It is an uphill struggle for rappers who choose to remain independent. To record tracks they must use the services of producers such as Emilio.
The 33-year-old used to rap but crossed over to the more lucrative production side several years ago. He runs a crude recording studio from his house, where artists pay $20(£10) per track.
His father, a musician who earned a decent salary performing overseas, helped set Emilio up with his first computer.