Dax Reynosa
{{Short description|Musician from Whittier, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dax Reynosa
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|43|2013|10|24}}
| birth_place = Whittier, California
| relatives = Zane Reynosa (sister)
Jurny Big (cousin)
| occupation = Rapper, singer, songwriter, hip hop and film producer, music manager
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| alias = Theory
| genre = Christian hip hop, freestyle rap, smooth jazz, underground hip hop
| instrument = Rapping, singing, production equipment
| years_active = 1983–present
| label = Antagonist, Brainstorm, independent, Solar, UpRok
| associated_acts = The Dax Band, Elé, Footsoldiers, LPG, The Resistance, Tunnel Rats
}}
}}
Dax Reynosa, often mononymously known as Dax and by the former stage name Theory, is an American underground hip hop artist, producer, songwriter, smooth jazz singer, and music manager from Whittier, California. As a hip hop artist, he co-founded the underground Christian hip hop collective Tunnel Rats and the affiliated groups LPG, Footsoldiers, and The Resistance. He also co-founded the Latin funk and R&B band Elé and formed The Dax Band. He has contributed vocals and songwriting to numerous jazz recordings.
Biography
In 1983, influenced by the newly emerged hip hop culture at Radiotron in MacArthur Park, Reynosa started b-boying and battle rapping.{{cite web|last=Nibokun|first=Imade|date=October 24, 2013|title=Tunnel Rats: Controversial Christian Rap Collective Turns 20|url=http://www.laweekly.com/2013-10-24/music/tunnel-rats-dax-reynosa/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025211455/http://www.laweekly.com/2013-10-24/music/tunnel-rats-dax-reynosa/|archive-date=October 25, 2013|access-date=January 7, 2021|work=LA Weekly|publisher=Voice Media Group}}{{Cite book|last=Harris|first=Travis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Pa-DwAAQBAJ|title=Beyond Christian Hip Hop: A Move Towards Christians and Hip Hop|date=November 18, 2019|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-429-58965-2|editor-last=Gault|editor-first=Erika D.|location=Abingdon|pages=37–40, 43|language=en|chapter=1: A History of Christians and Hip Hop|editor-last2=Harris|editor-first2=Travis}} His lyrics discussed both his Christian faith and the crack epidemic he grew up amidst. He cites his formative influences as David Guzman and Soldiers for Christ.{{cite journal|last=Borha|first=Imade Nibokun|date=December 2013|title=Battle Rap Gospel: The Story of the Tunnel Rats|location=Ann Arbor|publisher=University of Southern California|id={{ProQuest|1499232942}}}} He also formed a dance crew, Cousins Three, with his cousins V.Night and Jurny Big, and they would compete at both dance and rapping at Pico Rivera Park. Reynosa in 2012 recounted the fiercely competitive nature of the rap battles he engaged in: "When you lose, you change your name cuz I’m gonna iron your name on the back of my sweater. We battle for rhyme books and you can never rap those rhymes again. I would burn it in front of you."
In 1993, he formed the collective Tunnel Rats, taking inspiration for its name from his father, who served as a tunnel rat in the Vietnam War. Mostly finding audiences at churches, the group struggled to find acceptance from many Christians due to their lyrical braggadocio. The group also encountered racial prejudice when touring in the Southern United States because the majority of the group was of Mexican descent. Shortly after the formation of Tunnel Rats, Reynosa and Jurny Big, as LPG, released The Earthworm in 1995,{{cite web|last1=Bellini|first1=Jason|date=June 4, 2014|title=17 Artists The Tunnel Rats Have Influenced|url=http://wadeoradio.com/17-artists-the-tunnel-rats-have-influenced/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608045250/http://wadeoradio.com/17-artists-the-tunnel-rats-have-influenced/|archive-date=June 8, 2014|access-date=June 9, 2014|website=Wade-O Radio|publisher=DJ Wade-O}} a breakthrough album in Christian hip hop. The next year, Tunnel Rats released its first album, Experience. LPG released a second album, 360 Degrees, in 1998,{{Cite web|title=LPG, "360 Degrees" Review|url=https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/360Degrees.asp|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=Jesus Freak Hideout}} and Tunnel Rats released the groundbreaking Tunnel Vision through Uprok Records in 2001. LPG dropped The Gadfly in 2003,{{Cite web|title=LPG, "The Gadfly" Review|url=https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/TheGadfly.asp|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=Jesus Freak Hideout}} and Tunnel Rats led the Uprok compilation Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset.{{cite journal|last=Legierski|first=Andrzej|date=September 1, 2003|title=Various – Tunnel Rats Present Underground Rise Vol 1: Sunrise/Sunset|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Various/Tunnel_Rats_Present_Underground_Rise_Vol_1_SunriseSunset/7650/|journal=Cross Rhythms|publisher=Cross Rhythms|issue=66|access-date=May 15, 2014}} Tunnel Rats released its self-titled album in 2004. In 2006, Reynosa helped organize the Tunnel Rats-affiliated group Footsoldiers,{{Cite web|last=Cordor|first=Cyril|title=Footsoldiers|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/footsoldiers-mn0002326959/biography|access-date=May 14, 2013|website=AllMusic|publisher=All Media Network}} and formed the production duo The Resistance with Tunnel Rats producer Dert.{{Cite web|last=Henly|first=Ralph|title=Life|url=http://shamesworthy.bandcamp.com/album/life|access-date=May 17, 2014|via=Bandcamp}}{{Cite web|last=Naber|first=Joshua|date=June 19, 2006|title=KRS-One – Life|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.653/title.krs-one-life|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517121727/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.653/title.krs-one-life|archive-date=May 17, 2014|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=HipHopDX|publisher=Cheri Media Group}} Footsoldiers and the Resistance collaborated with KRS-One on his album Life, and KRS-One in return appeared on the Footsoldiers' album Live This. Reynosa co-produced the 2003 documentary film, The Battle for L.A.: Footsoldiers, Vol. 1, with director Darren Doane.{{Cite web|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=January 4, 2004|title=RAPPING EACH OTHER TO SHREDS A pair of films gets down & dirty with hip hop's battling emcees|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/rapping-shreds-pair-films-dirty-hip-hop-battling-emcees-article-1.579015|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=NY Daily News}} Tunnel Rats currently is on hiatus, and Reynosa currently contributes vocals to jazz recordings. In 2013, he co-founded Elé with Adelaide "Addie" Benavides, and works as the band's manager.{{Cite web|last=Ng|first=Nick|date=May 23, 2014|title=Elé Band Hits L.A. With 'Funky' Latin Music|url=https://guardianlv.com/2014/05/ele-band-hits-l-a-with-funky-latin-music/|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=Liberty Voice}} Elé mixes together R&B, pop, funk and blues with Latin genres such as cumbia, merengue, and salsa. He also formed a self-described jazz band, The Dax Band.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The Dax Band: About|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Community/The-Dax-Band-217523518288907/about/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 9, 2021|website=Facebook|language=en}}
Discography
= Tunnel Rats =
{{Further|Tunnel Rats discography}}
= LPG =
{{Further|LPG (American band)}}
= As featured artist =
Production discography
= The Resistance production discography =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Artist |
| 2005
|Both Sides{{Cite web|title=Both Sides – Tunnel Rats: Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/both-sides-mw0000169556/credits|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=AllMusic}} |Tunnel Rats |
| 2006
|Life |
| 2006
|Live This{{Cite web|title=Live This – Footsoldiers: Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-this-mw0000581246/credits|access-date=January 8, 2021|website=AllMusic}} |Footsoldiers |
Additional credits
Filmography
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Tunnel Rats}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reynosa, Dax}}
Category:American hip-hop record producers
Category:Rappers from California
Category:American male rappers
Category:American rappers of Mexican descent
Category:Tunnel Rats (music group) members
Category:Hispanic and Latino American singers
Category:Songwriters from California
Category:Hip-hop musicians from Whittier, California
Category:Jazz musicians from California
Category:American music managers