His parents were from Mexico City, and young 2MEX was a kid with one ear on KROQ for the Cure and the Smiths and the other on KDAY for all the golden-age hip-hop classics, especially on long bus rides to school where the bus driver (not to be confused with 2MEX's good friend and righteous independent rapper Busdriver) rewarded good behavior with a few minutes of stereo time. He's probably best known as a member of the Visionaries—or for releasing more than a dozen albums, or for recording so many songs that he's completely lost track, or even for his iconic Obey Giant parody logo, appearing now on a hoodie near you—but he's currently on tour as part of a brand-new collaboration with the Shapeshifters' Life Rexall, which sets Rexall's bangin'-ass beats (his term) underneath 2MEX's characteristically hilarious and honest lyrics. But right now he'd rather talk about the burgers he likes than the verses he kicks.
OC Weekly:What's the last best thing that happened to you on tour?
2MEX: Last night in San Antonio I threw up—I drank 10 shots of tequila and some Flaming Dr Peppers. I did it one night just to have fun. I got fucked up—it was pretty bad. I couldn't open up the bag fast enough. I only drink like once a month. And I vomit, like, four times a year. I'm not a drinker at all. Once on my birthday people told me I got so drunk that I was freestyling for like an hour and crying.
Does a Flaming Dr Pepper have Krusty-brand cough syrup in it?
No, a Flaming Dr Pepper is a glass of beer with a shot of amaretto in it. The bartender will light the amaretto on fire. But they taste like a Dr Pepper.
What's a tour diet like besides drinks set on fire?
I'll eat whenever whatever. It's like 4 in the morning and I'm like, “Oh, cheesecake!” I'm about to go on a diet because strangers are coming up to me and going like, “You are so unhealthy.” This lady came up to me and told me I shouldn't be drinking a soda. And I eat AM/PM every day. I get the little hamburgers with a little ketchup and a little pickle to give it tartness. It's got everything you need: meat, bread and vegetables. I eat those AM/PM burgers like crazy. They don't serve 'em at night, so sometimes I'll get the burritos or I'll stock up on like five burgers and eat 'em randomly throughout the day.
When you aren't driving or playing a show, what do you do?
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is on. There are like seven Law and Orders but Special Victims Unit is the best because there might be hot chicks on it. Like schoolgirls who by the end of the show are running a teen prostitution ring and blowing somebody at the mall for clothes. Or somebody killed a prostitute or something. We'll be up for hours watching. Flavor of Love is the best show on TV with hood rats fighting and shit, but Days Inn doesn't have VH1, so we are fucked. They would not be fucking with Flava if he wasn't famous.
Weren't you on a dating show?
Busdriver was on Blind Date. We knew that they were going to film on a certain day, so I answered the door with a 2MEX T-shirt just to clown. Bus was like, “That's my brother,” and they were like, “Yeah, whatever.” His girl was fine too, but she didn't pick him because he didn't drink. She was trying to pour the drink down his throat.
What's the first place you're going to eat when you come back through Orange County?
The AM/PM off the 5 freeway before the Anaheim House of Blues. You can get those burgers and play at the House of Blues through the night.
You seriously like AM/PM?
Yes!
2MEX PERFORMS WITH OZOMATLI AT THE GLASS HOUSE, 200 W. SECOND ST., POMONA; WWW.THEGLASSHOUSE.US. FRI., 7:30 P.M. $22. ALL AGES.
