It’s a Friday of the 2012 and outside 622 Chimalhuacán Avenue, in Neza Cityhundreds of young people await an idol. The place, a nightclub called Stratushas not yet opened its doors, but the festive atmosphere overflows onto the sidewalk where there is not a line, but dozens of groups dressed in Goga pants and imitation Ed Hardy t-shirts that make up ‘combos’, as the groups that enjoy this dance are called, which involves cadence and poses worthy of the Kama Sutra, the ‘perreo’.
The evening starts a few minutes after 2 p.m. After several opening DJs, Under Style Collectivewith the beers taking effect and sweat pouring from all sides, a young man comes into the booth who, due to his thin build, seems to be no older than 20 years old. He wears a tight shirt and headphones that flatten the gel in his hair. His name is plastered on the poles of the Metropolitan Area and causes riots here, in Azcapotzalco, Iztapalapa, Tepito, Naucalpan and Gustavo A. Madero. It is Pablo Alejandro ‘Pablito Mix’ and seeing him everyone shouts: “Oh Pablito, how delicious!”.
“They branded us as criminals
“In those days only the neighborhood kids danced really hard and Now all of Mexico is dancing“Pablito remembers sitting in an armchair inside the offices of MILLENNIUM in Mexico City.
Wearing black pants, cap, glasses and a white shirt, the man born on October 8, 1991 in the neighborhood of National Presslocated on the border between Tlalnepantla and Azcapotzalco, says that when he became an idol he also faced the stigma of being a “offender“
“Today we are living in a very good time, because in those beginnings It was marginalized for you to say that you were a reggaeton artist, they treated you badly, they labeled us as criminals, they spoke ill of usBut time has passed and it has evolved a lot. Now it is more commercial, but… What good times!
They have deep-rooted memories of those weekends when they would meet up with reggaeton bands to go to parties in places that ranged from established venues or clubs to lots, neighborhoods, party halls, and warehouses.What they lent us“.
The place that consecrated him was the Stratus, in Neza. There he used to celebrate the anniversaries of his collective, Under Stylewhich had as its flag the ‘cumbiathon’ – a mixture of dembow and cumbia – yrHe backed other talents such as DJ Esli, DJ Pedro Fuentes, DJ Mega, DJ Nova, DJ Jester and Lalito Mix.
“Now it’s a pharmacy”, He comments with a certain nostalgia about that place where his name was chanted so many times.
He had to chip away at the rock. He began his musical journey as a teenager, lacking “professional tools.” His first song, Oh Pablito, how delicious!created it at 15 years old with a microphone that he bought cheaply in a downtown store: “I don’t even know what brand it was.” And with a laptop that, if he moved it, “it would reboot.”“.
“For that song I had a little voice that said ‘Oh daddy, how delicious’, but during the perreos they shouted ‘Oh Pablito, how delicious’… I think that’s the success of perreo, that people are left with something in mind; I don’t like making songs for the sake of making songs, I like making classics.“, he says.
Today, after a lot of effort – “the hard work and the late nights were worth it” – Pablito works with high-end microphones and feels “musical maturity.” He also knows his stuff, because when he made his first songs, “he made music by ear.” In addition, His gigs have already covered countries such as Germany and France, and he is signed by Warner Music Mexico.
This growth is a sign that “Mexican reggaeton is taking over the world; I feel part of the movement because I did my part to make everything happen.”
— Do you consider yourself the pioneer of perreo in the country?
— 100 percent, But I’m not the only one, there were more people who fought for this.I can’t take all the credit, but I am one of the people who put in the effort to keep the movement going.
“We still have more to achieve”
“I have fulfilled all my dreams“I want to play at the best festivals in Mexico, the United States and Europe. I’ve been on tour and making songs, but I haven’t really dedicated myself to studying until now. So, I’m very motivated,” Pablito reflects.
This motivation is demonstrated in its recent and constant releases: in August it presented Scoundrel and Bandit along with Oscarr G, and on September 12 he surprised with Scoundrel since he was a kida collaboration with The Malilla.
“I’m not one of those who likes to stay still, I like to expand. I dream of continuing to release music, because Mexican reggaeton is in one of its best moments,” he emphasizes.
From the impact of current references such as El Malilla, El Bogueto, Bellakath, Yeri Mua, Uzielito and Charly Gynn, He applauds them but asks them to continue “putting their effort” into it and not do it for fashion’s sake, “but with their heart.”
“The difficult thing is not to be at the top, but to stay current. I don’t feel old, but I’ve seen so many generations pass by that I know how difficult it is to keep them singing your songs over the years. So, don’t let them do it for money, I In my first gig I won 200 pesos“, he advises.
He claims that music saved him because in the peripheral environment where he grew up, somewhat hostile, “If I hadn’t dedicated myself to this, I don’t know what would have become of my life.“. Then, rreveals that he does not have enough studies to say ‘I have a degree in something’, but he is “graduated in ‘perreo’.
“I’ve been doing this for over 10 years and travelling the world… Imagine!”
— What is a scoundrel?
— It is a word from Puerto Rico, but the correct translation in Mexico is like horny.
The years go by and the validity of Pablo Mix It is evident in every song he releases and in every performance: on March 31st he performed at the Pa’l Norte Festival, in Monterrey, and filled the stage: “After so many years, people still have the same enthusiasm. So, this is going to continue.” And more recently, in the framework of the Olympic Games in Paris, he packed a discotheque in that European city.
“I’ve sacrificed my family in this race, but they’re always there for me; my brothers and grandparents support me. Then I try to make up for it with a party or something like that… It’s all been worth it,” he admits.
Before saying goodbye to MILLENNIUMhe first idol of Mexican reggaeton He smiles as he addresses the Mexican musical collision on a global level: “They speak well of us all over the world, and you add to that what’s happening with reggaeton and corridos, they listen to us everywhere! Besides, we have other musical genres. And we still have more to achieve“.
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