Gerardo or "la Pelota" (born Gerardo Mejía on April 16, 1965 in Guayaquil, Ecuador) is a rapper and singer who later became a recording-industry executive. He has based his career in Los Angeles since his family moved to Glendale, California, at the age of 12. He became known for his bandana, skintight jeans and shirtless torso. He sometimes refers to himself as the "Latin Elvis" or the "Latin Frank Sinatra". Gerardo's first appearance in show business was when he played the character "Bird" in the 1988 film Colors