Born in 1979, into a family of hard working Mexican parents in San Diego, Mr. Shadow knows the definition of a hustler.  His parents worked full-time to help ends meet, so gangbanging became a natural way to provide a family unit in his hometown of San Diego.  Rapping soon became an escape to the streets and he was the other half of “The Mayhem Clique” with rapper Lil’ Rob.  Then, at the age of 16, Mr. Shadow recorded his first rap song, "’Till I Die", a song that soon became an anthem for teenagers everywhere.  He used his hustling skills to push the album, selling close to 50,000 copies out of the trunk of his car.  The response to "’Till I Die" showed Shadow that he had more than a shot at reaching his dream and after a slew of speaker-smashing bangers like "Take Yo Bit**", "Kan’t Hide From Shadow", "Westside" and "Haters", Shadow is setting his first major release “The Streets are Kalling” under the Silent Giant Entertainment and Machete Music label.

This new album, "The Streets are Kalling" will add to the 165,000 combined sound-scanned units of Shadow’s catalogue. His inspiration for "The Streets Are Kalling", came from his hood and his struggles in the music business. He says it’s called "The Streets Are Kalling" because of "the demand for my music and the various ways the streets are calling me… my fans are calling me, the hustlers, the girls, the money, the studio, everyone is calling.  It’s my time."  

The album is produced by E-Dub (Pocos Pero Locos, Spanish Fly, Slow Pain) and Javi Lopez. Shadow’s main ingredient in putting it together was his insistence on reality which other rappers fail to express in their music.  Shadow proclaims, "I don’t spit it if I don’t live it".

In addition to the streets as a major influence in his gritty rhymes, Shadow wants to push himself out of the typical “Latin” rap genre.  His inspirations include his two children, his mother and surprisingly Japanese music!  On a recent trip to Japan, where he is a huge star, he bought twenty CDs, even though he had no idea what the words meant.

Mr. Shadow’s music is universal and he refuses to be typecast because of his color. "50 cent is not black rap; Eminem is not white rap, why do I have to be Latin rap?" But true to his Mexican roots Shadow will never forget where he comes from. "I will represent my people by being me.  That’s all I can be and that’s how my music is made, for whoever feels it.  Just let my music play.”