Hector and the Rise of Vatos Locos
There’s a saying that goes, “You can take the boy out the hood, but you can’t take the hood out the homeboy.” Even though Hector dipped out from his hometown of Guadalajara to fulfill his destiny, the rising tech and house stalwart will always claim his OG barrio.
But with the change of address from Mexico to London, and then relocating to his current spot in Berlin, the move helped set him up with contacts that would eventually lead to his having a strong standing in the underground circuit. Working his way up from the bottom of the totem pole at an entry-level position at Desolat, he quickly established his street cred, with label owner Loco Dice vouching for the eager producer.
Hector has since gone on to build his own clique, known as the Vatos Locos, after realizing the brand’s potential following a one-off party hosted at last year’s BPM festival. Now, he’s coming into his own as the ringleader of a ride-or-die imprint and open-minded artist collective that holds dear the “no egos” mantra. The crew continues to grow in numbers and respect, with a headcount that currently includes the likes of Chad Andrew, Javier Carballo, Pinto, Sece and more. With a 10-track compilation on the way and shows popping up internationally, the VL is ready to hit it hard.
At the end of the month, Hector will be rolling up to EDC Mexico with a gang of grooves on hand. Before he does, we wanted to touch base and hear more about where his Vatos Locos movement is headed.
There’s a strong underground scene bubbling up in Mexico right now. What are some of the major differences specific to that region that you’ve noticed since you first started your music journey there?
For me, in Guadalajara specifically, there has always been a scene there. But I’ve noticed lately there have been a lot of talented artists and great music coming from my hometown, from people like Pinto, Balcazar, and the Midnight Perverts and Luis Flores. And I watched the growth and success of Bar Americas, thanks to Ramon Gonzalez, who is responsible for bringing in some of the biggest acts on the scene to Guadalajara and really putting it on the map.
In what ways do you hope the scene there will develop and evolve?
I think big festivals such as BPM and EDC are doing a great job of attracting people from the music scene to Mexico, and I would like to see smaller brands such as Born in Mexico and clubs like Hardpop and Bar Americas really benefit from this kind of exposure—and would love to see all regions that have something to offer really strive and become more popular amongst our industry.
Your plans to expand your Vatos Locos brand into a label unfolded at this year’s BPM fest, with a 10-track compilation showcasing the artists that are on the same page as you. Yet you don’t want to run things like a traditional label. What’s going to set you apart from the other imprints out there?
Our main focus is to release music that I really believe in, and to not follow the masses. There doesn’t have to be any specific genre or any rhyme or reason to each release; I have total trust in all the artists that I currently have on the label and know that they all have the ability to produce sounds that fit perfectly with what I expect for the label. We are not trying to set ourselves apart from anyone else; we are just coming together as a group and producing what we love and what we feel, and hope that that comes across on every release.
The mantra for your crew is “No egos, just love for the music.” What compelled you to stick this statement out in front, and what message do you hope it will get across to the rest of the community?
I’ve noticed throughout the scene, sometimes the essence of why we all go out to parties and love the music as a community can get lost between the big headliners and VIP sections and wristbands, etc. I want to remind people why we are all in this scene in the first place. I want everyone to be on the same level when they come to Vatos Locos—no superstar DJs and no flashy rider requests. For example, at our last event, when I played back-to-back with Dubfire, he showed up and plugged in his own equipment… didn’t bring his tour manager and came equipped with plenty of sake! This really personified to me what it’s all about!
There’s a strong friends‐first and DJs-later attitude that’s visible among your crew. What types of characters are you looking to initiate in your group, and how does one attempt to get “jumped in?”
I like that you mention this. Yes, there are definite strong friendship bonds between all of the crew. But I would like to specify that the music will always come first, and it was the music that made those friendships come together in the first place; without it, there would have been no crew. Most of the artists, I only knew their music before ever even meeting personally and connected with them after. So really, there is no official way to get in, other than to be producing something that will fit with our sound—and secondly, to fit in as part of the group.
The merch collab you did with Supra during the label’s launch party came out awesome. What made you want to go after their brand specifically for this co‐op, and how do you feel about the outcome?
I’ve been wearing Supra’s stuff for a long time—mainly their sneakers, as I’m an obsessive sneaker collector. This came to life as I met the Supra team in Mexico, and we started to talk. They showed an interest in the Vatos Locos brand, and I felt the style really suited the brand. So, we moved forward with it until we came up with designs that both sides were really happy with. The clothing collaborations will be released soon, so keep an eye out on my and Supra MX’s social media for the release dates.
Next month, you’ll return to your homeland to perform at EDC Mexico. Besides the gig, what else is on your itinerary while you’re near your old stomping grounds?
I want to use this time to see my old friends and catch up. And, of course, I want to spend as much time as I can seeing my family; with my schedule, I don’t get to see them half as much as I would like to.
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