The only platinum Latino hip-hop superstar, Big Pun, passed away on Feb. 7, 2000. While Pun’s death sent minor tremors through the predominately black hip hop scene, it was a massive blow to the Latino branch of the urban genre. Many Latino artists have flirted with hip-hop glory and even had a few crossover hits, but none have measured up to the status of Pun. Flash forward 10 years, and take a drive down I-95 to witness the birth of a new Urban Latino rapper.

While Gordo Brega hails from New York City and the Dominican Republic, he embraces the DMV as his home. Born Eric Irrizary in New York City, 25-year-old Gordo relocated to the Dominican Republic as a child, only to return to New York in his teenage years. Like many of his peers, Gordo was raised by his mother and he hustled in the streets. That path took Gordo through hard times, but also provided him with a toughened perspective of life around him. Gordo is looking to create a new movement in hip-hop where people learn from the music and each other, as well as share ideas and work towards improving the community.

The meaning of Gordo Brega

"Gordo means ‘big’ or like ‘fat boy,'" Brega told DMV Spectrum. "When you big like that, people call you Gordo! Gordo! Brega has a double meaning. It can mean ‘hustle’ or ‘problems,’ like when you have a lot of bregas in your life, you got problems. So ‘Gordo Brega’ means ‘Fat boy Hustle’ or ‘Fat boy Problems.’”

Linking up with Studio 43

Brega, boosting a music catalogue of over 200 songs and more than four Spanish mixtapes, spent the past 11 years pursing his education and perfecting his “spanglish” (rapping in Spanish and English) rap style. After moving to the DMV in 2001, he released another string of mixtapes, while simultaneously learning the area’s culture and immersing himself in the hip-hop scene.

Gordo met music industry veteran and founder of Studio 43 Kenny Burns in 2003 and Kenny took a chance on Gordo. Working as a unit, Burns commissioned rappers X.O. and AB to work heavily on Gordo’s forthcoming album M.W.A. (Migos With Attitude) set to be released on April 28.

The Road to D.C.

“I’ve been through so much negativity in my life, that I’m just grateful for the positive opportunities I have," Brega said. "I wanna step up to the plate and make people proud. There are always so many players in the game and I’m trying to be a Hall a Famer. There’s only a handful of Hall of Famers, and my team right now is like the L.A. Lakers of D.C.! We making the best [music], and working as a team."

With odds stacked against him, Brega obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southeastern University, and was embraced by the predominately black DMV music scene.

“I earned a lot of respect from my peers by showing them love, going to their shows and helping them hustle," Brega said. "I showed them that I wanted to be a part of the movement. D.C. is like a melting pot and I want to bridge gaps with my music."

Taking a cue from West Coast hip-hop groups like N.W.A. and Cypress Hill, Brega strives to create a similar awakening on the East Coast. Just like N.W.A showed American mainstream the plight of young black men in the ghettos of Southern California, M.W.A. gives the Afro-Latino story. Rapping about issues like welfare, deportation, and hustling in the streets, Brega said he wants to give a voice to a rising community.

“The Dominican community in the DMV is growing; we’ve come so far," Brega said. "I want to show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and to dream big and stay positive. I use my music to vent and focus [and] I always make the best out of a bad situation. My mother is my biggest inspiration, and I just want my dedication to match her drive because she’s still out there working.”