Punk rocker, master MC, or the illest DJ you’ve never heard of?

Tony Gallardo II, the man behind Tijuana’s own underground techno-narco act María y José, is the subject of the latest installment of Hangin’. We spent the day with Tony, barreling through soundcheck, mapping out his plan for world domination, devouring some pizza (his one true love), and turning up at his Rough Trade show.

María y José describes himself as a musical comedy project and as permanently up-and-coming, a self-deprecating style that has come to define his work as raucous yet introspective dance music. Charming and enviably witty, he hits the stage like Kanye (whom he refers to as Kenny) and spends half his set dancing with the audience. A true punk, he is much more interested in people talking about him than in what they’re actually saying.

He sums it all up with a quote from Cypress Hill: “Don’t you know I’m loco?” “Nah, I’m just different,” he adds.