Gerardo Mejia was born on 16 April 1965 in Ecuador. When he was 12, his family immigrated to the USA. Living in California, Gerardo managed to try himself in different occupations. He became a famous musician, rapper, actor, producer, and, later, a pastor.
In 1987, Gerardo landed a role in a teenage romantic comedy Can’t Buy Me Love. He played a boy named Ricky. Even though the role was secondary, a handsome young man attracted the attention of fans and critics. He continued performing in TV series but mostly had secondary roles. Once he played in the movie Colors alongside such famous actors as Sean Penn and Robert Duval. While acting, Mejia started thinking about implementing his childhood dream of becoming a famous singer.
In 1991, Gerardo released his debut album Mo' Ritmo, which made him famous as the first Latin singer, who sang in a mixed language Spanglish (English+Spanish). The album’s producer was Michael Sembello. The single from the LP “Rico Suave” became a huge hit not just in the USA but also all over the world. It sold 600,000 copies. The album itself sold over half a million. Many fans still call the singer Rico, not Gerardo.
In 1994, Gerardo released his first Spanish language album Asi Es. Its target audience was Latin market. The LP included two big hits “Arroz con Carne” and “Maria Elisa”. The second song was dedicated to a beautiful girl Mejia met when visiting his native Ecuador.
In 1995, Gerardo released another Spanish album Derrumbe. It featured an unusual mix of rap and salsa. Mejia traveled to Mexico to record a music video for the single “What Happens Here”. The song contained mambo elements, which made it even more dynamic. Mejia’s popularity was growing at a fast pace. It was getting harder and harder to book Gerardo for any event.
After five years of singing, Gerardo decided to try himself as a producer and signed a contract with Interscope Records. Gerardo helped such artists as Enrique Iglesias, Bubba Sparxxx, and Mark McGrath become popular. He also worked with The Outhere Brothers.
In 2001, the fans asked Gerardo to record another song in honor of his career’s 10-year anniversary. Mejia released a single “I’m Still Rich”. The music video for the song was filmed at the Punta Carnero beach. The president of Thumb Records convinced Gerardo to record another album. Another Spanish LP, Fame, Sex y Dinero, was very popular. The song “Ta Canon” became a hit in Japan.
When Gerardo turned 36, he announced a career break. He got married and had three children. The new LP 180 Grados came out 3 years later.
In 2007, became interested in religion and released La Iglesia De La Calle with Machete Music. The LP was successful.
In 2015, Mejia recorded Camara Luces y Unción. Gerardo continues recording new music, producing, and performing live.
