He has the same name as his father: Pepe Menís. From him —and from his mother— he also adopted the profession: radio announcer. He was 14 years old when he managed the console and chose the music on Imperio radio; at 17 he joined the Universal Corporation; at 19 he integrated Team 5 and, since then, he has become “the entertainer who sings and enchants”, according to users of Youtube About your symbol theme: “The Culebritic”. He is now about to turn 42 and confesses that he once wanted to be a doctor. “But one never knows the destination,” he sums up.
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Fate, as the artist calls it, had not prepared him for a phone call that would lead him “straight to the mambo” either —he laughs—. “I approached the stages presenting orchestras but as a radio man. He was going up and down fast. I didn’t have a full concert. One day Elmer Junior heard me introduce tony rosado already Skandalo, and he likes me. I was just on the radio and he called me.
—Is it true that you said no to a first proposal from Group 5?
—That was at the beginning, it was out of fear. I did not feel ready to be able to occupy such an important place in such a large company. Then I remembered that when opportunities present themselves, you don’t have to say no.
—And did someone make you reconsider or was it a personal process?
It was a personal process. Was Team 5It wasn’t just any orchestra. He (Elmer ‘Chico’ Yaipén) didn’t know that I didn’t know (laughs). It is one thing to present an orchestra for 20 minutes, and another to be there for four or five hours.
—And what are your plans with Group 5?
—I already marked, with a little bit of my sweat, everything that Group 5 has grown, and that makes me happy. I feel convinced that I have done something (…), but in one way or another I am not part of the family: I am just another worker. Everyone has their expectations to do their thing, for example Lucho Paz, Lucho Cuellar, Leonard León… Many have gone through Group 5 and the only one who has remained has been me.
“Will you do it for a long time yet?”
—I think it’s time for me to go out like he did. ‘Gato’ Bazan in harmony 10, who is my great friend and is a guide (…). I would also like to do something on my part because nothing lasts forever. Everyone in a company is just a bird of passage and, in fact, I have to open up to do my thing, but I’m still young. I’m not that old! (laughs)
—And just as ‘Gato’ Bazán formed Don Gato and his gang, would you create a gang?
-Why not? I could come up with many ideas: Pepe and his patrol (laughs). Something has to come out. But still, for the moment, I am working with Group 5 and everything is going well. If the group grows, I grow too.
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And it grows like the lyrics of his hit: “And move your body turning, turning, with that little body that is delirious.” Pepe Menís unfolded the refrain, originally Mexican, on Virtual Sound ten years ago: “I recorded it with Donald Yaipén and it came out nice. I learned a little about what the diaphragm is like, how to control the voice”.
—Would you record another song if they proposed it to you?
-Of course (…). I would like to record another song. I recorded one that didn’t hit, it’s called “A la cola”. They didn’t put it on the record, but I did record it.
—And is it on YouTube or some other platform?
-No. They kept it under lock and key. Leonard León does the choirs for me (…). After “La culebrítica” a year passed and I recorded this other song. It seems that it did not work out and there it was.
—How did they realize that it didn’t work if they didn’t put it on the market?
-I don’t know. Decision of the owner, I no longer had anything to do with it. I thought they were going to put it even as a filler, and they didn’t. Yay, gentleman! (…) They have asked me to record other songs, but not with Grupo 5, but a feat with some artist friends. Group 5 gives me the freedom to do my thing.
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With freedom as the set and with the always cordial tone of voice, Pepe Menís he attends the tours with a certainty: “I am infinitely grateful to the people who follow me, that means that I am doing my job well. I thank everyone who gives me that motivation a thousand times over.” She also walks with a permit under her suit: “I told Dj Peligro: ‘Dj, I’m going to steal the one from I’m single for a little while.’ ‘Steal it, brother.’ I stole it and use it as an introduction to encourage people.”
