DJ Nesty

as seen on myspace

wed 3/4/2009

DJ Nesty in a green and grey track jacket.

DJ Nesty can call himself "maestro" with confidence. After all, the 36-year-old producer was once an art teacher.

Born Ernesto F. Padilla Colón in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, DJ Nesty spent his twenties teaching kids about the virtues of art: "But once I got home, I would always work on music." Dubbed the "mente maestra (mastermind)" by Don Omar, DJ Nesty is the producer behind most of Wisin y Yandel's platinum-selling album Los Extraterrestres. In late 2007, the Nesty-produced Sexy Movimiento became a massive hit, staying on the Billboard charts for over a year and earning the goateed producer a BMI "Song of the Year" award. Los Extraterrestres, which features 10 Nesty-helmed tracks, would go on to win a Grammy for "Latin Urban Album of the Year" and a Latin Grammy for "Best Urban Album."

Lightning struck twice for DJ Nesty and "El Duo Dinámico" with Me Estás Tentando, the trance-influenced hit from Nesty's 2008 debut, La Mente Maestra. The album, which also features Jayko, Franco "El Gorila," Tony Dize and Gadiel, topped the Latin Billboard charts soon after its release. DJ Nesty, whose credits include Chulín Culín Chunflai by Julio Voltio, Los Maté by Tego Calderón and Pegao by Wisin y Yandel, says patience was the key to his success: "If you work hard your time will come. My time came after nearly a decade."

DJ Nesty is currently working on Welcome to the Jungle by Franco "El Gorila" and Wisin y Yandel's forthcoming album, La Revolución.

See: myspace.com/nestylamentemaestra