In this episode of the Mining Minds Podcast, we sit down with Ill Zakiel —a former underground miner turned hip-hop artist. Born in Guadalajara and raised in Carlin, Nevada, He shares his journey from haul truck operator to face miner and ultimately making the leap into music full-time .He talks about the adrenaline of his first cage ride underground, the heat and hazards of face mining, and the lessons of brotherhood and safety learned in Nevada's mines. Ill Zakiel also opens up about overcoming stage fright, building his career as a rapper, and the courage it took to leave the security of mining to follow his passion. From mining life to music stages, his story is about risk, resilience, and the pursuit of authenticity

Brass in at miningmindsllc.com

For more information on Ill Zakiel visit his website at www.illzakiel.com or to support him visit his page on Patreon at www.patreon.com/illzakiel

Chapters:

00:00 Growing Up in Mexico, Reno & Carlin

03:47 College, Reno Life & Return to Mining

05:59 First Cage Ride Underground

07:12 Early Mining Work – Haul Trucks & Backfill

09:41 Learning Underground Safety & Escape Plans

14:03 Transition to Face Mining & Extreme Heat

19:15 Eleven Years Underground & Career Reflections

20:12 Starting to Write & Record Music

27:18 First Shows, Stage Fright & Finding Confidence

43:55 Building a Music Career, Family & Taking the Leap