Lazaro Mendez, better known as DJ Laz, has been reppin' Miami for as long as he's been behind a mic: "I take a lot of pride in where I'm from, so whenever anybody from here does something big, to me it's like,'that's right I'm from Miami.'"

The Cuban-American DJ has been a staple on the "Morning Pimp Show" on popular South Florida radio station Power 96.5 for the last 20 years. In the early '90s, "DJ Laz" was one of the first jocks to mix Latin rhythms with the Miami Bass popularized by 2 Live Crew. Calling his style Latin Bass, DJ Laz pumped out regional hits like Mami El Negro and Journey Into Bass in the mid 90s. By the end of the decade, he had transitioned to a style he describes as "merengue swing," which adds live instrumentation. "You gotta evolve with the times," says the husky Mendez.

Also known as"The Pimp With The Limp," Mendez has remixed tracks for artists like Gloria Estefan, Will Smith and hometown heroes 2 Live Crew. His latest album, Category 6, is currently gaining momentum on the strength of Move Shake Drop (Remix), a Benny Benassi-meets-Luke Campbell club jam featuring Flo Rida, Casely and Pitbull. The album, DJ Laz's eleventh, also includes appearances by T-Pain and Rick Ross. Mendez, who began DJing when he was 15 years old, says there's still room for him to grow: "With this album, I feel that I have evolved. [I'm] not just Laz who makes Spanish and bootie records. We got a lil bit of everything."

See: myspace.com/djlaz965

Cuban-American rapper Garcia is grindin' to join the superstar ranks of fellow Miami rappers Rick Ross and Pitbull. But instead of rapping about pushing weight or singing over club jams, Garcia is banking on introspective tales about his personal struggles, much like multi-platinum superstar Eminem.

The self-proclaimed "underground king" of Miami, Garcia pressed his first 12” vinyl at age 16, building a steady buzz in the Sunshine state with his 2004 debut, Antisocial. By the time his second album, Life Unscripted, was released in 2007, Garcia was working with heavy hitters like N.O.R.E. and Bun B of UGK. Life Unscripted features I Am, a strident ode to his heritage and Ahora, a gritty party jam featuring collaborations with Heckler and Sofia Kingz.

Garcia is currently back in the studio working on his third album and he says he's ready to reap the rewards: "I've lived every dream in my life. I've done it. So from here on out, it's business."

see: myspace.com/garcia