightenment and constant fight against the injustices of the world will continue to be heard for generations to come. Wake’s hard work and determination will go on to inspire future artists living in New Mexico and around the world. His personal beliefs and dedication drove him to help others. Wake was one of the good ones you hear about in life. He was insightful and possessed a wisdom that seemed beyond his age. He believed in people, but even more substantial, Wake taught people that is okay to believe in themselves.
WAKE SELF FOREVER
