He began playing accordion and writing songs when he was only nine. By the time he was a teenager he had written well over 1,000 and released dozens of singles on an independent label before signing to Fonovisa at 16.

His first single for the label, "Las Vacaciones del Jefe," instantly became a hit for its lyrical invention in portraying a cartel boss enjoying a spate of clean living in a nice hotel. The video got hundreds of thousands of hits and the track gained the upper reaches of digital and radio charts. His second pre-release single, "El Principio del Infierno," was grittier and more realistic, but its clever rhyme scheme and melody resulted in similar success.

Olivas' debut album, El Patroncito (its title track about the adventures of a young capo who rises through a cartel's ranks) was released in January of 2011 to universal acclaim in Mexico and in the Southwestern United States. It was followed by two compilations of early singles in 2012.

Olivas toured Mexico and moved over to Sony's Sahuaro Music imprint in 2014. El Privilegio, his second major-label offering of new material, was released in January of 2015 and showcased an expanded sound. ~ Thom Jurek