Prominent Rio Grande Valley DJ Passes Away
Donna hip-hop DJ Myke Nyse passed away after renowned career of 20 years.
Michael “Myke Nyse” Miramontes was a widely-known Rio Grande Valley DJ who passed away yesterday at the age of 38. The Donna native was known for playing often at several downtown McAllen clubs and having a long and active career of 20 years.
In his early days, he was a boom-bap DJ who repeatedly recorded, performed, or shared events with his peers, which improved each other’s careers simultaneously. Some names include DJ Yoda, DJ Sal V, Fluid, Shaun Mecca and especially Sergio “Evolve” Hernandez.
DJ Myke Nyse and Sergio “Evolve” Hernandez
“I've know Myke Nyse for close to 30 years . We've known each other since high school. We started working on music seriously around 2000. He's been my official DJ ever since,” says Hernandez. “Nyse was an amazing DJ. Very skilled and knowledgeable about hip hop culture. We lived it and we loved it. That's why we're so close. We started touring and rocking shows all over the US. After that it was a blur. Hotels, couches, venues, and back on the road.”
His greatest music memories with Miramontes include playing the Vans Warped Tour and opening for many rappers they grew up listening to, including: Immortal Technique, Gza of Wu-Tang Clan, Naughty By Nature, and RA the Rugged Man. The duo played their last show at The Gremlin in downtown McAllen just before the Coronavirus safety measures closed down all venues in March. “Nyse was excited for that show and it brought us back together on stage for one last time. We didn't know it'd be the last time, but I'm glad we shared that last performance. He killed it as usual.”
Miramontes (who was also affectionately known as DJ Handsome Hands) was known for being cheerful and inviting. His personality blurred the line between friendship and professional relationship in a way that transcended both. “He was beloved because he was a genuinely good person. He was kind and always had a smile on his face. What he did behind those turntables brought people joy and made them enjoy their time. He was a genius when it came to his art. I think that's what made people gravitate towards him. No b.s. Just pure love and energy,” says Hernandez.
It was publicly disclosed that he was afflicted with the Coronavirus. The news of his passing was met with widespread condolences and reflection on his friendship and legacy. Funeral services begin at 9am Tuesday at McCaleb funeral home in Weslaco. A Gofundme account was made to raise money for the services. Below are social media reactions from major participants of the RGV music scene.
Stacy Sanchez of the Guac Is Extra podcast