Street Mob Records
California-based regional Mexican music band Fuerza Regida made history this week with the debut of their new album, 111XPANTIA, at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It’s the highest debut ever for a Mexican artist on the chart — and, had Bad Bunny not released the vinyl edition of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos the same week, 111XPANTIA would have debuted at No. 1, making the group only the third act in history to top the chart with an album in Spanish.
As it was, 111XPANTIA made double history, as it allowed two Spanish-language albums to place at Nos. 1 and No. 2 on the chart, also a first.
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While the name Fuerza Regida may still not ring bells for many in the mainstream, the group has been making serious waves since they launched in 2018, led by singer, composer and businessman Jesus Ortiz Paz, better known as JOP.
Part of a new wave of homegrown talent that’s doing a more contemporary, urban-leaning version of regional Mexican music, or música mexicana, the quintet has positioned itself as bold disruptors, delighting in making music that defies convention, veering into genres like dance and trap. Fuerza are also known for their unusual marketing strategies, from an impromptu concert on the 210 freeway near Los Angeles to a performance alongside street musicians on the Tijuana border to pop up murals to promote their album, Pero No Te Enamores, last year.
Those kinds of actions have yielded fruit. Fuerza has won Top Duo/Group of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards for two consecutive years already (2023 and 2024) and has placed six albums, going back to 2023, on the Billboard 200. On the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, they’ve placed an impressive 12 albums dating back to 2019, and including nine top 10s and one No. 1, 2023’s Pa’ Las Baby’s y Belikeada. On Hot Latin Songs, they boast two No. 1s and 12 Top 10s.
But the Billboard 200 debut is their most impressive achievement to date. Fuerza is signed to a joint venture on their own Street Mob Records with indie Rancho Humilde, and is distributed by Sony Music Latin. But behind their marketing is Jesús Amezcua (aka Moska), the group’s manager (and friend), who is also head of marketing and strategy for Street Mob Records. Although “we’re synced with Sony for data and distribution, all creative direction and frontline marketing is led by us at Street Mob,” Amezcua says. “That independence is what gives us our edge and velocity.”
For pushing Fuerza to make history on the Billboard 200, Amezcua is Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
What exactly is your role with Fuerza Regida?
I manage and lead all strategic marketing, rollout execution and brand partnerships for Fuerza Regida. That covers everything from pre-release positioning and digital strategy to street-level activations, PR and long-term brand development. I work directly with JOP and the team to ensure every campaign feels authentic to the culture while breaking through in the mainstream.
The group has had many major releases, but never something of this magnitude. What made this one different?
This album was a perfect storm of timing, vision and intentionality. We knew the fans were ready for a bigger moment — and we built the campaign with that in mind from day one. What made the difference was the shift in scale: we elevated everything, from the sound to the visuals to the media approach. It was about crossing over without losing our identity.
One major turning point was this was Fuerza Regida’s first time ever releasing a physical album. Not only did we enter that market for the first time, we broke records, surpassing legendary acts like Selena and Maná for the most physical copies sold by a Mexican artist or any Latin duo or group. That milestone sent a loud message about the group’s growing cultural weight and the power of our fan base.
Was there one single action or moment that really moved the needle?
Yes — the pre-release digital campaign combined with JOP’s hands-on promotional push. We executed teaser drops, voice-of-the-streets-style content, and surprise fan moments that went viral, like a Paris Fashion Week performance, for example. Paired with a targeted mainstream media push, it became the perfect one-two punch.
Fuerza Regida is known for bold marketing stunts. Last time it was murals. What was the centerpiece this time?
We focused on emotional proximity and regional pride. Surprise activations in key markets, custom merch drops and physical memorabilia made fans feel seen. We also planted narrative Easter eggs in visuals and lyrics to spark fan theories. It wasn’t about shock — it was about depth.
What was the goal with this album release?
To make a statement: Fuerza Regida isn’t just a top-tier música mexicana act — we’re a cultural force. Yes, we wanted the numbers, but we also wanted to redefine what this genre looks like on a global stage.
How important is it to debut at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, especially as an all-genre chart?
It’s monumental. The Billboard 200 rarely reflects regional Mexican music. To be in the top two, competing with global pop giants, proves this movement is no longer niche — it’s mainstream. It feels incredible to break records and debut as the highest-charting Mexican duo or group in Billboard 200 history. We were going up against legends — and held our ground.
What makes Fuerza Regida different from other groups in música mexicana?
They’re fearless. From raw lyrics to unfiltered visuals and fan engagement, they bring a punk-rock edge. That energy has built a ride-or-die fanbase. They’re not following the blueprint — they’re rewriting it.
JOP was everywhere during this release. How intentional was the promo run?
Very intentional. We built a full content and press calendar around JOP as a brand. National TV, local media, viral content — it was all high-volume, high-authenticity. He delivered across the board.
I see Street Mob is growing and staffing up. You recently hired Gustavo López as president, for example, and he comes with longstanding label experience.
Absolutely. This is a family effort. Our president, Gustavo López, is an industry legend who leads with integrity and vision. Our COO and Street Mob partner is Cristian Primera, aka Toro, along with Cindy Gaxiola, our head of commercial affairs. Last but not least is our CFO Luis Lopez, aka Walks. They are all relentless execution machines. Every win is a reflection of this powerhouse team. Fuerza Regida is just getting started. We’re here to shift culture, not just drop records.
Street Mob Records, the indie label founded by Fuerza Regida frontman Jesus Ortiz Paz (JOP), and which has seen impressive gains on the Billboard charts in the past year, has hired veteran music executive Gustavo López as its new president. The move signals Street Mob’s intention to become “the next big Latin music label,” says JOP, and is part of the label’s significant expansion and its intention to grow further.
In addition to López, Street Mob has also appointed Cindy Gaxiola as its vp of commercial affairs, Niria León as vp of booking and Jesús Amezcua as its vp of marketing. They join an executive team that already included COO Cristian “Toro” Primera and CFO Luis López. Both are partners on Street Mob with JOP, who launched the label as a rookie artist in 2018 and has seen it grow exponentially, especially in the past two years, expanding a roster that now includes Chino Pacas, Clave Especial and Armenta.
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“We got The Avengers,” says JOP quite seriously. “The whole point of this is we’re going to the next level with Street Mob Records. We got the avengers. We got Gustavo Lopez as the president. We got two incredible female senior VPs who are running the company on the touring and management side. That’s why we’re calling it the avengers. Now we have the best of the best.”
Street Mob ended 2024 at No. 6 on Billboard’s year-end Top Latin Imprint chart and the labels’ publishing division — Street Mob Publishing — won publisher of the year at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards. According to López, in this week’s Billboard regional Airplay chart, Street Mob is represented in some way — whether songwriting, producing or artist — in 44% of the chart’s top 25 songs.
For all those successes, bringing in López signals JOP’s seriousness about growing and expanding his business. As part of his long trajectory, López launched maverick reggaetón label Machete Records under Universal in the 2000s, distributing stars like Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, and was later president of regional Mexican powerhouses Fonovisa and Disa Records. Most recently, he served as CEO of Saban Music Latin until its acquisition by Virgin last year, and launched entertainment company Globalatino Music Partners.
Although López will continue to oversee Globalatino’s overall operation, he will be devoted full time to Street Mob, which is based in Los Angeles. “When I had the opportunity to meet JOP and saw how integrated he is in the business, and how young he is, it was an inspiration for me,” says López. “I thought, ‘If I’m going back to Mexican music, I’m going to do it with the best.’ There’s a lot going on at Street Mob that maybe the industry is not aware of. These guys are more than just the label. And now it’s just formalizing the team.”
JOP founded Street Mob in 2018 “with the hopes of one day being a big record label,” he says. At the time, he was already a fledgling artist, and he wanted to learn how the business worked. In 2020, when things got tough and many in his circle deserted him, Primera and Luis López stayed by his side and JOP made them partners in Street Mob.
“Together with them, we learned the business,” says JOP today. “And little by little, with all our creativity, I think we know. We know how to make a hit.”
Though managed by Street Mob, Fuerza Regida is not signed to the label. Instead, they have a joint venture with indie powerhouse Rancho Humilde and are distributed by Sony.
The group — a juggernaut that won Top Duo/Group at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, beating international stars such as Blink-182, Coldplay, Linkin Park and Stray Kids — placed three titles in the Top Latin Albums top 10, including Pa Las Baby’s Y Belikeada, which peaked at No. 1 for three weeks.
But since its inception, JOP has been signing new artists, songwriters and producers to Street Mob and has different deals with each, with distribution in place with Cinq, Universal and Warner Music Latina, with whom Street Mob inked an exclusive partnership last year for its artists Armenta, Clave Especial and Calle 24.
Since last year, JOP has been looking for someone to head the label because “it was finally too much for us. But we needed to find the right person. Gustavo is perfect.”
Street Mob currently has 10 artists signed to the label, plus its own publishing company, management and touring division. The company just purchased a 35,000 square foot facility in Rancho Cucamonga, near Los Angeles, with a goal to build an office that will house everybody in the Los Angeles area, says López.
“You can’t mess with the secret sauce,” he says. “The A&R is where it needs to be. We just need to get some finer points aligned and it will continue to expand.”
For JOP, a big part is nurturing artists from the ground up.
“We’re like a school,” he says, citing emerging artist Jorsshh, who started as a writer and now has over nine million listeners on Spotify. “We show them the business and try to open doors for them to go to the next level. We’re trying to make this a big record label within Latin culture.”
Warner Music Latina has inked an exclusive partnership with Street Mob Records, the indie label founded by Fuerza Regida’s frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz (a.k.a. JOP).
Through the alliance, Street Mob Records’ artists Armenta, Clave Especial and Calle 24 will join the Warner Music Latina roster to “elevate these trailblazing acts to global stardom, while accelerating the evolution of Mexican and Latin music, ensuring its lasting impact,” according to a press release.
“Partnering with Warner Music is a powerful validation of what we’ve been building at Street Mob Records,” Ortiz Paz said in a statement. “It’s a testament to our artists, our team, and the culture we represent. We’re not just signing a deal; we’re creating a legacy that will inspire future generations of artists and entrepreneurs.”
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The Mexican-American hitmaker launched the West Coast-based Street Mob Records in 2018, which has served as an incubator of new regional Mexican music talent, and the three acts that are part of the deal represent some of Street Mob’s most promising talent.
Calle 24, led by Diego Millán from Chihuahua, Mexico is known for songs like “Qué Onda” in collaboration with Fuerza Regida and Chino Pacas, as well as “Apaga El Cel” and “Juré Venganza.” Hailing from Salinas, Calif., Clave Especial stands out for the group’s unique blend of traditional and modern sounds in songs like “Rápido Soy” and “No Son Doritos.” Meanwhile, Armenta from Sinaloa, Mexico, is a renowned producer and songwriter who has contributed to hits by Fuerza Regida like “Bebe Dame,” “Ch y la Pizza” and “Harley Quinn.”
“This collaboration with Street Mob Records is a monumental step forward in our mission to strengthen our Música Mexicana Division,” added Roberto Andrade Dirak, managing director of Warner Music Latina. “Street Mob Records has proven to be a key player in this vibrant industry, and we are excited to amplify the voices of their incredible artists on a global scale.”
“We are proud to welcome them to the Warner Music family and are committed to providing the support and resources they need to reach new heights,” said Tomás Rodríguez, president of Warner Music México & Mexican music.
Street Mob Records was represented in the deal by Walter Mosley of Mosley & Associates.
Jesús Ortiz Paz is set speak at the 35th anniversary Billboard Latin Music Week, which will feature exclusive panels, conversations and performances by Latin music’s biggest stars. Tickets are available now at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.
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