Ivan Montelongo – Top Latinos
Folsom, CA/LWW/ Mr. Ivan Montelongo, Artist, Audio Engineer & Owner of Bay Phoenix Studios, has been recognized by the Top Latinos in the 2026 edition.
Bay Phoenix is the artist name of Ivan Montelongo — a Folsom, California-based artist, audio engineer, and founder of Bay Phoenix Studios. Over the past decade, he has built one of the most compelling careers in independent audio from the ground up, with no degree, no shortcuts, and no ceiling.
Some people wait for the right moment. Bay Phoenix built it himself.
Ivan came up as a house music producer in the Bay Area, learning audio engineering not in a classroom but through relentless doing. By 19, he was already mixing for major Bay Area and Northern California rap artists. That same year, Freeway Rick Ross showed up at his door with his entourage, fresh off a Sacramento book signing. That kind of moment does not find someone who is not ready for it.
Between the ages of 20 and 22, Ivan worked directly for Curtis Young — son of Dr. Dre — as his personal assistant and agent. He was not just in the room. He was studying the blueprint of how the industry actually works, from artist development to professional relationships to the business side of music.
His technical foundation was built under world-class mentors. His production mentor was Shane Hazelton, known for his work with LMFAO. For mixing, he trained under Andrew Zeleno, recognized as Canada’s number two rated audio engineer. For mastering, he learned from Blake La Grange, a Grammy Award-winning engineer. His music business mentor is Clinton Charls Sparks — Grammy-nominated DJ, producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur — who has helped sharpen Ivan’s understanding of the industry at the highest levels.
Around 2019, Ivan made a conscious decision: compete at the absolute top of professional audio or do not compete at all. That choice changed everything.
By 2022, he was serving as a head audio engineer at the Moscone Center in San Francisco — one of the most prestigious conference and event venues in the country. Mixing live at that scale demands precision, composure, and deep technical mastery. He brought all three.
In 2025, Ivan expanded into post-production. He partnered with popular influencer @mario0o0o0o0o0o on a sold-out premiere at the Great Star Theater in San Francisco’s Chinatown, mixing the audio for the documentary The City of Sensitive Frauds. He handled the full audio mix for the film — a high-visibility project that brought his engineering talent into an entirely new creative arena.
Then came March 2026.
Ivan traveled to Death Row Records and worked with Snoop Dogg on a podcast project. A self-taught audio engineer who started as a house music producer in the Bay Area — now inside one of hip-hop’s most iconic labels, working alongside a legend. That is not luck. That is a decade of calculated, intentional growth paying off exactly when it was supposed to.
Ivan never finished high school. He had no degree to lean on and no academic network to open doors. What he had was an ear for sound, a work ethic that outpaced everyone around him, and the courage to bet on himself before anyone handed him a roadmap. That is the definition of self-made.
Bay Phoenix Studios is more than a business. It is a living record of everything Ivan has built and everything he has learned along the way.
Every session, every mix, and every client who walks through the door benefits from a founder who has worked at every level of this industry — from underground house music to Grammy-winning mentorship to Death Row Records.
Whether you are an emerging artist seeking your first professional mix, a content creator who needs polished audio, or an established act ready to elevate your sound, Bay Phoenix Studios brings real-world experience to your project.
Based in Folsom, California — serving clients across the region and beyond.
📍 Folsom, California
🌐 BayPhoenixStudios.com
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayphoenix/
https://www.instagram.com/bay.phoenix/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bayphoenixstudios
Bay Phoenix Studios. Built by experience. Driven by purpose.
Top Latinos is a prestigious New York publication dedicated to honoring the achievements of the Latino community. They meticulously identify and honor outstanding Latino professionals nationwide who have reached impressive levels of success in their respective fields. By showcasing their accomplishments, they aim to foster growth and appreciation of the Latino industry and culture. Since their establishment in 2010, Top Latinos has been wholeheartedly committed to fulfilling their mission of bringing awareness to the exceptional contributions made by the Latino professional and executive community.