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 Victory2 Executive Promoter - John Gungie Rivera |
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John “Gungie” Rivera has been a mainstay in the music and nightlife industries for approximately
three decades. The New York native has worn many hats throughout
his career—including DJ,
record producer and remixer,
artist manager, club owner, record executive, club and concert promoter and, most recently, activist.
Rivera, whose nickname “Gungie” comes from the first word he ever spoke, began DJing at the age of 16. “Even before I was a DJ, I loved to see people have a good time,” recalled Rivera. |
“My family would have gatherings at my grandmother’s house and I
would play the music for them. As my uncles and their cousins played dominos, I would make an omelet for them. Basically I like to help people enjoy themselves.”
His first foray into DJing was at Sweet Sixteen parties in his Bronx neighborhood, when he formed a working relationship that still continues to this day with soon-to-be superstar producer Little Louie Vega. “At my parties, I’d pair people up. If I saw a guy sitting down and a girl sitting down, I’d get them to dance together and by the end of the night they’d be having a ball,” recalled Rivera, who soon moved on to the club circuit. Rivera could be seen behind the turntables at hotspots like Paladium, Roseland, 1018, Tunnel and Emerald City, as well as at outdoor concerts for Hot 103 FM and Hot 97 FM in the late 1980s. As a respected New York DJ, Rivera also worked with top industry people like David Morales, Funkmaster Flex, Roman Ricardo, Glenn Frischer and Junior Vasquez.
In addition to spinning records, Rivera made a name for himself by making records. He co-produced the Mary Jane Girl remix of “All Night Long” by Nayobe featuring Fat Joe and Rayvon, and even served as Vice President of Sal Abbatiello’s Fever Enterprises, which counted Nayobe as a client. Rivera went on to manage Fat Joe in the 1990s and today manages DJ/remixer “The Remix King” Big Dawg Pit Bull DJ Tedsmooth, who is known for his remix of Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It,” among other tracks.
Because of his musical background, being a DJ and music producer, he developed an ear for great music and was able to pinpoint real talent. Rivera started his own record company, Prestigio Recordings, which was distributed by Sony Discos. The first artist signed to Rivera’s label was Puerto Rican dance-music singer George Lamond. Rivera helped Lamond’s first single reach the top of the charts and his album went gold in eight weeks. He also signed a Spanish fusion group, Nueve Once, who set the popular trend of Bachata-rengue-house music. Nueve Once’s first album went gold as well. This track record of success helped Prestigio to become one of the leading independently-distributed labels in the Sony organization. The label grew and eventually had offices in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Puerto Rico.
Ever the entrepreneur, Rivera went on to form Prestige Productions, which boasted marketing clients like SBS and La Mega 97.9 FM. He produced concerts with Henry Cardenas of CFA, now CMN. With renowned concert promoter Ralph Mercado, Rivera co-produced and promoted the popular Valentine’s Day and Labor Day salsa concerts at Madison Square Garden, among others. Rivera promoted events across the globe, even as far as Japan, and was instrumental in pioneering the urban and hip-hop concert scenes in Puerto Rico. He was also responsible for events at venues like Latin Quarter, Club Baja, Expo, Metropolis, China Club, Quo, Roseland and Brooklyn’s Club Rio—one of five nightclubs Rivera has owned over the years. He has also owned or co-owned New York’s Fever, Miami’s Cristal, and successful Bronx nightclub Club Rhumba, among others.
Rivera remains active in the New York scene to this day. As executive promoter at marketing/PR company Victory2 Multimedia, Rivera was actively involved in events at highly-recognizable New York clubs like China Club, Guesthouse and Duvet. His client list also includes actor Kamar de los Reyes, Madison Square Garden, New York radio station Party 105 FM, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, RPI Inc., Habana Room, Ralph Mercado Presents, MTV 3, World Domino Tournament, “Remix King” DJ Tedsmooth and Celebrity Chefs Ricardo Cardona and Alex Garcia.
In 2007 Rivera was named “Business Man of the Year” at the Puerto Rican Day Parade. He has been named “Promoter of the Year” by Premios Estrella, “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Latinos Unidos and “New York City’s Top Promoter” by Stress Magazine. Rivera has spoken on National DJ panels, as well as National Promoter panels, at Miami’s Winter Music Conference, and in 2009 was asked to join the jury for the New York Nightlife Hall of Fame. Along with Fab Five Freddy, Susanne Bartsch, Funkmaster Flex and many others, Rivera helped to assemble the inaugural “legacy” class of clubs, people and parties that were breaking new ground prior to 1980.
Rivera’s success has only increased his opportunity to give back to his community. He owns and organized the Salsa the Vote 2000 campaign, which registered approximately 15,000 voters, and has donated both funds and services to Ayuda Los Pueblos, which raised money for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Rivera was featured in the New York Daily News for his work with The Door, a non-profit community center that provides services for children and young adults. He has also organized drives for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, produced the annual galas for Promesa Foundation, and developed a Latino division for the charitable organization Life-Beat.
Today, Rivera is involved in his most important venture to date—the Cristian Rivera Foundation. Rivera lost his six-year-old son, Cristian, to a rare brain stem tumor known as Pontine Glioma in 2009. The disease primarily affects children under the age of 9 and there is currently no cure for this inoperable cancer. “Ever since Cristian passed away, I committed myself to help find a cure for this deadly disease,” said Rivera. “My hope is that no other family would have to go through the grief of losing a beloved child.”
Rivera has dedicated himself to finding a cure for Pontine Glioma and has assembled a high-profile committee to help him achieve his goals. Members include former Bronx Borough President and New York City mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer, rapper Jim Jones, legendary producer Jelly Bean Benitez, actress and founder of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre Miriam Colon, Little Louie Vega, restaurateur Jimmy Rodriguez, Mr. Olympia Victor Martinez and author Khaliah Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, among others.
Among the hundreds of partnerships, projects and businesses that Rivera has been involved with, it is his two sons—Cristian and 18-year-old John Christopher—that bring him the most joy and remain the most important part of his life. Hard work and discipline have made Rivera successful, but it is happiness that has kept him going. Over the course of his career, Rivera has left an indelible mark on the nightclub, concert and record markets. With the Cristian Rivera Foundation, he is poised to change the world. |
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