The first big amphitheater show of the year is Saturday at Usana Amphitheatre, where radio station U92 is hosting the top Chicano rappers in America in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

"We try to book Hispanic and Chicano rappers for the show, but usually we don't have this many Chicano artists," said Kevin Cruise, assistant program director and music director at U92. "It just happened to work out for us this year."

Four of the musicians talked to The Salt Lake Tribune , and some were pleasantly perplexed that so many people in Utah love their music. (U92 sold nearly 5,000 tickets to the concert the weekend they went on sale.)

* Baby Bash, 32, is a Mexican-American rapper from northern California who calls himself a "Texafornian" because he now lives in Texas. He is arguably the most successful of the rappers performing at the concert, with "Suga Suga" in 2003 and recently "Cyclone," featuring T-Pain, lodging itself in the top 10.

Bash, who played college basketball until an injury forced a career change, built his fan base at car shows, like one happening at Usana in concert with the concert, before he became famous.

"The culture of car shows is in my blood," he said. "I don't care if get to be Michael Jackson, I'll still go to car shows. . . . I'd rather go to a car show than a club."

U92 played a factor in his success, Bash said.

"[My label] told me it was hard to break into [the Utah] market," he said. "U92 has given me so much love."

* Lil Rob, 32, is a pioneer in Mexican-American rap, debuting in the early 1990s from his home base of San Diego. His next album, "Twelve Eighteen Part 2," is expected to be released this year.

"No one has heard my new stuff," Rob said, adding that he hopes to break out a "couple new jams" at the Cinco de Mayo concert. "I've been working on it for a long time."

Despite his young age, Lil Rob has become an admired elder statesman of rap because of his early start. He has collaborated with Flo Rida and Big Geminii on a remix of Big Geminii's hit "Hypnotize," with Pitbull on a remix of "Bumper," and with Ice Cube and Fat Joe on "Mas Maiz."

* Big Geminii is a Mexican-American rapper from Texas who released two albums before his breakthrough, "History in the Making." He spoke fondly about Utah audiences.

"It's a good feeling," he said. "I'm glad they're embracing it."

The single "Hypnotize" has brought Geminii to the mainstream, although it only took him about an hour to write and record it, he said. Instead of having other artists like T-Pain singing the hook, Geminii sang the chorus himself - because he couldn't find a singer available at 4 a.m., when he finished the track.

* Glasses Malone, 29, is one of the few musicians at the concert who is not a Chicano rapper. He is a West Coast rapper from Los Angeles' gangland who found early success with his unique mix tapes. His album "Beach Cruiser" is expected to be released this July, he said.

"One thing about me is that I tell the truth," he said. "I've gang-banged, I've sold drugs. . . . My album is a complete story, an actual movie."

dburger@sltrib.com

If you go

U92's Cinco de Mayo Custom Car Show and Concert is Saturday at 11 a.m. at Usana Amphitheatre, 5150 S. 6055 West, West Valley City. Performers include Baby Bash, Pitbull, Big Geminii, Mr. Criminal, Rocko, Mr. Capone-e, Glasses Malone, Brown Boy, Lil Rob and more. Tickets are $20 to $40 at SmithsTix.