Hector Romero

Hector Romero

Hector Romero is a DJ and music business figure from the Bronx, New York. He begins DJing as a teenager in 1983, playing a mix of Latin, house and hip hop at a block party in his neighbourhood. This earns him the nickname “Baby Hec” Romero, a name that remains associated with him for many years.

Early DJ work in New York

As his reputation grows, Romero plays at La Mirage, a leading Latin dance club, and at the Devils Nest, a street club where his friend Louie Vega also starts out. He later appears at several well-known New York venues and underground spaces, including Save the Robots, The Red Zone, the Palladium and the Roxy.

Def Mix and label work

In 1994, Judy Weinstein recruits Romero to work at Def Mix Productions and help with the creation of Definity Records, a Def Mix imprint planned with David Morales. Romero is more drawn to the business side of music than to remixing or producing, and he develops a role in A&R and label management. Weinstein mentors him in business management, and he becomes label manager of Definity Records.

SAW Recordings and later career

Romero later becomes a participating partner in Satoshi Tomiie’s imprint SAW Recordings. He works within the Def Mix camp, takes part in Def Mix tours, and continues DJing at clubs in New York and abroad, including Filter 14 in New York, Stereo in Montreal and Locomia in Portugal. His style combines different kinds of music, which becomes a defining feature of his work and helps build his profile in club culture across Europe, Canada and the United States.