DJ Playero


Pedro Gerardo Torruellas Brito, better known as Playero DJ, DJ Playero, Playe, Play, is a Puerto Rican DJ who was a key figure in the dissemination of reggaeton during its formative period in the 1990s in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Early life

Beginning in the early 1990s, he intended to do what DJ Tony Touch was already doing in New York, who was releasing a series of mixtapes, mixing popular and classic songs off most known musical styles like Reggae, Hip Hop and House. It is rumored that Playero gained his name for always using colorful t-shirts that resembled the spirit of the Summer season, and people wore them when going to the beach and they were called "Summer T'shirts", which translated in Spanish would be "Camisas Playeras".

Mixtapes

Though Playero's mixtapes presumably started in Number 1 and synthesized hip-hop and dancehall/reggae rhythms, it is not known that Volumes 1 to 33 do already exist. Playero #34 made its appearance on the Internet some years ago and it was heard by people around the world realizing that this mixtape was putting together dancehall, hip hop and Puerto Rican singers freestyling in Spanish-language.
These tape and the following 35 and 36 circulated around the barrios of San Juan and were highly influential upon the generation that would go on to define reggaeton in the coming decade. Most of these tapes were sold by Playero himself and the singers who had recorded in them. That's how Daddy Yankee got his start with DJ Playero, debuting on the mixtape Playero 34, which was recorded in a small studio in one of Puerto Rico's caseríos and was originally released around 1994. It contained several Jamaican dancehall songs which were mixed and edited like "Freaks". It is also believed to be the first recording to use the word reggaeton, which was sung by Daddy Yankee.

Career

DJ Playero was an aspiring producer at the time, he worked in the first LP of The Pioneer Lisa M and 3-2 Get Funky, Ranking Stone, Wiso G, and Wendellman. During the late 1990s, as the proto-reggaeton style began to grow popular thanks to 'The Noise', a club-based collective that issued a long-running series of CDs. Playero en DVD: Su Trayectoria was the culmination of this activity, aiming to cement his legacy as one of the key reggaeton pioneers.

Discography

Mixtapes

DJ Playero's 34 to 36 mixtape release dates range from around 1990–1991.
  • ''Playero 37 to Playero 42 CD and Cassette for sales to store release dates range from around 1992 to 2002.''

    Studio albums

  • Playero 37
  • *Underground '
  • *Underground '
  • *The Original
  • *20th. Anniversary Edition
  • Playero 38
  • *Special Edition
  • Playero 39: Respect
  • DJ Playero Presenta: Montana Collection Vol. 1
  • Playero 40: New Era
  • Playero 41: Past Present & Future
  • * Part 1
  • * Part 2
  • DJ Playero Presenta Berto Guayama - Deja Vú
  • ''Playero 42: El Especialista, Episodio 1''

    Compilations

  • Playero DJ Presenta: Éxitos 95
  • Playero DJ – Greatest Hits – Street Mix
  • M.C. Stop Reggae
  • Playero DJ – Greatest Hits – Street Mix Vol. 2
  • Playero Presenta: Éxitos 97
  • Playero DJ – Greatest Hits – Street Mix Vol. 3
  • DJ Playero: The Collection
  • Playero DJ - The Best Of
  • ''Playero DJ - Old School Reggaeton''

    Instrumental albums

  • ''Playero Pistas - Play The Beat''

    Live albums

  • Playero DJ Live
  • ''Playero - Naranjito Live''

    Bootlegs

  • Playero DJ - Live from New York Discoteque '
  • Playero Rap & Reggae 96 '
  • ''Playero - Birthday Live In Cupey''

    CD singles

  • ''DJ Playero - Radio Version''

    Other albums to which he has collaborated

  • M.C. Non Stop Reggae Vol. 1
  • M.C. Non Stop Reggae Vol. 2
  • Reggae 4 U '
  • Wendellman '
  • Boricua Guerrero - The E.P. '
  • The Legend
  • Boricua Guerrero First Combat
  • The Warriors 3 '
  • Los Más Buscados ''''
  • The Majestic 1
  • Kilates 1: Rompiendo el Silencio
  • Kilates 2: Segundo Impacto - El Silencio Que Duele
  • The Majestic 2: Segundo Imperio

    Filmography

  • Playero En DVD – Su Trayectoria ''''''''''