José Antonio Escobar

Tony Escobar

Discjockey (now DJ), announcer and producer; the voice that lit up the rumbas of the 80s and 90s in Venezuela.

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Profile

Tony Escobar was far more than a discjockey: he became an icon of Venezuelan radio and one of the most remembered voices of the minitecas. With charisma, talent and discipline, he turned every mix and every piece of hosting into a show, leaving his mark on several generations.

Club Mix and the magic of radio

On 92.9 FM Caracas, within Circuito Radio Caracas Radio (RCR), Tony created the legendary program Club Mix. Every Saturday from 10:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, his iconic shout “is ninety-two point nine FM Cluuuub Mix” opened a night of live mixes that set the pulse of Caracas nightlife.

Club Mix was a byword for the weekend: live music, daring mixes and the feeling that the radio booth connected directly with every party in the country.

Music production and hip hop pioneer

Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's: Tony Escobar did not only host and mix, he also produced tracks that opened the way to new trends. Among them, “Dámela que tú la tienes,” recorded with Solmaira Castillo, which became a benchmark of the fusion of rap, hip hop and dance rhythms in Venezuela.

His work brought freshness to the radio and anticipated what years later would be the influence of hip hop on Latin genres such as reggaeton and latin urban, establishing Tony as a pioneer of that cultural transition.

Showman of the minitecas and of urban culture

Escobar was more than a discjockey in the booth: a true showman. He hosted minitecas such as Sandy Lane and Betelgeuse, bringing professionalism and energy to stages that combined lights, turntables and the voice that summoned crowds. His ability to connect with the audience made him a central figure at the guerras de minitecas, the sound clashes of the movement, and at the emblematic events of the 80s and 90s.

His passing and his legacy

Tony Escobar died on July 26, 2021, a victim of prostate cancer. His death was a loss for radio and for Venezuelan youth culture, but his legacy lives on: the echo of his mixes, his unmistakable voice and his pioneering contribution to hip hop on national radio.

He will be remembered as an icon of Venezuelan radio, one of the country's best discjockeys and an innovator who opened doors to new sounds.

Credits and sources

· Migrated from the original article at culturaminiteka.com/voces-que-dejaban-huella/tony-escobar (accessed July 9, 2026).

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Source consulted on July 9, 2026

80s · 90s · Disc jockey · Minitecas · Radio · Rumbas · Voices