2MX2

Artist Information

Biography

Bilingual hip hop has long been a desolate genre, yet 2MX2s powerful force has ignited a new kind of pride amongst the double tongued population. Detonating stages with a formidable live show, crowds around the US have been tasting what Role Pley and Juice E.T. Hugo mean when they say “Por aqui, por alla”.

Role Pley, a mexican from Zacatecas, MX and The Juice El Tio Hugo a chicano from Denver, CO are a representation of the american dream, immigrants in search of a better future. The two decided to spread a message of justice and unity through music and created the hip hop band known as 2MX2.

In 2008, Role Pley & Juice E.T. Hugo debut their first album the “20:12 LP”, then known as 20:12 where they became leaders in Latino social justice music. Featuring Latin Grammy Award winners Akwid, and Grammy Award Winner Bizzy Bone (from BTNH)

In early 2010, Juice ET Hugo was diagnosed with cancer (chronic myelogenous leukemia). The shocking news impacted the group severely, but from it also came the realization that you never know how much time you have. Rather than let the disease slow them down, it pushed them in striving harder to accomplish their goal of spreading their message to the world. With this new found motivation 20:12 set out on their first national tour with Akwid.
Early 2011, they began production of their latest album “2MX2: Case Study 20:12” emancipating themselves from the name 20:12 into the name 2MX2.
They released their first single under the new name with a video ‘Planet LateNite’ filmed at the Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza & Tulum. The song became a hit and reached over 43,000 hits in the first 3 months. In two years the group had performed over 100 shows throughout the United States and into Mexico.

“Case Study is a rewarding project, and it will be interesting to see if 2012 indeed turns out to be 2MX2's year.” - Nicole Cormier, Westword

“The rapping had that kind of rapid high and low style resonant
with early dead prez.” - Tom Murphy, Westword

Summer of 2012 they headlined their first tour “The 2MX2our w/ DJ R Skwared” further solidifying 2MX2 into their already established market.
Case Study: 20:12 was completed and released in March 2012 and brought a whole new image for the two. Then they hit hard with their second viral video/short film for the song “The Beast is Out” with over 50k hits on Vimeo and YouTube. One of their singles “Si Se Puede ft Rebel Diaz” was purchased for licensing to appear on the motion picture El Gringo starring Christian Slater, breaking them into the mainstream media.

Later in 2012, the group gained TV exposure on the Telemundo newscast segment called "Vamonos De Fiesta". Soon after, they were selected to be on national television on Estrella TV for the hit show “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento” season 6 and again the following season advancing even further to the semi-finals of season 7.

The group has now gained major television exposure as there has been a lack of representatives in modern hip-hop on behalf of bilingual emcees. Recently adding drummer Kinetic Xound to their live show they have managed to create a one of a kind live experience combining the arts of drumming, DJing, beatboxing, rapping and choreography. The name 2MX2 symbolizes the new generation of hip-hop and all of its collective culture.


Contact Information
Management: Maki Lucero & Owen Trujillo - LateNite Entertainment
Booking: Owen Trujillo - rplateniteinc@gmail.com Maki Lucero makilatenite@gmail.com
Publicity: Hugo Rodriguez - hugorod5@gmail.com
General: latenite2012@gmail.com

Instrumentation

Role Pley - Vocal
Juice El Tio Hugo - Vocals
DJ R Skwared - DJ Turntables and Beatbox
Kinetic Xound - Electric Drums

Discography

Single: Down From Cloud 9 ft Dizzy Wright

Album: 2MX2 Case Study 20:12
Release date: 2012

Album: The Party of Revolucion Mixtape ft DJ Psycho
Release date: 2010

Album: 20:12 LP
Release date: 2009

Album: Playalitical & DJ Chonz presents... Catch The Buzz III
Release date: 2009

Album: 20:12 EP
Release date: 2009

Album: Colorado Dope 4 Mixtape
Release date: 2009

Album: The Union Station - Runnin' Through Your City On These Tracks
Release date: 2007

Album: Spoke-In-Wordz - Word Play
Release date: 2007

Album: Sonny C
Release date: 2006

Official Website

http://www.2MX2.com

Links

• MySpace
• Facebook
• Twitter
• 2MX2's youtube
• 2MX2's Official Website
• Site
• 2MX2's Flickr
• 2MX2's Twitter

Audio

• 3 Si Se Puede ft Rebel Diaz
  Listen   Download
• Last Day ft Dr Pheel Good
  Listen   Download
• Por Aqui Por Alla - Feat Spoke-In-Wordz
  Listen   Download
• 5 Why You Hatin' On Me ft Smoke G
  Listen   Download
• Keep it Movin ft Hypnautic, S.K. & O.N.E.
  Listen   Download
• Like It - Feat. Spoke-In-Wordz & Dr. Pheel Good
  Listen   Download
• 13 The Beast is out ft DMD & D Loc
  Listen   Download
• 16 Don't Cry For Me ft Smoke G
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Keep It Movin'
• I'm Not Waiting
• Last Day ft Dr Pheel Good

Video

TTMT 7 QF- 2MX2.mp4

The Beast Is Out 3.mov

Photo Gallery

Press

• 20:12 changes name to 2MX2 and prepares to drop new album and video tomorrow night [+ Show ]
  

  ?Tomorrow night at the Gothic Theatre, 20:12 -- or 2MX2, as the group is now known -- is set to rele...?Tomorrow night at the Gothic Theatre, 20:12 -- or 2MX2, as the group is now known -- is set to release its new album, Case Study 20:12, and premier its new video for track "The Beast is Out," directed by Emergency Room. We recently caught up with Role Pley and Juice El Tio Hugo to get the scoop on the name changes and to talk about their ambitious goals for the rest of the year.
  
  
  Westword: You guys changed up your group name a bit, as well as altering your personal names, what prompted this change?
  
  Role Pley: Three reasons: search engine visibility, trademark purposes and for easier pronunciation. We are now officially known as 2MX2, which is a cool way of spelling 20:12. Have you ever tried searching for 20:12? When you search for us, you get millions of results, and deep within 10k pages of results you might find us. Then the other problem was trademarking. Thanks to the lovely movie by Paramount, 2012, we don't want to risk a likelihood of confusion in brands and be sued by them when we break, so we were advised by our label to change our name.
  
  They were adamant about changing our name, and so we compromised to 2MX2, which I actually really like -- plus it also stands for two Mexicans. As for the spelling of my name, I finally found one that I am sticking with. When I used to spell it Role Pl-A, my Spanish speaking audience would call me Role Playa, which is how its read in Spanish. So, I figured to sound it out with the spelling for them. Role Pley is easier to pronounce, and at the same time makes it easier to find me online
  
  Juice El Tio Hugo: I altered my name from the Juice aka El Tio Hugo The Devoted Disciple to shorten it and make easier to remember. I now go by Juice El Tio Hugo or Juice E T Hugo.
  
  You are dropping Case Study 20:12 on Saturday, tell us about the new album.
  
  RP: The new album is pretty conceptual. The name kind of says it all. It's a study on our listeners to see what they enjoy best. The concept of the album is that we are literally in the lab searching for the perfect combination of the drug for our patients. Our graphic designer Joel Villareal of Empire GFX did a good job on giving you the visual for this on the album artwork.
  
  Throughout the album, we have narrations of the doctor on his recorder talking about the different effects the drugs have on the patients. Following the narrations are songs that bring those feelings to life. This is why almost every song is almost completely different than the last one. We had a lot of fun on this album because we got to try things we hadn't tried before. We have a ton of features, such as Debajo Del Agua and Rebel Diaz, all the way to features from D Loc from Tech N9nes' Worldwide Choppers.
  
  JETH: We have always taken pride in being versatile with our lyrics and our music. This album is no exception. Alongside our producer DMD, we wanted to put something together that shows what we can do. The album, Case Study 20:12, embodies our unique style of hip-hop combined with different genres of music, such as techno, dubstep and rock, in an effort to discover what we think the perfect blend of music is.
  
  How do you think your audience will receive this album?
  
  JETH: This album is definitely different from our previous work. We have both grown as artists, as well as personally and business wise. You will hear the growth in this new album as we touch on experiences and topics we have gone through over the last couple years. This album has something for everyone, from your ravers and techno fans to rock/pop listeners. So far, the feedback has been great for the singles that have already been released, and we look to have further success once the album releases this Saturday.
  
  RP: They will definitely be shocked. It's not as much Spanish as in our previous stuff. So I think they'll trip out on what we have created. Ultimately, I'm sure they'll enjoy the new stuff and let us know what they like. At the same time, I know we'll gain new fans

• 2MX2 Case Study 20:12 [+ Show ]
  

  2MX2 Case Study Late Night Entertainment A A AComments By Nicole Cormier Tuesday, Apr 10 2012 ...2MX2
  Case Study
  Late Night Entertainment
  A A AComments By Nicole Cormier Tuesday, Apr 10 2012
  
  Related Content
  STS9
  January 12, 2012
  Black Star show at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom this Saturday moved to Friday, May 11
  April 10, 2012
  Sound the Horns
  April 5, 2012
  Mystery Mike: Who is Benjamin Butters?
  April 3, 2012
  Notorious B.I.G.: Fifteen years ago today, we lost a legend, one of the greatest rappers of all time
  March 9, 2012
  More About
  Hip-Hop and RapElectronic Music
  Like this Story?
  Sign up for the Music Newsletter: Keep your thumb on the local music scene with music features, additional online music listings and show picks. We'll also send special ticket offers and music promotions available only to our Music Newsletter subscribers.
  
  
  Case Study, the new album from the outfit formerly known as 20:12, finds the act experimenting with different types of hip-hop to see what resonates. From traditional boom bap to elements of dubstep to rock, the material is all over the place. As varied as the record's rhythm is, however, Role Pley and Juice El Tio Hugo keep it together, displaying an impressive range that we haven't heard from the duo previously. While it may take a few listens to absorb, Case Study is a rewarding project, and it will be interesting to see if 2012 indeed turns out to be 2MX2's year.

• 20:12 video release party at Casselman's offers slightly different hip-hop experience [+ Show ]
  

  Maybe it was the free vodka. Or maybe it was the hundreds of ladies dressed to the nines. Or perhaps...Maybe it was the free vodka. Or maybe it was the hundreds of ladies dressed to the nines. Or perhaps it was the unmistakable family vibe. Hard to say. Whatever it was, though, 20:12's release party at Casselman's on Friday night came off as something different all together. For starters, you couldn't help but notice how the numbers swayed noticeably in favor of the fairer sex; there were far more ladies on hand than at most local hip-hop shows.
  
  The crowd was already generous by 9 p.m., and Casselman's intimate ambiance, with its dark tables romantically lit by candlelight, set the vibe for the evening. As each act did their thing on stage, they were accompanied by an entourage of hypeman and, to balance that out, plenty of scantily clad ladies.
  
  The show started with King Devious -- though it was hard to tell the King from his court, as he was joined on stage by an abundance of other MCs and/or hypemen. Despite the fact that the mikes squealed incessantly throughout the set, the group managed to keep the crowd's attention with autotuned hooks and plenty of energy. And the lovely ladies dancing erotically in the background did their part to make sure all eyes remained forward.
  
  D A Dubb took the stage next, and again, there were so many bodies on stage, it was hard to know who was who. Everybody danced in sync with one another as though they were following a choreographed routine. Like some sort of hip-hop pied pipers, the group had all the ladies dancing in a trance-like fashion. A highlight of this set was Mike D. Chill's performance. Get Some Entertainment's provided a segue into the next act, but their set was unorganized and delivered in a mostly mixtape style over "borrowed" beats.
  
  Hypnautic and King Tef, who were up next, clearly know how to work a crowd. During their set, all heads were facing forward and asses were shaking, as the two weaved through their familiar tracks. The lyrics were cloaked in Top 40 beats and hooks that inspired chants from the crowd. Whatever the duo lack in lyrical creativity, they more than make up for with their ability to connect with a crowd.
  
  
  Spoke In Wordz followed and started things off smooth with acoustic accompaniment from singer/guitarist Arkhightek. Spoke seamlessly transitioned from clear and soothing flow over an acoustic to a hard, Eminem-esque style delivery. Plagued with turntable issues, DJ Chonz Psycho worked feverishly to fix whatever problems he encountered, as Spoke and DJ R² beatboxed their way out of a bind, making for a very entertaining interlude.
  
  And if the night couldn't break any more out of the typical hip-hop show mold, Fatal Attraction warmed up for 20:12 with four beautiful young ladies gracing the stage with a choreographed routine. Though not entirely in sync, the girls regained the attention of the wandering crowd, and brought everyone back to the stage for the premiere of 20:12's video for "Por Aqui y Por Alla".
  
  Director Eric Heights outdid himself on this one. Some of his obvious style can be seen in the color flashes and barren horizon silhouette scenes, and 20:12 and Spoke are equally as dazzling on the cut. The single is one of the most catchy and meaningful songs, and this video makes it that much more appealing.
  
  After screening the clip, 20:12 wasting no time and jumped right into its set. Role Pl-A and Juice have an energy and charismatic appeal that makes it hard to take your eyes off them as they perform. Role Pl-A's deep and smooth voice complements Juice's higher and quicker flow, and most of their songs have a mix of lyrics that are in English and Spanish, which the group seamlessly intermingles.
  
  DJ Psycho and DJ R² shared table duties for the set, and the act closed out its set with crowd favorite "Asi Asi," inviting anyone and everyone on stage. As 20:12 rejoined the crowd, Soulciety finished out the night with their Colorado style of R & B, making for a memorable night overall.
  
  CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK
  Personal Bias: I hate when rappers perform their tracks over pre-recorded vocals. Although I get what they're going for, it just strikes me as amateur.
  By the Way: Casselman's plays the stage music outside, so you don't miss a second of the show while you're getting a nicotine fix.
  Random Detail: Juice and Role Pl-A are very professional and easy going dudes.

• Enslaving hooks: Latino music group 20:12 releases new mixtape [+ Show ]
  

  Emerging with a sexy brand of hip-hop, intent on dispelling any lingering stereotypes about what Lat...Emerging with a sexy brand of hip-hop, intent on dispelling any lingering stereotypes about what Latino music is supposed to be, the members of 20:12 (The Juice, Role Pl-A and DJ R 2) first earned their stripes in the twelve-person act Devoted Union. The three eventually parted ways with the group when they realized they were heading in different directions.
  Details
  20:12 Mixtape release party and video premiere, with Hypnautic, King Tee, Spoke In Wordz and more, 8 p.m. Friday, July 30, Casselman's Bar and Venue, 2620 Walnut Street, $5-$10, 303-717-8852.
  
  With a polished stage show, enslaving hooks and vocal skills to match, 20:12 is expanding its reach with the help of Latenite Entertainment. The outfit's latest effort, a mixtape with DJ Psycho called The Party of Revolución, is due out this week at a dual release show for the Eric Heights-directed video Por Aquí Por Allà, featuring Spoke In Wordz. We caught up with Role Pl-A and asked about the group and the new mixtape.
  
  Westword: Tell us a little about 20:12.
  
  Role Pl-A: 20:12 is a movement. It's a symbol to change life into something you want it to be, something that everyone can benefit from. We don't necessarily believe the Mayan calendar to mean it's the end of the world, just a powerful change and the end of a lifestyle. 20:12 also represents our heritage; "The Mexicans" was already taken. [Laughs]
  
  How would you define the kind of music 20:12 makes?
  
  I would define the music we make as very focused and fresh. I feel we have an original style of being lyrical in both English and Spanish. Every song we make, we make with a purpose. We compose them to make the listener act or feel a certain way. We have the song that'll make you want to overthrow the government, some to make you move to the beat, and others to make you forget your problems.
  
  So what's up with your new mixtape and the release party on the 30th?
  
  The mixtape release is going to be huge for 20:12: We debut our first music video ever, which I think fans will really enjoy, and of course for the launch of The Party of Revolución mixtape mixed by DJ Psycho. We've worked hard to bring together what we consider the complete Colorado music-scene experience. We have some very talented artists throwing down, and we're excited to perform with such honors.
  
  How do you feel you fit into the Colorado music community?
  
  I feel like we're in uncharted territory. Originality is something that Colorado deserves; when we reach out to other states, we love to put it down in a way that the audience has never seen before. They flip when they hear we're out of the CO. Let's not forget, there's a big music scene within the Mexican community here, with bandas, mariachis, and a plethora of other genres in the Spanish-speaking market that we don't believe anyone's tapped into.
  
  The Latino community accounts for nearly half of Colorado's entire population, and we definitely believe we're breaking down barriers to other ethnicities. Though we are growing more successful in Colorado, we gotta hand it back as well, because without all the support Colorado showed us, we wouldn't have become what we are today. We're just trying to give back all we can to the people who make us 20:12.
  
  There have been haters along the road, mostly because of misunderstandings, but nonetheless we love the Colorado music scene. We write for the Latinos, but we believe we can coexist with one another. When we say La Raza, we don't just mean Latinos — we mean the people.
  

• A sneak peek at 20:12 and Spoke In Wordz' "Por Aqui Por Alla" [+ Show ]
  

  Oh and speaking of local hip-hop videos: We just got a sneak peek of the new 20:12/Spoke In Wordz vi...Oh and speaking of local hip-hop videos: We just got a sneak peek of the new 20:12/Spoke In Wordz video for "Por Aqui, Por Alla." Premiering tonight at Casselman's, the clip is directed by esteemed director Eric Heights, from a track from 20:12's self-titled album, which carries a timely message of social justice and unity.
  
  The current controversy surrounding Arizona's new immigration law makes the associated video particularly timely, and the unity part is rooted in "the need for Latinos to rise above the oppression we face in this country," says Spoke.
  
  "The video was shot in various locations," he goes on to explain, "a horse ranch in Thornton, downtown Denver by the Ritz Carlton and yes La Raza park. The concept of the video is pretty much supposed to show different scenarios that we as Latinos participate in, such as working in the ranch, how we unite to protest, our traditions with lowriders; the cage scene represents how society sometimes makes us feel caged as criminals."
  
  For his part in the clip (teaser posted below), Spoke is shown as an immigrant riding in the back of a truck, as well as a business man in a suit, portraying both ends of the spectrum. The full video will be premiered at Cassleman's tonight, Friday, July 30. The act's new mixtape featuring DJ Psycho also drops tonight. Sharing the bill with Spoke and 20:12 are DJs Chonz, Psycho and R Squared, as well as D A Dubb, King Devious, Get Some Entertainment, Soulceity, Hypnautic and King Tef.

• ZIZEK TOUR & 20:12 ::: MARQUIS THEATER ::: 04.10.09 [+ Show ]
  

  Soda Jerk presented Zizek Club featuring Fauna, Douster, El G of ZZK Records with 20:12 at the Marqu...Soda Jerk presented Zizek Club featuring Fauna, Douster, El G of ZZK Records with 20:12 at the Marquis Theater, Friday, April 10, 2009. Opening for Zizek Club was 20:12, the Colorado hip-hop group that have been gaining acceptance for the last four years. Their representation of Latin dance, hip hop and Mexican rap is empowering and seductive. The Denver based translation group thrilled this tight location and sweated out tunes by The Juice and Roleplay of Late Night Inc. Their flow had the ladies and The Juice’s own little 12 year old brother, Jamie singing the lyrics. Jamie commented that his big brothers message was all about a positive vibe with family first. It was a very Mexican grassroots spell of beats that borderline 1991 NWA flow only in Spanish and English empowering rights for the people. The group is now trying to bring the message to the mainstream by proposing to get one of their popular songs (Por Aqui Por Alla feat. SpokeInWord) on a major motion picture. The Juice and Roleplay put the microphones to the audience, “I say viva, you say La Raza.” A great vibe felt throughout in welcoming the feature event of the evening, Zizek Club. With the stage cornered to the left and a full bar shoving out cocktails to the few over 21 the next act was taking the stage.
  
  http://causeequalstime.com/2009/04/zizek-tour-2012-marquis-theater-041009/
  

• KS 107.5's DJ Chonz Wall - 20:12 New Music Video. [+ Show ]
  

  I have to give props where props is due! I seen these dudes slowly get better and better each month,...I have to give props where props is due! I seen these dudes slowly get better and better each month, each day. I was happy to be apart and witness their release party for "Por Aqui Por All" music video. I arrived to the venue at 10pm and it was already packed. This is so impressive for a local Hip Hop group. I only see good things in the future for 20:12 and Spoke In Wordz. For anyone one out there trying to make it in music game. I would definitely build with these dudes. Seems like they may have the blue print.

• dead prez at The Oriental Theatre, 1/18/13 [+ Show ]
  

  It got better and more heightened when they switched to Spanish. The rapping had that kind of rapid ...It got better and more heightened when they switched to Spanish. The rapping had that kind of rapid high and low style resonant with early dead prez. - Tom Murphy - Westword

• Fresh Colorado hip-hop from Young Tenner, Killa Keezy, 2MX2 and Panama Soweto [+ Show ]
  

  2MX2 - "Escandalo," feat Smoke G and Laura Retana The Spanish guitar intro and the beat, which feat...2MX2 - "Escandalo," feat Smoke G and Laura Retana
  The Spanish guitar intro and the beat, which features other Latin percussion samples, will instantly appeal to fans of Latin hip-hop -- as will the catchy song itself, which is in Spanish and focuses on certain women and their scandalous behavior. Juice and Role Pley each take turns addressing the issue, while the refrain, "Scandal is a scandal," rings out on the chorus.

• Fresh Pressed: Leonard Jackson, 2MX2, SP Double, Ibe Hustles and more [+ Show ]
  

  2MX2 just dropped another visual gem for “Si, Se Puede” off their last album Case Study:2012. Yet a...2MX2 just dropped another visual gem for “Si, Se Puede” off their last album Case Study:2012. Yet again Vince Lance flexes his artistic vision in this Western-style narrative. According to Role Pley, filming the project was as much of an adventure in real life as it appears on screen. From traipsing all over the New Mexico’s rural landscape to wrangling real horses (provided by “La Familia Rodriguez”), these vaqueros experienced the cowboy life, if only for a day or two.
  In other news, this track was licensed to an AfterDark film, ”El Gringo” featuring Scott Adkins and Christian Slater directed by Eduardo Rodriguez and is used in two influential scenes.

Setlist

We perform a minimum of 10 minutes, to a max of 1 and 1/2 hour .

Set break down

DJ Plays 10 - 30 Minutes
2MX2 Performs 10 - 60 Minutes

Basic Requirements

Calendar