Gun Selectah: Mexicans with Guns & Toy Selectah
Remember the days where you would go to a club and the whole place was bumpin'? Where every girl at the club was feeling some dudes vibe, not even for his looks, but because the music was that good. That’s exactly how it felt when you entered the room at Los Globos this past Tuesday for the latest Heineken "Hola Indio" event continuing the launch of Heineken's new "Indio" cerveza. As I arrived, Toy Selectah and Mexicans with Guns also known under their collaborative name Gun Selectah, had just begun their set. The warmth from the crowd really enveloped the affection from the music. Even the fact that I was attending this party solo was forgotten at the door. The room was colorful with costumes, from Mexican inspired ones to Moonrise Kingdom to plain-clothed folks, not to mention Mexicans with Guns' ever-present luchador mask. At one point in the crowd I was kidnapped by this couple that wouldn’t let me stand in my casual moving posture instead they ended up taking my hands and dancing with me of course I accepted with open arms.
Throughout the night you felt the origin of Mexican roots as well as that whole Cumbia, Latin, Bass, Hip Hop, trippy concoction and to be honest it’s always a true party when you have Mexicans involved. If only L.A. had a monthly where Gun Selectah would play. The night ended with a set from Them Jeans. Not to rain on anyone’s parade but the night definitely belonged to Toy Selectah and Mexicans with Guns. Not saying that he had a bad set just felt like it didn’t harmonize
with what was happening.
Like most of us who have multiple layers to their personalities, Ernest Gonzales is a man of many traits. One of them being Mexicans with Guns producing a range of dance floor hits. Then there’s Ernest Gonzales, who came out with Natural Traits earlier this year and Been Meaning To Tell You in 2010 both on L.A. imprint Friends of Friends. Natural Traits is methodical and quiet with heavy nostalgia. To be able to step back and distance yourself from two very different projects is impressive. He has this fluidity in what he does that stays with you.
Then there’s Toy Selectah who’s been involved in dance music and the Latin music community for many years. He’s known for being the “mix-master wizard” for Control Machete as well as A&R representative for Universal Music Group’s urban Latino label Machete Music. His triumph of accomplishments is unprecedented. Check out his EP Mex Music that was released on Mad Decent last year when you get a chance or better yet go see him out at a club somewhere and hopefully it will be sponsored by Heineken again!
