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I'm Wágner dos Santos—musician, entrepreneur, marketer, and once, an inmate in a state prison. My life has been a symphony with movements both dark and light. It began in NYC, where, at seven, I entered the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and by 17, I was pressing vinyl and starting my own record label.

My path wound through the echelons of the music industry, from Imago to TVT Records, and my own enterprise, Beloved Entertainment Group. But life has its crescendos and decrescendos. The latter brought me face to face with the harsh realities of the justice system—a system that incarcerates not just bodies but often spirits and futures.

Behind bars, I learned that justice often plays favorites, and the scales are tipped by wealth and influence. I experienced the deep flaws of a so-called correctional system and vowed—if I ever regained my freedom—to live a life that mattered, to elevate my voice in service to truth and integrity.

Since my release from imprisonment 30 years ago, I've rebuilt my life, navigating the world of marketing and advertising with giants like Omnicom and IPG to running WGNR, a brand marketing agency. Today, my past is a chapter, but it's not my story's end. It has fueled my passion for tackling societal issues with a directness that spares no truth, no matter how uncomfortable.

Speaking Out With Wágner is dialogue on socio-politics, culture, and business. A podcast of the same name is produced and distributed by WGNR Sounds. The live stream is available on LinkedIn and YouTube and the recorded version is available on all major podcast platforms.

My voice, unbound and unvarnished, tackles controversial topics and different viewpoints that the mainstream is too afraid to touch. It's an extension of a life lived in defiance of expectations, a testament to second chances, and a call to action for those who will listen. Hang on to your seats because it's brutally honest, direct, unbiased, and provocative. Would you expect any less from a New Yorker?