Brother to Adriano D. Emperado, and contributor to the creation of Kajukenbo.

Brought Kajukenbo to the US mainland from Hawaii in 1959. Grand Master Reyes is the father of the "Hard Style" known as the Kempo Karate, or the Original Method branch of Kajukenbo.

His first black belt student was Don Nahoolewa, his second was Richard Peralta.

Second Black Belt promoted by the late Aleju Reyes (1963). GM Peralta founded Kajukembo Self Defense Systems in 1979.