Israel Perales Ortiz better known in the music world as Mexicano 777, was a Puerto Rican rapper who gained fame across Latin America, and in the United States. Mexicano 777 was from Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, and was considered to be one of the pioneers of Latin hip hop and reggaeton. Perales Ortiz adopted the artistic nickname "Mexicano 777" to honor his step-father, who is Mexican.
1990s
Mexicano 777 began his musical career during the early 1990s, alongside such artists as DJ Playero and DJ Adam. During this time, hip-hop in Puerto Rico was at a popular high, and artists from this era included him, Vico C, Ruben DJ, Eddie Dee, Don Chezina, Big Boy, and MC Ceja. In 1993, Perales Ortiz allegedly participated in an armed robbery of a Fajardo restaurant, in which he was accused of pulling a firearm on employees and taking off with $2,000 dollars in cash. On June 22, 1997, Mexicano 777 was at a discothèque when a shooting took place. He held 19 year old Laura Isabel Aponte Rivera on his hands and prayed before she was taken to a hospital, where she died of a gun shot to the head. Aponte Rivera's mother Myra Rivera credited Mexicano 777 with helping her see her daughter at the hospital before she died. During 1998, Mexicano 777 released his first CD, named "Entre el Bien y el Mal". He was later named "Rap Artist of the Year" in Puerto Rico. In 1999, Mexicano 777 became involved in the so-called Fight of the Millenniumboxing fight between Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya, writing a song named "Triunfo del Milenio', which was played live before the bout.
2000s
Mexicano 777's 2001 album, "God's Assassins" became a major musical and cultural hit selling 200,000 records. The album included 14 songs, including a collaboration, "Guerreros" with another artist also known as "Mexicano 777", Mad Lion. Also in 2001, he released "El Colmo de los Fujitivos", which included "El Boricua Poeta" A four-year hiatus followed "El Colmo de los Fujitivos" until, in 2005, Mexicano 777 released "Pa' La Kalle 1972-The Beginning", which was released under the Universal Music Latino label. On this CD, he had collaborations with Ivy Queen and with Arcángel & De La Ghetto. In 2009, Mexicano 777 returned to the music charts in Puerto Rico with "Septimo Elemento", which was followed by what would ultimately turn out to be his last release, 2010's "Un Comienzo Diferente", featuring Daddy Yankee and Zicario, among others.
2010s
It was during 2010 that Mexicano 777 was initially diagnosed with tongue and throat cancer, which led to a hiatus, later retiring. Early in 2013, Mexicano 777's pregnant daughter, 21-year-old Edith Noemi Perales Aguirre, was found by her 16-year-old brother, murdered. She had been reported as disappeared during September 2012. Late in September 2013, two Fajardo residing brothers were arrested by police on suspicion of her murder as well as those of two local men. Mexicano 777, who was at a Hogares Crearehabilitation center in Arecibo at the time, vowed to avenge his daughter's death and escaped the rehab center on May 22, but he was caught soon after and was sentenced to three years in prison to be spent in Bayamon. Mexicano 777 had been at Hogares Crea after being sentenced to three years of probation, charged with domestic abuse.
Death
On June 1, 2015, Mexicano 777 was released after his sentence was reduced by one year so he could spend his final days with his family. He moved to his mother's house in Manati, where he died from cancer on July 23.
