Mellow Man Ace: the return of the godfather of Latin hip-hop

Latin Beat Magazine, May, 2004 by Rudy Mangual

Urpiano Sergio Reyes, a.k.a. Mellow Man Ace, arrived in the United States at age four from his native Cuba. He first appeared in the pages of Latin Beat Magazine in February 1991 (Volume 1, Number 2), at which time he was enjoying the release of his debut album (Escape From Havana, Capitol Records). The album produced the international hit song Mentirosa, making Mellow Man the first Spanish-language rapper on the scene, as well as the first Latin rap artist to reach gold and platinum sales in the U.S. and Latin America.

In the beginning, Mellow Man Ace and his older brother Senén Reyes (a.k.a. Sen Dog) formed the rap group DVX (Devastating Vocal Xcellence) with Lawrence Muggerud (DJ Muggs) and Louis Freese (B-Real). Within a few years, Mellow Man signed with Capitol Records and launched a solo career, while the remaining three members of DVX formed the group Cypress Hill, named after Cypress Avenue, the place where they all grew up and where it all began for them. After fourteen years, we caught up with the pioneering West Coast hip-hop artist Mellow Man Ace. The following is a recent chat with the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame inductee ...

Rudy Mangual: Are you considered a Latin rapper, rapper or hip-hop artist?

Mellow Man Ace: My music is just that, music, done by a Latino, but somehow along the way, it got categorized, labeled. Music is universal and regardless of styles, genres, of languages, it shouldn't have a face or color, only a voice. I make music with English lyrics and music with Spanish lyrics as well as music with bilingual lyrics, so it's a cornucopia of lots of different things.

RM: When you perform, is the audience exposed to both of your musical worlds and cultures?

MMA: Absolutely, "live" I go from an English song to a Spanish one of to a bilingual track, it doesn't matter. Depending on the vibe from the crowd, anything can happen.

RM: So what's up with Mellow Man Ace?

MMA: I've teamed up with long time friend and former producer Bronek and together created a production team known as "Stealth Bombas." With our combined talents we are creating what we call "backyard West Coast boogie salsa music." My recently released album Vengo a Cobrar (I Came to Get Paid) is indicative of this fresh sound. The production includes radio-friendly tracks with mass appeal hooks and well planned lyrics. We have also formed a collective partnership with Nissim J. Baly, president of Dímelo Records in California, who produced the new recording and believes in our music and vision.

RM: The title seems a bit angry, am I right?

MMA: I feel that when I left the scene some years ago to take a hiatus to refocus myself and rebuild my energy, I left unfinished as an artist.

RM: What caused you to lose focus?

MMA: Being a pioneering rapper in the industry, I was used as a guinea pig. I got tired of having four and five people getting paid in front of me while I was doing all the real work and generating the payroll. People like lawyers, managers, account executives, and PR types, among others. You see, I was the first from the block to get signed and then, of course, came Cypress Hill, followed by House of Pain, and Funkdoobiest, and they all learned from my mistakes in the industry. Now, finally, I had the opportunity to learn from watching them as well as many others throughout the years deal with the ups and downs of the industry, and I'm ready to make my move. Besides, the music that we are bringing into the mix is electrifying. A taste of the album through the single Latinos Mundial has already appeared on the Fox television show OC. The first single hitting the airwaves and dance clubs is Mujeres-Benzes. Guest artists on the recording include Cypress Hill, percussionist Eric Bobo (son of Willie Bobo) and salsa singer Martín Padilla (Tabaco y Ron).