Dance Mogul Magazine has always been at the forefront of documenting the untold stories within the dance culture. In 2012, we ventured to the Bronx and uncovered one of those stories — the history of the original Hustle and Rock dancing, told by a man who lived it: Willie “MB” Estrada.

Willie Estrada pre-dates the term “hip hop” and its coined dance names within the culture. As a former leader of The Imperial Bachelors, one of the South Bronx’s most influential gangs, Willie made a transformative choice in 1974: he traded violence for dance. He helped introduce the Latin Hustle as an alternative to gang warfare during a time when the South Bronx was considered the murder capital of the United States.

A Legacy That Keeps Growing

Since our original 2012 interview, Willie’s impact has only expanded. He authored The Dancing Gangsters of the South Bronx: Rise of the Latin Hustle, a book endorsed by the Bronx Historical Society that tells the true story of how peace was achieved through dance in his neighborhood. The book has since become a cultural touchstone for understanding the roots of street dance before hip hop had a name.

Willie served as Technical Consultant on the Netflix series The Get Down, collaborating directly with creator Baz Luhrmann and executive producer Tom Kelly. He also appeared on screen in a recurring role as the right-hand man of Jimmy Smits’s character “Papa Fuerte.”

In 2010, he was inducted into the Hustle Hall of Fame as a first-generation pioneer. In 2009, Latin Pride Magazine honored him as Latin Music Impresario of the Year. His entertainment career spans decades as a booking agent and promoter for artists including Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Aventura, Wisin y Yandel, Ivy Queen, and Gilberto Santa Rosa.

Teaching the World

Now in his late sixties, Willie continues to tour the world teaching the original Latin Hustle and Rock Dance. His lectures and workshops bring together the cultural dances and his personal experiences with gang violence during the 1970s South Bronx. He has traveled to China (twice, including a nationally televised interview), Mexico, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Italy, Slovenia, England, France, and Spain.

His second trip to Shanghai in 2018 was particularly significant. At a time when the Chinese government was considering restricting hip hop culture, promoter Danny Wang invited Willie to present the positive side of the movement — sharing his story of transformation and community building.

What’s Next

Willie has been developing his second book, The Last Dance, a sequel to The Dancing Gangsters of the South Bronx. He is also working with executive producers on plans for a TV series and film based on his story through his company, Latin Empire Productions.

Dance Mogul Magazine puts more value in people like Willie — a proven defender of dance culture and a pillar in his community. Our mission has always been to go into communities and conduct interviews that ask pertinent questions, capturing the historic value that moves the culture forward. While trends come and go, the stories of the people who built these dance forms endure.