Lil Bams Throwing Posada at La Casa
Santa Barbara Hip-Hop Star Hosts Fundraiser Concert at La Casa de la Raza on December 18
Life wasn’t easy for a young Lil Bams. Raised primarily on Santa Barbara’s Eastside to parents who were in and out of prison, Ramon Cardenas grew up primarily on the streets.
“I was one of those kids who always wanted to be outside,” said the 26-year-old hip hop artist, who’s since dropped numerous albums and singles, starred in more than a dozen music videos, and opened for two nationwide tours. “I didn’t really like to be at home too much. We saw a lot of stuff out there as kids.”
He often lived with his grandma, sometimes in Carpinteria, which is where he started rapping in middle school. The format was rap battles with friends, with lyrics that poked fun at each other. Things got more serious when he started attending Santa Barbara High.
