Myles Kovacs embodies the blending of different worlds. Three-quarters Japanese and one quarter Hungarian, he grew up speaking Spanish in tough East L.A. During high school, he got his first taste of cars and stars as a delivery boy for a rim shop frequented by rapper Tupac. Today, his own cars-and-stars glossy, DUB Magazine (think MTV Cribs meets InStyle), is the place where automakers seek validation and advice on the ever-changing youth market.

Famously, Kovacs spun the Chrysler 300C into a monster hit by hooking it up with 50 Cent, who featured it in a video. As a result, the 300C became a hip-hop icon and Kovacs an automotive star-maker, as domestic and import car manufacturers alike sought his help in giving their vehicles “street cred” and steering them into the sales-rich market mainstream.

Myles has become a force in the urban car scene, with a traveling auto show featuring the outrageously customized cars of rappers and athletes, as well as a growing list of auto accessories sold nationwide. Myles Kovacs’ simple yet hugely successful formula of bringing high-end polish to the street look has corporate executives, trade groups and car lovers alike vying for his ideas and insight into the growing auto customizing market. Without question, Myles Kovacs and DUB are defining what’s cool - and people are listening.