Meet Rapper Mexia, Son of Los Tigres Del Norte's Frontman

Rap artist Mexia is no stranger to the entertainment biz. As the son of Hernan Hernandez of legendary band Los Tigres Del Norte, the San Jose–based 27-year-old grew up in a musical family that has practically defined longevity. He’s hoping to follow in their sizable footsteps as he makes his big debut this week with the album Past, Present, Future. I spoke with the wordsmith about his famous dad and his artistic plans:
 
Your dad is part of an act that’s been around forever. How was it being surrounded by all of that as a kid?
 When I was younger I used to go on tour with my dad. He would take me to Mexico and around the United States. That was first hand experience, being on the side of the stage and soaking that up. At an older age, I got a chance to work with them. I was their recording engineer in the studio.
 
Did you ever think about getting into norteño music?
 When I was younger, I used to take accordion lessons from my uncle. Initially, it’s something that I wanted to do, but once I started messing with equipment on the hip-hop side, that’s the music that came out first. I would sit down and make drum loops of regional Mexican patterns and I just didn’t feel it.
 
Why hip-hop?
 Hip-hop to me is a culture. I’ve always embraced it since I was 12. I was a graffiti artist and a dancer. Just to take it a step further, I started writing poetry when I was 13. I got into poetry slams and open mics.
 
What do you like to rap about?
Me personally, I’ve always been into the underground scene. Around 14, 15, I started getting into the scene. My style was more conscious, like Common but not as good. Positive rap, conscious rap, not really revolutionary rap. Think about things before you make bad choices. As I got older, you tend to write about other things. I’ve always been a poet. I try to keep it open. I write more for the masses.
 
What did you learn from your dad?
 Initially, he didn’t want me to get involved. He always helped me with everything but when it came to that he said “no, the industry people are shady, there’s no honesty.”
 
How did you set about making it happen?
I went out and did it on my own. I’ve always worked, always had a job since I was 15. I was a saver, that’s how my dad raised me. The first chance I got, I went out and bought a four-track and a Bose drum machine. I didn’t wait for anyone to show me. My dad liked that because it kept [me] out of trouble. I was always in the garage messing with his equipment.
 
How has growing up in bilingual culture affected your rhymes?
 At home, that’s how we talk. It’s funny because we’re always joking around. We really do talk like that. Right now I’m speaking English but at home it’s “Que pasó? Adonde está tu brother?” It’s broken down English and Spanish. I feel more comfortable talking like that.
 
How did you get the name Mexia? Your real name is Hernan Hernandez Jr.—does that come with some pressure?
 Obviously there’s a famous Hernan Hernandez already. A friend and I started a group called Los Mexes when I was 18. I’d call myself Mex and [he was] Mex-Tape. We wanted to be the Mexican Public Enemy. Hernan Hernandez is an artistic name but I don’t feel any pressure at all, on the contrary, I think it’s a blessing.
 

Where would you like your music career to go?
 To be around for the next 50, 60 years and to still be great at what I do. I just don’t rap, I sing, I play music, I dance, I produce. As far as me as an artist, to conquer as much as I can and make people appreciate music. You can listen to [Los Tigres Del Norte’s] “La Puerta Negra” and it’s like you just heard it for the first time. I want my music to be timeless and to break barriers between the cultures.