Gypsy Rose is the essence of Lowrider culture: Bajito y suavecito — low and slow
Antonio Pelayo, founder and CEO of Exodus Events and the artist who helped put together La Bulla, is at it again.
This time, he’s celebrating and highlighting Los Angeles’ Latino lowrider subculture with Exodus’ latest development, L.A. Story: A Tribute to the Classic Lowrider.
In case you’re not too familiar with Lowriders, they’re those beautiful muscle cars that have been modified so that their ground clearance — the difference in space between the ground and the body of the car — is super-low. Lowriders have been around since as far back as the 1940s and ’50s, and have taken on a special significance in Latino communities. Lowrider culture consists of more than just cool cars: it’s about cultural and community pride, art, politics, and family affairs. It has been and continues to be used as a platform for social networking, decades before the internet became the hot new place to connect with other people. Lowrider culture is about recreating an American icon and giving it some cultura.
When asked why Exodus chose an exhibit on Lowriders for their next showcase, Pelayo explains: “My passion is art and I enjoy creating art and cultural events. I grew up with [Lowrider] culture and absolutely love it! At Exodus, we pride ourselves in doing things differently. I wanted to be the first to exhibit the world-famous Gypsy Rose at Plaza de la Raza, and to produce a different Lowrider event: a high-caliber art exhibit and a very small but amazing car show. Our mission is to have our fans walk out of LA Story feeling good, for those that don’t know about Lowrider culture to have learned, and for everyone to have a great experience over all.”
L.A. Story will be hosted by Compton David and singer/songwriter Lala Romero, along with special guests MC Pancho as Master of Ceremony and Dogtown skateboarder Pep Williams as art exhibit curator. Actor, director, and writer Enrique Castillo — known for his roles in Weeds and Blood In Blood Out — will be present for special photo and autograph opportunities.
Exodus Events has partnered with an array of prominent local and cultural figures in the Hispanic community, along with longstanding Lowrider Magazine and the Petersen Automotive Museum as the official sponsors of L.A. Story. The 21+ event will be held at Plaza de la Raza in Lincoln Heights, featuring Gypsy Rose, arguably one of the most famous custom ’64 Impalas in existence, built by late pioneer of Lowrider culture Jesse Valadez. Like Exodus’ past events, L.A. Story will feature live music by Latin R&B band Tierra, DJ sets, and a Lowrider-themed art exhibit, with a portion of the proceeds raised going towards to Plaza de la Raza.
If there’s one thing we all have in common as Angelenos, it’s how much we all love our cars. Be sure to take a little trip down to experience this eclectic collection of Lowriders, art, live music, and culture. Be sure to dress to the nines — Lowrider culture ain’t no joke!
General admission tickets are being sold online for $24, or $30 at the door. Don’t stand in line! For more information, visit Exodus Events’ website.
Photo credits: Pep Williams
