Mathew Gabriel Gonzales, aka Philthy Dronez: Wepa Life: West Coast Cumbia From Eastside San Jose

Art Heals All Wounds

Today, I’m joined by Mathew Gabriel Gonzales (aka Philthy Dronez), musician and music producer, to explore the roots behind his signature West Coast Cumbia sound. As an Eastside San Jose native, Mathew draws inspiration from the hip hop, funk, and cumbia rhythms he grew up around in his vibrant neighborhood.

In Mathew’s words, music doesn’t have borders, which is why he celebrates the multicultural melting pot of Eastside San Jose. In our conversation, Mathew gives an overview of the history of cumbia and why it’s had such a major impact on his life. He describes the throughlines of the genres he mixes, namely how they’ve all emerged from collective oppression.

Between the flashy lowriders, steaming bowls of pho, and lively music streaming from every direction, outsiders might write Eastside San Jose off as ‘rowdy’ or ‘disorderly.’ But to Mathew, that’s what makes the city so beautiful and what he hopes to portray in his innovative music. He shares his plans to travel through Europe this year and show people around the world what West Coast Cumbia is all about.

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Topics Covered:

● Mathew’s musical background and how he started developing West Coast Cumbia

● The history of Eastside San Jose’s old nickname, “Sal Si Puedes” to United Farm Workes “Si, se puede”

● How the Vietnamese and Latino cultures intersect in San Jose

● What drew Mathew to experiment with cumbia music

● Mathew’s vision for expanding the reach of West Coast Cumbia

Guest Info:

● Philthy Dronez on Spotify

● Philthy Dronez on Instagram

● Philthy Dronez on TikTok

● Philthy Dronez on Facebook

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