Collaborators since 2005, Oscar Merino and Garth Trinidad have partnered once again, poised to edutain, safeguard, and map a new, faithful trajectory for diasporic music and culture as its commercial market viability becomes apparent to mainstream media gatekeepers.
As we enter a marvelous and uncertain age, we reach back to reclaim our human spirit. Our vivid analog history lights the path to a neon digital future. Beneath it all are the connections that make us who and what we are. There is a new world music and culture movement and AfroLatino is at the helm - a testament to the profound ability of music, dance, and community to create magic and celebrate our commonalities.
Oscar Merino - Founder
Photo: Maria Merino
Oscar honed his creative leadership skills as Manager of Promotions of Hip Hop and dance Music for Sony Music/Columbia Records in the 90’s, responsible for a national footprint that included LA, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and Miami. Merino helped launch the careers of several notable artists including Nas, Cypress Hill, The Fugees, Mariah Carey, and Jamiroquai. His pursuit of excellence in musical and cultural experiences led him to form 52Blend, an agency that specialized in event curation, production, and artist management with a particular Afro-Latin & Hip Hop point of view. 52Blend connected the corporate to the creative, guiding and protecting core artistic values throughout the production process. Agency clients included the annual Sony Latin GRAMMYs Afterparty, aRTS Brookfield, Grand Park, Music Center, and FIGat7th. A bi-lingual Angeleno with Salvadoran roots, Merino is relentless, driven by his passion to learn, educate, and shift the perception of Afro-Latin music and culture. @oscarmerino
Garth Trinidad - Co-Founder
Trinidad is a modern day griot - award winning DJ, artist, and culture critic, credited in part with shaping LA's modern music landscape, dubbed one of the world’s most influential DJs by press and peers. Through radio, events, music supervision, and journalism, he has introduced the world to such artists as Little Dragon and Janelle Monae, interviewed the likes of Quincy Jones and Diplo, while remaining a primary source for music discovery and staunch supporter of independent artists worldwide. Trinidad lists Nike, Apple, Sony, HBO, and Prince as clients, has been featured in Vanity Fair, Wallpaper, Rolling Stone, and appeared on ABC7, KTLA5, History Channel, and in various documentary films. Garth recently stepped away from his 25 year post as a DJ and radio personality at NPR affiliate KCRW 89.9fm in Santa Monica to enjoy an extended vacation and chase some other dreams. @garthtrinidad
Oscar and Garth met through a mutual friend in 2005 and immediately noted a musical and familial kinship. As Garth approached 10 years on air at KCRW, he asked Oscar to join him in producing the anniversary event in the fall of 2006 at The Roxy on Sunset, featuring a live performance from Van Hunt and DJ sets by Randy Jackson and Macy Gray. Since then, the dynamic duo has collaborated on a myriad of projects and events, including the early years of Kiss-n-Grind, and MojaMoja - Grammy Brunch, Beats & Bites, etc. Their exploits have helped numerous bands, DJs, dancers, visual artists & designers, photographers, and chefs launch successful careers while elevating brands and charitable partners with taste and cool. Together, the pair bring a wealth of knowledge, perspective, and unmatched aesthetic value to whatever they touch.