Larry Hernández

Larry Hernández attained broad popularity as a regional Mexican vocalist after his 2009 album 16 Narco Corridos, consisting of songs he composed himself, was laid down during a single day and became a commercial breakthrough. Born in Los Angeles, California, he relocated with his relatives at age four to Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, and spent his childhood there. His first musical steps occurred inside the ensemble Los Amables del Norte; as an independent act he issued the albums Mil Noches in 2002 and Hace un Mes in 2008 prior to wider recognition.

The project 16 Narco Corridos, built almost wholly from original material captured inside twenty-four hours, presented detailed portrayals of narcotics trafficking culture and yielded three charting singles (“El Querendón y Cajetoso,” “El Baleado,” “Pilotos Canabis”) while reaching number four on the Billboard Top Latin Albums list. Later in 2009 the concert set En Vivo: Desde Culiacán surfaced, containing several pieces absent from the studio release plus a newly recorded studio track, “Carita de Angel,” issued as a single. The live disc climbed to number two on the same Billboard chart, giving Hernández two simultaneous Top Ten placements and marking him among the year’s standout regional Mexican newcomers.

Larrymania, released in 2010 and later adopted as the title of his NBC Universo reality series two years afterward, also entered the Latin Albums chart at number two, led the Mexican Regional chart, and registered respectably inside the Top 200, remaining his highest-charting effort for the next five years. While live and compilation releases bridged the interval, the 15-episode-per-season television program’s strong ratings and critical response in 2012 shifted focus away from studio work and touring. Even so, the 2010 concert album Puros Toques…En Vivo and the 2011 hits collection 20 Super Exitos: La Historia de los Exitos both reached number three on the Regional Mexican albums tally. His studio albums Larryvolucion in 2012 placed at number six on the Latin albums list, while Capaz de Todo and 2013’s Aca Entre Nos each entered the Mexican Regional chart at number three.

The television exposure, live dates, and sales momentum continued until 2015’s Vete Acostumbrando became his eighth number-two entry on the Mexican Regional chart. That same year Hernández faced serious legal difficulties after an August 2015 performance in South Carolina left him shorted $16,900; he was subsequently charged with kidnapping and assault and battery. While in California he waived extradition, was returned to South Carolina, and spent a brief period in custody. The case lingered in the courts for more than a year. Hernández addressed the matter on a July 2016 episode of Larrymania, ultimately entering a guilty plea to the misdemeanor of disorderly conduct and receiving a fine together with probation.

In 2017 he released the video singles “Mi Paciencia” and “Tu Diseño,” the latter featuring actress Frida Sofía, daughter of Alejandra Guzman. He resurfaced that September with the candidly autobiographical album Lo Blanco y lo Negro de Mi Vida, which received production input from Luciano Luna and contributions from several songwriters including Joss Favela.