Gerry Skrillz

Gerardo Montano was born on March 11, 1978 in San Diego, California.  The eldest of four and first of his family to be born in the United States, he grew up a leader.  At a young age he chose loyalty to his friends above his family, school-work or interests.  Gerry’s commitment submerged his youth into the party scene, street life, money and destruction that only fills, but never satisfies the soul.  The closest Gerry felt to freedom was in the words he wrote to the beats.

Gerry nurtured his writing with the greed and empowerment of his street reputation. He adopted the rap alias of “Gerry Skrillz.”  The word “skrillz” is a reference to the word “scrilla” meaning money, because the end goal was to be all about the money.  Ultimately, the gift of writing became his hamartia and shattered the once pure dreams of a luxurious life for him and his loved ones.  While the world broke Gerry’s soul, God prepared a path for him.

A serious of dead-end jobs came to an end as God reached down and placed the once high school drop-out into a medical profession that brought stability and focus to his life.

Even with this new found career Gerry’s mind continued to be a slave to sin and it was not until he surrendered the darkest parts of his soul that God was able to fully transform his heart of stone.  During the process he met and fell in love with his wife, who further fueled the desire God had placed in Gerry’s heart to lead and serve others.

Overflowed with blessings, Gerry was convinced his writing marked his past, but the echo of his music persisted.  God gave Gerry his words back to him and showed the art behind the pain, the gift that was created for His glory.  Although Gerry believed his music time had passed, God revealed that it never truly began.  Gerry describes the writing process as “if someone else was writing the lyrics and hooks to the songs.”  There was no reputation to portray this time, only truth to spread.  He reached out to his up and coming rapper/producer brother-in-law, founder of Cali Gold Records, to produce an album.  Gerry decided to keep his original rap alias because the desire for riches was still his driving force; the type of riches became the spiritual currency of mercy, compassion and salvation to the lost.  Gerry’s new-writing experience exposed his former-self the way God had seen him all along, and from the love that changed his life.