Thump Records celebrates 35 years of lowrider jams

Los Angeles Times

06-02-2025

Within the Pomona Swap Meet's sea of shiny Corvettes and 1950s Cadillacs, a storage truck seems out of place. In thick block letters, it reads Thump Records and is open for vending. As racks of graphic tees line each side of the truck, the L.A.-based record label fills its shelves with lowrider mixtape CDs, Latin oldies USB flash drives and rare vinyl box sets — a physical media paradise. Though the Thump truck might not meet a classic car show's requirements, its contents definitely do.
'People think that we shut down and went home, but we're still here. We might not be as strong, but we're still around,' said DJ Steve 'Boom Boom' Hernandez, the self-proclaimed face of Thump Records. 'It's always a big shock when people realize we're not only still existing, but we're everywhere.'
Founded in 1990 by Bill Walker, Thump Records specializes in distributing oldies mixtapes like 'Old School Collection,' the 'East Side Story' series, 'Latin Oldies' and 'Lowrider Oldies.' Crafting different mixes for various L.A. listeners, like 'The Best of El Chicano' or 'East Side Classic,' Thump prioritizes vintage sounds that are typically hard to come by in the age of streaming. With the help of nostalgia chasers and others wanting to keep the culture alive, the label is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2025.
Today, they focus on selling their anthologies with their three trucks — which take on various Southern California swap meets, car shows, record fairs and even mall parking lots every weekend — and representing new, up-and-coming artists who embody Thump.
Nowadays, oldies culture has become an umbrella term for a certain kind of nostalgia. Whether it's blasting Etta James, War and Malo while cruising the city or attending oldies celebrations like Night of the Blaxican, paying tribute to the sounds and fashions of the past lives on. In sustaining and innovating the scene, Thump Records' survival is a testament to these thriving communities.
Just as millennials brought back the vinyl record, Gen Z has revitalized interest in the CD. Whether it's the CD's glossy, iridescent appearance or the intimate liner notes tucked into every jewel case, the compact disc maintains a certain appeal among young music buyers and collectors.
Jacob Mora, 11, who was browsing the truck's selection, has spent the past month saving up for a CD player. He says listening to oldies reminds him of spending time with his dad and that his favorite Thump Records mixtape is 'Old School Vol. 2.'
'I just like the old style of everything. I love looking at all covers of the different records and CDs,' said Mora. 'It's cool. I just like the different type of music that used to be around back then.'
He stands in front of the Thump truck for a solid 15 minutes going over each CD that interests him and the varying tracklists. He's always on the lookout for anything that has singer Debbie Deb of 'When I Hear Music' '80s fame.
Although streaming remains the most popular way to consume music, Hernandez, who joined the label in 1995, finds that people will always come up with good excuses to buy a CD — especially when it's something they haven't seen in years.
'People are always like, 'I lost my CD. I need a new one,' or 'My cousins stole my CD.' There's always somebody who wants something,' said Hernandez. 'We're not selling as much as we used to. That's the truth, but neither is any other label.'
Working in almost every part of the company, from photography to DJing and sales, Hernandez shares fond memories of Christmas parties with Tierra and shooting covers for Cypress Hill. But over the many years he has dedicated to Thump, he says it's about more than just the music; it's about satisfying the community.
'Thump Records owns a lot of the rights to the different artists, albums and songs,' said Hernandez, adding that merchandise, such as T-shirts, also is very popular. 'We try to cater to everyone ... whether they're young little kids with families or older people who are taken back to a different time. It makes me feel like we are doing something good.'
Wrapped in a Mexican flag, rapper Ricky Did Tha, who works with Thump, runs around the truck posting upcoming events for the label's brewery venture, Oldies Beer. Frequenting different record fairs and tribute shows with the label, he says the reason Thump is still around is because of its dedication to the 'oldies lifestyle.'
'When you buy one of these and you really listen to it, you feel it more than just the music. You feel the energy. It's how we can all come together. It reminds people that we have different pasts, but we are united,' the rapper said.
'That's why everyone says, 'We don't dance. We boogie.''