Los Angeles, November 2, 2010 – While brothers Mexia and Raul Antonio Hernandez, the sons of  Hernan Hernandez , (bassist and a vocalists of the acclaimed Los Tigres del Norte , whose music the The New Yorker described as “making the poor people they sing about feel powerful”)  share the same blood, they haven’t always shared the same musical taste. That all changed when it came time to speak-out against the injustice of Arizona’s Immigration Law SB 1070.  The musicians knew this was an issue in which they were united, and TODOS SOMOS ARIZONA, their powerful message of anger and solidarity which benefits MALDEF, was born.

LINK TO SONG:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/todos-somos-arizona/id382188127

With its addictive beat and compelling narrative, TODOS SOMOS ARIZONA is a cross generational anthem in which the brothers delve deep into the illogical reasoning behind SB 1070.  “Arizona, que te pasa la raza es la razon that all you can chill at home without a care in your zone, we clean your home, cook your food while you sit on your thrown without a clue, Damn”

But Raul and Mexia wanted to do more than give voice to the fears of young Americans of Latino descent who are anxious about the future of their families – they wanted to take action.  They decided to give all proceeds from the sale of TODOS SOMOS ARIZONA to MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund) to support the legal battle against the radical law. MALDEF will feature the video to the song on their website and during special events such as this Thursday’s, November 4, tribute to Jose Jose.

“We wanted to make a song that reflected the frustration and struggle of our people,” Mexia says. “America is a country founded and built by immigrants, but immigration laws focused on Latinos have often changed depending on the labor needs of the country”. “This is our home country built on immigrant blood were all descendants and connected through love”, he writes in the song.

“My brother Mexia had already started working on a version of the song and he asked me to get on the hook,” says Raul, more known for romantic pop songs, from his studio in San Jose, California. “This law is affecting so many families including our own.”

Mexia’s music comes from a more street perceptive than his brother’s, and he says, “I miss the days when singers and rappers had a message in their music.  As artists, we have to be about making a difference as well as making a change.  But,” he adds, “we also need a track people could dance to so they would remember the message.”

The brothers have been interviewed by print and tv media, including respected broadcaster and journalist Jorge Ramos, spreading the message of Todos Somos Arizona. After having the song produced and crafted by the creative team The Iklectix, the next step was to recruit filmmaker Giovani Hidalgo to shoot a provocative video for the track. Hidalgo, who has directed videos for Ice Cube, combined a montage of news-clips, footage from recent protest and performance footage of Raul and Mexia. “We shot it guerrilla style in the streets of San Jose,” he says.  “Mexia is a seasoned performer, so filming his parts was a joy. The vibe on set was very cool.”

Mexia and Raul’s activism follows in the political footsteps of Los Tigres del Norte, and Todos Somos Arizona is the latest chapter of rap driven protests in Arizona. In 1991, the popular political rap group Public Enemy released their hit “By the Time I Get to Arizona,” which criticized the state for rejecting the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King.  And last April, Public Enemy leader Chuck D. wrote an article inHuffington Post against SB 1070. “The Arizona immigration bill-is racist, deceitful, and reflects some of the most mean-spirited politics against immigrants that the country has ever seen”.

Soon after the SB 1070 was passed in April, President Obama said that the law ” threatened to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans.”  In addition, the Anglo and Latino celebrity community, including Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, Eva Longoria and George Lopez, have all spoken out publicly against the law.

However, for the brothers, the true test of the success of the brother’s collaboration came when they bought their father into the studio to hear their efforts. “In my father’s group, he and his brothers also talk about the struggles of our people, so he was thrilled with the outcome of “Todos Somos Arizona”, Mexia explains in as good an explanation of ‘an apple doesn’t far from the tree’ as you’ll hear.

And to continue the familia homilies:  Blood is thicker than water. and the musical bond that was born through Mexia and Raul’s collaboration on Todos Somos Arizona has resulted in something more permanent (just like family!).  The brothers have decided to stick together for a while, and are currently in the studio in Mexico with famed producer, Toy Selectah working on a duo/group project as Raul y Mexia for early 2011.