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De La Soul
De La Soul in Berlin (2004) David Jude Jolicoeur aka Dave (left), Vincent Mason aka Maseo (middle) and Kelvin Mercer aka Posdnous (right)
Background information
Origin	East Massapequa / Amityville, Long Island, New York, United States[1]
Genres	Alternative hip hop
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records Sanctuary/BMG Records
Associated acts	Prince Paul, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, Monie Love, Black Sheep, Gorillaz, dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip
Website	shopdelasoul.com
Members
Posdnuos Dave Maseo

De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York.^[2] The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres. The members are Kelvin Mercer, David Jude Jolicoeur and Vincent Mason, known under a variety of nicknames. The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song "Plug Tunin'".

With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, is considered a hip hop masterpiece^[3]. It is the band's biggest commercial success to date, with their subsequent albums selling progressively less, despite receiving high praise from critics. A measure of 3 Feet High and Rising's cross-over appeal was the fact that it was voted Album of the Year by NME, a title better known for its taste in guitar-based music. De La Soul have influenced numerous other hip hop artists such as Camp Lo, The Black Eyed Peas, and Digable Planets.^{[citation needed]} They were influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues Posse group, after the Jungle Brothers.

In 2006, the group won a Grammy for their collaboration with Gorillaz on the single "Feel Good Inc."^[4]

History[link]

Early period[link]

De La Soul's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, released in 1989, was a critical smash hit in the hip hop genre. They quickly became prominent members of the Native Tongues Posse along with A Tribe Called Quest, Black Sheep, Queen Latifah, the Jungle Brothers and others. The single "Me Myself and I" became a huge hit, further cementing the group's popularity. However, the sixties pop group The Turtles sued De La Soul for using a sample from their 1969 hit "You Showed Me" for the interlude track "Transmitting Live from Mars", despite the fact that The Turtles did not actually write the original song.^[5]

Lyrically, much of 3 Feet High and Rising focused on striving for peace and harmony — a message that was slowly fading from the rap community in the late 1980s. 3 Feet High and Rising also introduced De La Soul's concept of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" (an acronym standing for "da inner sound, y'all"). As a result, audiences were quick to peg the members of De La Soul as hippies. This stereotype greatly agitated the group's members, as they always envisioned their career as a constantly changing style; this frustration would influence their next recording sessions. In the press kit for 3 Feet High and Rising, the members explained their stage names: Trugoy when reversed spells yogurt, because he likes yogurt, and Posdnuos spelled backwards is "sound sop". The album artwork was designed by radical British artist collective the Grey Organisation^[6]

De La Soul's second album, De La Soul Is Dead (1991) was a much more mature album. It featured a wealth of material that criticized the violent, careless direction that hip hop was heading in at the time, though it still managed to maintain a light, absurd sense of humor. The cover of the album features a broken daisy flower pot, symbolizing the death of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" and the imagery that went along with it. The album spawned several singles, including the dark "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa", a tale of a young girl who could no longer take the sexual abuse from her father, and the lead single "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)", a story about the people who used De La's recent fame to try to launch their own careers.

De La collaborated with the Black Sheep on "Fanatic of the B Word," Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest on "A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays"", and Prince Paul makes an appearance on the mic in "Pass the Plugs" with a verse of his own. The album also more prominently featured Vincent Mason as a rapper, providing verses of his own on "Bitties in the BK Lounge," "Afro Connections at a Hi-5," and "Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)".

Though it received mixed reviews and did not sell as well as 3 Feet High and Rising it eventually became a cult classic. The Source magazine listed the album as one of their top 100 hip hop albums of all time, stating that "its true genius is rarely understood"^{[citation needed]}. There are several major differences between the CD version of this album and the other formats, as the tracks "Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason", "My Brother's a Basehead", "Kicked Out the House", and "Who Do U Worship?" are only available on the CD. The limited edition double vinyl promotional copies of the album distributed to the media before the official release did not feature these.

Middle period[link]

De La Soul performing live in London (2007)

The group's third studio release, 1993's Buhloone Mindstate, saw the group evolve a new sound as they continued to grow stylistically and musically. There were several moments on the album which proved the band had matured. "I Be Blowin'" was a departure as the track was an instrumental featuring saxophone playing by Maceo Parker. The introspective "I Am I Be" showed De La Soul at their most self referential to date with subject matter about Pos' daughter Ayana Monet as well as his grandmother. "Long Island Wildin'" was a collaboration with Japanese hip hop artists Kan Takagi (Major Force) and trio Scha Dara Parr (SDP). The album's first single, "Breakadawn", used a sample of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" and Smokey Robinson's "Quiet Storm". De La Soul collaborated for the first time with Gang Starr's Guru on "Patti Dooke", female MC Shortie No Mas, a cousin of Posdnuos, was prominent on many tracks on the album, showcased particularly "In The Woods". The album ended with an old school Biz Markie collaboration called "Stone Age". Missing from vocal duties is Mase, whose voice can only be heard on "Area" in a break near the end of the track. Also rarely featured is his scratching which was heard often on previous albums, with only "In the Woods" showcasing his talent in that area. The album was a critical success, but it was the biggest commercial failure for the group at the time of its release. Many publications, such as Rolling Stone, have listed this album as one of the best hip hop albums of all time.

In 1994, 500 copies of a promotional EP called Clear Lake Audiotorium were released on clear vinyl and CD. The 6 track EP contained edited versions of tracks off of Buhloone Mindstate but also featured the tracks "Sh.Fe.MC's" (Shocking Female MC's) which was a collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest, and Stix & Stonz which featured old-school hip hop artists Grandmaster Caz, Tito of Fearless Four, Whipper Whip, LA Sunshine and Superstar. The EP was widely bootlegged afterwards.

Stakes Is High (1996) was the first album not produced by Prince Paul, with overall production credits given solely to the trio. Although it was met with poor sales, it has been critically lauded for its music, lyricism, and its overall message concerning the artistic decline rap music began to face in the mid-90s. The title track and first single, produced by J Dilla, was not a hit, but the album's second single, "Itzsoweezee (HOT)", with only Dave on vocals, did fare better due to its creative music video. The album spawned a third single "4 More", featuring Zhane which peaked at #52 in the UK. The album did provide a launching pad for future star rapper and actor Mos Def, who appeared on the track "Big Brother Beat". The album also featured collaborations with Common, Truth Enola, and the Jazzyfatnastees.

Later period[link]

Four years later, De La Soul announced that they would release a triple album series entitled "Art Official Intelligence" (or AOI). All three albums were intended to be released within a year, beginning with the release of Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump. This was followed by AOI: Bionix in late 2001. After this, however, the third and final album in the AOI series was never released. For the next two years, the only De La Soul releases were singles or remix compilations. David Jude Jolicoeur stated in an interview that it usually takes about four years for the group to record an album, promote it with advertisements, touring and so on. The group was having trouble finishing the last AOI installment for many reasons, one of which being an ongoing struggle with Tommy Boy Records,^{[citation needed]} which had been releasing its albums ever since its debut.

In the summer of 2002, De La Soul toured with Cake, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Kinky, and the Hackensaw Boys during the Unlimited Sunshine Tour. The band was briefly featured in the video game PaRappa the Rapper 2 with the song "Say "I Gotta Believe!"", featuring Double, and also appeared on the soundtrack of the game.

In 2004, De La Soul released a new full album: The Grind Date on Sanctuary/BMG Records because the venture between Tommy Boy and Warner Bros. Records was shut down and the group's contract was shopped to the other WEA labels. The band thought about having its contract absorbed by Elektra Records, but it decided to leave WEA altogether. Although it was not the third AOI album fans had been expecting, the album was released to some critical acclaim and was well-received by most fans. The album features guests MF Doom, Ghostface Killah, Butta Verses and Flavor Flav, with production from 9th Wonder, Jake One, Madlib and more. The lead single "Shopping Bags (She Got from You)" did not fare very well and set the tone for disappointing commercial acceptance. In conjunction with the album's release, the group also offered up the track "Come on Down" featuring Flavor Flav for remixing on Sony's Acid Planet website. The winning remix was "Come On Down (KY Raised NY Glazed)" by Interlude Jones who said he tried to "take the influential sound of old New York hip hop and marry it back to its roots."

[edit] Since The Grind Date

In 2005, De La Soul collaborated with Gorillaz on the hit single "Feel Good Inc.," which won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration (the first Grammy win in the group's career) after being nominated for a total of three Grammys.^[4][7] De La Soul also appeared on the LA Symphony single "Universal" and Posdnuos collaborated with the Portuguese MC Boss AC on a track called "Yo (Não Brinques Com Esta Merda)" (which translates to "Don't Play with This Shit").

In 2006, De La Soul released a mixtape of new and old songs titled Hip-Hop Mixtape. This album was covermount into British dance magazine Mixmag. The same year, De La Soul released another mixtape of new and old songs, this time titled The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1 on its AOI Records label.^[8] De La Soul collaborated with the athletic sneaker giant Nike to produce two versions of the Nike Dunk under their skateboarding division, Nike SB. The sneakers were an instant hit and sold out at most retail stores.

De La Soul at the Marsatac Festival in 2008

In 2008, the group joined A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, The Pharcyde and others on the annual Rock the Bells tour.^[9] De La Soul were honorees at the 5th Annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors on October 6, 2008. In late 2008 the group collaborated with dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip and re-recorded its debut single "Thou Shalt Always Kill."

De La Soul returned as a guest on the third Gorillaz studio album, Plastic Beach alongside Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys on the song "Superfast Jellyfish". They were supposed to appear on a track entitled "Sloped Tropics", though this song did not make the final cut. They co-wrote the song "Electric Shock", which features Derby-based Orchestra sinfonia ViVA. This song does not appear on the album either, but does contain certain elements in the Gorilaz' track "Rhinestone Eyes". Gorillaz' frontman Damon Albarn played the song when he filled in for Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1.

In 2010, De La Soul remixed indie rockers Yo La Tengo's single, "Here To Fall for the Here To Fall" remixes EP which included remixes by RJD2 and Pete Rock.

De La Soul and Nike released Are You In?: Nike+ Original Run, which was the group's first original material since The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1. The album features Raheem DeVaughn as well as production from the Chicago based duo Flosstradamus.^[10] The recording is a single-track recording at 44 minutes, 17 seconds and was made available exclusively through iTunes. It is part of a continuing series of releases through the "Nike+ Sport Music" section of the online store. Are You In? was scheduled for release on 28 April 2009, but was not immediately available due to technical issues. Group member Posdnuos said to ClashMusic.com of Are You In?, "It had to feel like a De La album that wasn't just a poster for Nike – we wanted people to feel it was a great album on its own terms. We always think things through and put quality into anything we do – we never look to just take the cheque and run."^[11]

On April 2, 2012, the group released De La Soul's Plug 1 & Plug 2 presents... First Serve with very little promotion, the album was released to positive reviews. The album was released without Plug 3, Maseo. The reason for his absence is unknown, but it is certain that the group is intact and have not broken up.

De La Soul have confirmed that they are again collaborating with Prince Paul and have "a lot" of music on the way, including the tentatively named eighth album, You're Welcome.^[12] In March 2012, they reported that Maseo was working on beats for two new albums, one sample based, and one with a thirteen piece band.^[13]

Discography[link]

• 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
• De La Soul is Dead (1991)
• Buhloone Mindstate (1993)
• Stakes Is High (1996)
• Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (2000)
• AOI: Bionix (2001)
• The Grind Date (2004)
• First Serve (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Video Interview with De La Soul
• De La Soul discography at Discogs

Johnny Clegg
Johnny Clegg at la fête de l'Humanité, France, 2007
Background information
Birth name	Jonathan Clegg
Also known as	Johnny Clegg Le Zoulou Blanc
Born	(1953-06-07) 7 June 1953 (age 59) Bacup, Lancashire, England
Genres	Mbaqanga, Afro-pop
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, concertina
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Capitol Records
Associated acts	Juluka, Savuka
Website	johnnyclegg.com
Past members
Sipho Mchunu (Juluka), Dudu Mntowaziwayo Ndlovu (Savuka)

Jonathan "Johnny" Clegg (born 7 June 1953) is a musician from South Africa, who has recorded and performed with his bands Juluka and Savuka. Sometimes called Le Zoulou Blanc ("The White Zulu"), he is an important figure in South African popular music history, with songs that mix Zulu with English lyrics, and African with various Western European music styles.

Early life and career[link]

Clegg was born in Bacup, Lancashire, to an English father and a Rhodesian mother. Clegg's mother's family were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and Poland,^[1] and Clegg had a "secular Jewish" upbringing. Already in his youth, Clegg, a white, English-speaking person who was raised in the U.K., Israel, Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe), Zambia, and South Africa, became interested in Zulu street music and took part in traditional Zulu dance competitions.

As a young man, in the early stages of his musical career, he combined his music with the study of anthropology, a subject which he also taught for a while at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, where he was influenced, among others, by the work of David Webster, a social anthropologist who was assassinated in 1989.

In 1969, Clegg formed the first prominent racially mixed South African band, Juluka, with gardener and Zulu musician Sipho Mchunu. Because it was illegal for racially mixed bands to perform in South Africa during the apartheid era, their first album Universal Men^[2] received no air play on the state owned SABC, but it became a word-of-mouth hit.

Juluka's / Clegg's music was both implicitly and explicitly political; not only was the fact of the success of the band (which openly celebrated African culture in a bi-racial band) a thorn in the flesh of a political system based on racial separation, the band also produced some explicitly political songs. For example, the album "Work for All" (which includes a song with the same title) picked up on South African trade union slogans in the mid-80's. Even more explicit was the later Savuka album Third World Child in 1987, with songs like "Asimbonanga" ("We haven't seen him"),^[3] which called for the release of Nelson Mandela, and which called out the names of three representative martyrs of the South African liberation struggle - Steve Biko, Victoria Mxenge, and Neil Aggett.

As a result, Clegg and other band members were arrested several times and concerts routinely broken up.^[4]

Successes[link]

Juluka were able to tour in Europe, and had two platinum and five gold albums, becoming an international success. Juluka was disbanded in 1986, when Mchunu was asked by his father to return home to look after the family cattle, although Mchunu made some solo recordings afterwards. Clegg went on to form his second inter-racial band, Savuka, continuing to blend African music with European influences. The Savuka albums Shadow Man (which sold 250,000 copies within a week after its release went on to sell more than 1,000,000 copies in France alone),^[5] and "Cruel Crazy, Beautiful World" were dealing with more romantic topics, including "Cruel Crazy Beautiful World", where a father gives a message to his son, "Dela" where the essence of love is explored, and more politically focused songs, such as "Warsaw 1943" and "One (Hu)'man one vote" which go back to political messages. Third World Child and Shadow Man occupied 1st and 2nd position respectively in France and became the most successful foreign band in France and Shadow Man topped the charts in Montréal, Québec, Canada.^[5] At the height of the band's success in 1988, Michael Jackson had to cancel his show in Lyon, France, as he attracted a smaller audience than Johnny Clegg and Savuka. A newspaper headline in France read "white man singing black music, out sells black man singing white music"^[5] Their last album Heat, Dust and Dreams was nominated for a Grammy Award for best album in the category of World Music.^[5]

Touring[link]

Briefly reunited with Mchunu in the mid 1990s, Clegg reformed Juluka and toured throughout the world including a tour of the USA in 1996, on which King Sunny Ade was the opening act.

The name Juluka is based on the Zulu word for "sweat", and Savuka is based on the Zulu word for "we have risen" or "we have awakened".^{[citation needed]}

His song "Scatterlings of Africa" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1988 Oscar winning film, Rain Man. The track gave him his only entry in the UK Singles Chart to date, reaching #75 in May 1987.^[6]

Savuka's song "Dela" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1997 film George of the Jungle and its 2003 sequel, while "Great Heart" was the title song for the 1992 film Jock of the Bushveld. "Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World" was featured in the 1990 film Opportunity Knocks and 1991 film Career Opportunities. "Great Heart" was also the end credits song for the 2000 Disney movie Whispers: An Elephant's Tale.^{[citation needed]} Jimmy Buffett recorded "Great Heart" for his 1988 album Hot Water. In 2002 Clegg provided several songs and incidental background music for Jane Goodall's "Wild Chimpanzees" DVD. Included in the extras on the disc are rare scenes of Clegg in the recording studio.^[7]

He co-wrote Diggah Tunnah with Lebo M. for Disney's 2004 direct-to-video animated film The Lion King 1½.

Clegg and his band often make an international tour during May–August (South African winter). However, the tours are usually limited to France and surrounding countries. In June 2004, Johnny Clegg toured North America for the first time in over eight years, doing 22 concerts in one month. Even though they had no albums for sale in North America during those eight years, and no significant media coverage, they filled most of their venues.

Clegg returned to North America with his band in July 2005, with dates booked throughout the U.S. and Canada. His new album One Life was remixed at Real World Studios in Bath, England, and released on October 30, 2006 in the UK.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008 Clegg's son, Jesse Clegg, displaying a style markedly different from that of his father, released his debut album called "When I Wake Up". As a rock musician the younger Clegg has quickly built up a following, with the album being nominated for two South African Music Awards.^[8]

Clegg toured Europe and North America in 2011.^[9] He has also announced that he will play in Western Sahara city of Dakhla, which has caused a campaign of rejection, as that concert is considered as a support for Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.^[10]

Recognition[link]

• Clegg was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters) by the French Government in 1991.
• In 2004, he was voted 23rd in the SABC3's Great South Africans.
• In 2007, Clegg received an honorary doctorate in music from the University of the Witwatersrand.^[11]

Bibliography[link]

• Clegg, Jonathan (1981). Phil Bonner. ed. ""Ukubuyisa Isidumbu", "Bringing back the body": An examination of the ideology of vengeance in the Msinga and Mpofana Rural Locations, 1822-1944". Working Papers in Southern African Studies (Johannesburg: Ravan Press) 2. 
• Clegg, Jonathan (1981). Andrew Tracey. ed. "The Music of Zulu Immigrant Workers in Johannesburg: A Focus on Concertina and Guitar". Papers presented at the Symposium on Ethnomusicology (Grahamstown: International Library of African Music). 
• Clegg, Jonathan (1982). Andrew Tracey. ed. "Towards an understanding of African Dance: The Zulu Isishameni Style". Papers read at Second Symposium on Ethnomusicology, 24–26 September 1981, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa (Grahamstown: Institute of Social and Economic Research). 

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Studio albums

• 1977: World Network 9 (Duo Juluka / Ladysmith Black Mambazo, released 1992)
• 1979: Universal Men (Juluka)
• 1981: African Litany (Juluka)
• 1982: Ubuhle Bemvelo (Juluka)
• 1982: Scatterlings (Juluka)
• 1983: Work For All (Juluka)
• 1984: Stand Your Ground (Juluka)
• 1984: Musa Ukungilandela (Juluka)
• 1984: The International Tracks (Juluka)
• 1985: Third World Child (solo version) (Johnny Clegg)
• 1987: Third World Child (Savuka)
• 1988: Shadow Man (Savuka)
• 1990: Cruel, Crazy Beautiful World (Savuka)
• 1991: Scatterlings of Africa (re-recording by Savuka)
• 1993: Heat, Dust and Dreams (Savuka)
• 1997: Crocodile Love / Ya Vuka Inkunzi (Juluka)
• 1998: Le Rock Zoulou de Johnny Clegg & Sipho Mchunu
• 2002: New World Survivor (Johnny Clegg)
• 2006: Heart of the Dancer (Johnny Clegg)
• 2006: One Life (Johnny Clegg)
• 2010: Human (Johnny Clegg)

Live albums

• 1986: The Good Hope Concerts
• 1994: Live And Rarities (Savuka)
• 2003: A South African Story - Live At The Nelson Mandela Theatre (Johnny Clegg)
• 2003: Best of Live (Johnny Clegg)

DVD

• 2003: Live! and more...
• 2006: Johnny Clegg Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre
• 2010: Johnny Clegg 30th Anniversary Concert at Emmarentia Dam (in production)

Soundtracks

• 1992: The Power of One (Johnny Clegg)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Official Johnny Clegg community site
• World Music Central biography
• Scatterlings: a fan-run Yahoo-group that discusses various aspects of Johnny Clegg and his music
• In My African Dream: the Johnny Clegg Discography, and more...
• Magazine article (1990) on Johnny Clegg and how his work was shaped by the South Africa context
• Newspaper article looking back at the first Juluka album 21 years after it was released
• Newspaper article about new album 'One Life'

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008)

The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline. Please help to establish notability by adding reliable, secondary sources about the topic. If notability cannot be established, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. (April 2011)

Zion & Lennox are a reggaeton duo from Carolina, Puerto Rico. As of 2010, Zion & Lennox released their 3rd studio album titled Los Verdaderos under Pina Records.

Career[link]

They have been in the music business for a long time, but had failed to get any recognition for the majority of those years. They had minor hits such as "Baila Conmigo" for the 2003 compilation album "Desafío" and "Me Pones Tensión" for the album The Noise: La Biografía. These hits, along with others in the near future and increased radio play gave them more recognition. This gave them the chance to appear in major Reggaeton albums such as Luny Tunes' Mas Flow (2003) and Mas Flow 2 (2005), Blin Blin vol.1 (2003-4), Contra la Corriente (2004), and Cazadores, Primera Búsqueda (2005).

In May 2004, they released their first solo album, Motivando a la Yal. With hits such as "Doncella", "Bandida", and "Yo Voy" (featuring Daddy Yankee), the album reached gold certification^{[citation needed]}. With the reggaeton genre becoming a worldwide phenomenon, Zion and Lennox's popularity increased. Motivando a la Yal: Special Edition was released a year later. The special edition had new songs along with remixed songs of the previous edition, such as "Don't Stop", "Bachatéalo", a remix to the song "Bandida", and a hip-hop remix of "Yo Voy" with Miri Ben-Ari, Fatman Scoop, and Pitbull entitled "Jump & Spread Out (DJ Precise and Cheeky Starr Version)".

Both Zion and Lennox are very active with solo songs. Zion has been more notable with songs like "Yo Voy a Llegar" for Reggaeton producer DJ Nelson's compilation album Flow la Discoteka, "Alócate" released on Luny Tunes's album Mas Flow 2.5, and "Con Ella Me Quedare" released in the fifth installment of the Alex Gargolas series, entitled Gargolas: The Next Generation. He also has turned up a new hit, "Que Pasara", for DJ Nelson's Flow la Discoteka 2. Zion has released a solo album entitled The Perfect Melody on June 5, 2007, with appearances by artists such as Akon and Play-n-Skillz. "The Way She Moves" is the lead single from the album and features Akon. Lennox has been working on songs on his own album, but has also been very active in bringing new artist to his label "Toma Enterprise". The label is set to release an album named Los Mero Meros.

Zion y Lennox's music is much different than mainstream reggaeton. What truly distinguishes them from other artists is that they typically sing about love and relationships, similar to RKM y Ken-Y(in 1970s R&B fashion) and refrain from the typical obscene sex, drugs and violence lyrics heard in a lot of other reggaeton and hip hop songs^{[citation needed]}.

After three years of building their fan base and positive reputation with guest spots and compilation records, Zion & Lennox released their first full-length record, Motivando a la Yal. The record featured the work of renowned producers Luny Tunes, Noriega, Nely "El Arma Secreta", and Eliel, some of the most visible the style had to offer. Thanks to the record's success as it hit the charts with force, Zion & Lennox toured all over the Americas, performing before large and appreciative audiences. Soon industry demand and personal pressure caused Zion & Lennox to go in different directions. Boldly boasting to be one of the greatest singers ever to hail not only from Puerto Rico but all of Latin America, Ortiz started his own record label, Baby Records, for whom he is the flagship act and CEO. Lennox continues to make guest appearances and collaborate with important genre artists. It came after a lengthy discussion in a New York hotel in which they parted amicably^{[citation needed]}. Recently, as of February 8, 2008, Zion y Lennox are on a "reunited" tour. They also set the reggaeton world on notice slating a November 2008 release of their latest effort which has yet to be publicly titled. Zion participated in a beach festival named "Back to School", on August 9, 2008. In early 2010, they joined and signed a contract with Pina Records.

Personal life[link]

Zion & Lennox are Afro-Puerto Ricans who grew up together in the town Carolina, Puerto Rico enjoying similar musical tastes, such as hip hop, dancehall, and rap. Lennox is the younger brother of Mackie of the reggaeton duo, Yaga & Mackie.

Discography[link]

• 2004: Motivando a la Yal
• 2005: Motivando a la Yal: Special Edition
• 2010: Los Verdaderos

Mixtapes[link]

• Pa La Calle: Pasado, Presente y Futuro(2010)

Singles[link]

• "Hay Algo En Ti" (Mas Flow) (2003)
• "No Pierdas Tiempo" (Chosen Few El Documental) (2004)
• "Cuanto Tengo Que Esperar" (MVP 2: The Grand Slam) (2005)
• "No Me Compares" (Flow la Discoteka) (2004)
• "No Dejes Que Se Muera" (La Mision 4: The Take Over) (2004)
• "Me Pones En Tensión" (The Noise: La Biografía) (2003)
• "Don't Stop" (Motivando A La Yal: Special Edition) (2005)
• "Me Arrepiento" (Los Bandoleros) (2005)
• "Es Mejor Olvidarlo" (Feat. Baby Ranks) (Mas Flow 2) (2005)
• "Aquí Estoy Yo" (El Bando Korrupto 2) (2004)
• "Quiero Tocarte" (The Score) (2003)
• "No Tengas Miedo" (Feat. Noriega) (Contra la Corriente) (2004)
• "Ella Me Mintio" (Feat. Ro-K & Gammy) (Malas Mañas) (2004)
• "Te Hago El Amor" (Gargolas 4: The Return) (2003)
• "Ibas Caminando" (Los Cazadores: La Primera Busqueda) (2005)
• "Aguántate" (Feat. Johnny Prez) / (The Prezident) (2005)
• "Baila Conmigo" (Desafío) (2003)
• "Baila Pa' Mí" (MVP) (2003)
• "Tu Movimiento Me Excita" (Los Mozalbetes) (2003)
• "Esa Nena" (Ground Zero) (2003)
• "Me Dirijo A Ella" (Buddha's Family 2) (2005)
• "Tu Cuerpo Deseo" (El Desorden) (2003)
• "La Noche Es Larga" (Abusando del Genero) (2006)
• "Una Cita" (Echo Presenta: Invasión) (2007)
• "Latinas" (Feat. Elephant Man) (Caribbean Connection) (2008)
• "Seré Yo" (Remix) (Pasado, Presente & Futuro (Past, Present, And Future) (album)|Pasado, Presente & Futuro)(2008)
• "Boom Boom" (Pasado, Presente & Futuro (Past, Present, And Future) (album)|Pasado, Presente & Futuro) (2008)
• "Invisible" (Feat. Erre XI) (Luny Tunes Presents: Erre XI) (2008)
• "Ten Paciencia" (Remix) (Feat. Thalía) (2008)
• "Siempre Esta Dios" (Feat. Yari) (2008)
• "Sentir" (Feat. Guelo Star) (Pasado, Presente & Futuro (Past, Present, And Future) (album)|Pasado, Presente & Futuro) (2008)
• "Tu Me Confundes" (Feat. Charlie Cruz) (Pasado, Presente & Futuro (Past, Present, And Future) (album)|Pasado, Presente & Futuro) (2008)
• "Boom Boom" (Remix) (Feat. Alexis & Fido) (Pasado, Presente & Futuro (Past, Present, And Future) (album)|Pasado, Presente & Futuro) (2009)
• "De Inmediato" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Vamos En Serio" (Feat. Yaga & Mackie) (Pasado, Presente & Futuro (Past, Present, And Future) (album)|Pasado, Presente & Futuro) (2009)
• "Tiemblo (Remix)" (Feat. Baby Rasta & Gringo) (Unreleased) (2009)
• "Ahora Es Que Es" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Dime Baby" (Feat. Fusion Mobb) (The Gold Pen) (2009)
• "Con Una Sonrisa" (Feat. O.G Black & Guayo "El Bandido") (La Hora Cero)(2009)
• "Ella Me Motiva" (Feat. Arcangel) (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Mi Cama Huele A Ti" (Feat. Tito "El Bambino") (El Patrón)(2009)
• "Mi Cama Huele A Ti" (Salsa version) (Feat. Charlie Cruz)
• "Amor Genuino" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Colora'" (Feat. J-King & Maximan) (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Angeles & Demonios" (Feat. Syko "El Terror") (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Fuiste Tu" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Me Atrae" (Pa' La Calle MIxtape) (2009)
• "Se Le Voy A Dar" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Hagamos El Amor Part. 2" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Daña Party" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Mujeriego" (Pa' La Calle Mixtape) (2009)
• "Tengo Que Decir" (Golpe De Estado) (2009)
• "Amor Genuino" (Feat. De La Ghetto) (2009)
• "Si Te Gusta" (Feat. Onyx "Creacion Divina") (2010)
• "La Española" (The Diamond) (2010)
• "Como Curar" (Los Verdaderos) (2010)
• "Momentos" (Los Verdaderos) (2010)
• "Hoy Lo Siento" (Feat. Tony Dize) (Los Verdaderos) (2011)
• "Tu Ta' Buena" (Feat. Vakero) (2011)

Zion Discography[link]

• The Perfect Melody (2007)
• Flow Factory (2007)
• Live El Choliseo (Welcome To My World) (2007)

Singles[link]

• "Yo Voy A Llegar" (Flow la Discoteka) (2004)
• "Sólo Una Noche" (El Que Habla Con Las Manos) (2005)
• "Con Ella Me Quedaré" (Gargolas: The Next Generation) (2006)
• "Sigue Ahí" (Ft. Memphis Bleek & De La Ghetto) (Los Rompe Discotekas) (2006)
• "No Falla" (Ft. Cuban Link)
• "Hello" (Mas Flow: Los Benjamins) (2006)
• "Alócate" (Mas Flow 2.5) (2006)
• "Dos Jueyes" (ft. Domingo Quiñones) (Los Cocorocos) (2006)
• "Que Pasará" (Flow la Discoteka 2) (2007)
• "Veo" (Don Omar Presenta: El Pentágono) (2007)
• "Fantasma" (The Perfect Melody) (2007)
• "Zun Da Da" (The Perfect Melody) (2007)
• "The Way She Moves" (Ft. Akon) (The Perfect Melody) (2007)
• "Amor de Pobre" (Ft. Eddie Dee) (The Perfect Melody) (2007)
• "Money" (The Perfect Melody) (2007)
• "Periódico de Ayer" (The Perfect Melody)(2007)
• "Ábre La Puerta" (The Perfect Melody) (2007)
• "Vamonos Al Club" (Ft. Tego Calderón) (2007)
• "Independiente" (Los Bravos) (2007)
• "Pa'l Piso" (Ft. Element Black) (2008)
• "Sabanas Mojadas" (2008)
• "Fantasía" (2008)
• "Entre Cuatro Paredes" (Los Sikarios) (2008)
• "Showtime" (Ft. Angel & Khriz) (2008)
• "Fuera del Planeta" (Remix) (Ft. Eloy, Jowell & Randy) (2008)
• "Seré Yo" (2008)
• "Sabanas Mojadas" (Remix) (Ft. Jowell) (2008)
• "Tenerla Es Sonar" (2008)
• "Se Fue" (Ft. MJ) (Mi Sentimiento) (2008)
• "Tease Me" (Flow Factory) (2009)

Lennox Discography[link]

• Los Mero Meros (2007) (compilation album)

Singles[link]

• "Somos Los Mero Meros" (Ft. Guelo Star) (Los Mero Meros) (2007)
• "Sola y Triste"(Ft. Jonny) (Unreleased) (2007)
• "Hace Tiempo" (Motivando a la Yal) (2004)
• "Un Amor Así" (Ft. Newton) (Da' Music: Reloaded) (2005)
• "Tanto Dolor" (Ft. Noriega) (Sin Control) (2006)
• "Te Recordaré" (Ft. Norrys) (Los Bandoleros Reloaded) (2006)
• "Hablando Claro" (Ft. Arcangel) (2007)
• "Ahy Na Mas" (Los Mero Meros) (2007)
• "Lo Importante Es" (K-Libre) (2007)
• "Esto No Para" (Línea de Fuego) (2008)
• "Bailaremos" (La Evolucion) (2008)
• "Solos Tu y Yo" (Ft. Ricky Quiñones) (Unreleased) (2008)
• " Diferente" (Ft. Los Insuperables) (2009)
• "Eres Mia Hoy (Ft.Kartier)

References[link]

R.K.M & Ken-Y
Birth name	José Nieves (R.K.M) Kenny Rúben Vázquez Félix (Ken-Y)
Born	February 6, 1981 (R.K.M) September 7, 1984 (Ken-Y)
Origin	Gurabo, Puerto Rico
Genres	Reggaetón, Romantikeo, pop, Tropical, Bachata
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Pina, Universal Music Latino, Machete Music

José Nieves (R.K.M) and Kenny Vázquez (Ken-Y), both of Gurabo, Puerto Rico, are a Grammy Award-nominated reggaeton duo.

Early career[link]

The duo started their career of music in high school. R.K.M (formerly known as "Rakim" but changed to avoid confusion with established Hip-Hop artist Rakim) was inspired by the recent explosion of reggaeton music in the 90's. He encouraged Ken-Y to join him to form a duo. They later would perform at sweet 16 birthday parties and public events.

Soon the duo went on to record their music. Nicky Jam gave the duo a chance to make an appearance on his album, Vida Escante. R.K.M & Ken-Y were featured on "Pasado" and "Me Estoy Muriendo". The two singles were instant hits^[vague] all across Latin America.^{[citation needed]} They also won The Draft, a contest for upcoming Latin artist. They won the best Latin and reggae award in 2007.

Professional career[link]

This success caught the eyes of Raphy Pina, reggaeton moguls. They were quickly signed to the label and a year later released "Masterpiece". The album was nominated for Premio Lo Nuestro of 2007.^[1] Their first hit single was "Down", reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in 2006. The album also spawned 4 other singles, music videos, and many awards^[vague]. Although their album went platinum, it sold about 600,000 copies.^[2] The duo soon after went on a tour across the world. They have released their songs performed on tour onto an album entitled "Masterpiece: World Tour (Sold Out)". They also have released a special edition version of the album entitled "Masterpiece Commemorative Edition".

Their studio album, The Royalty, was released September 9, 2008.

The first single of the album was "Mis Días Sin Ti", . , Raphy Pina announces the return of RKM & Ken-Y February 15, 2008. The date is actually a concert they held in the Choliseo in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The concert's headline is "Romantic en el Choliseo". Reggaeton artists like Wisin & Yandel, Tito "El Bambino", Nicky Jam, Rene Moz and Arcangel were present. Other artists like N'Klabe, and Karis were also present.

Since their debut album, R.K.M & Ken-Y have gone on to appear and guest star on many songs. They have worked with artists such as Cruzito, Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, José Feliciano, Pitbull, Hector "El Father", David Bisbal, Ivy Queen, Chino y Nacho, Hector "El Torito",Plan B, Tony Dize, Zion y Lennox.

Style[link]

R.K.M provides rapping verses for many songs while Ken-Y provides the vocal lyrics. R.K.M tends to have fast, upbeat verses while Ken-Y sings many hooks.

Personal Lives[link]

On January 16, 2009 RKM married Gladys Morales in Caguas, Puerto Rico.^{[citation needed]} While Ken-Y remains unmarried. R.K.M has two boys and Ken-Y has two girls.^{[citation needed]}They continue to reside in Puerto Rico.

Mixtape[link]

• Esperando El Momento (2005)

Studio albums[link]

• Masterpiece (2006)
• The Royalty/La Realeza (2008)
• Forever (2011)

Compilation/Live Albums[link]

• Masterpiece: World Tour (Sold Out) (2006)
• Masterpiece: Commemorative Edition (2007)
• Romantico 360°: Live From Puerto Rico (2009)
• The Last Chapter (2010)

Singles[link]

• Down
• Me Matas
• Igual Que Ayer
• Llorarás
• Mis Días Sin Ti
• Te Regalo Amores
• Tuve Un Sueño (Ft. Plan B)
• Vicio del Pecado (Featuring Hector "El Torito" Acosta)
• Te Amé En Mis Sueños
• Más
• Mi Corazón Esta Muerto
• Cuando Te Enamores
• No Vuelvas
• Quedate Junto A Mi

Collaborations[link]

• 2004: Pasado (Nicky Jam featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2004: Me Estoy Muriendo (Nicky Jam featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2004: Si La Ves (featuring Don Omar)
• 2005: Ando Solo (Polaco featuring Ken-Y
• 2006: La Noche Más Triste (Lito & Polaco) featuring Ken-Y
• 2006: Tengo Un Amor [Remix] (Toby Love featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2007: Quizás [Remix] (Tony Dize featuring Ken-Y)
• 2007: En Que Fallamos [Remix] (Ivy Queen featuring Ken-Y
• 2007: Fans (Tito El Bambino featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2007: ¿Quién Me Iba A Decir? [Remix] (David Bisbal featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2007: Si Ya No Estás (N'Klabe featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2007: La Amas Como Yo (Karis featuring Ken-Y)
• 2007: Mar y Cielo (José Feliciano) featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2007: Gas Pela (Nicky Jam featuring R.K.M)
• 2007: Ton Ton Ton (Nicky Jam featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2007: Quédate Con Él (Nicky Jam featuring Ken-Y & Cruzito)
• 2008: Quién Dijo Amigos [Remix] (Ana Isabelle featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y
• 2008: Vicio Del Pecado (featuring Héctor Acosta)
• 2009: Te Amo [Remix] (Makano featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2009: El Perdedor [Remix] (Aventura featuring Ken-Y)
• 2009: Tu Primera Vez (Hector Acosta featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2009: No Hay Nadie Mas (Nicky Jam featuring R.K.M)
• 2009: El Culpable Soy Yo [Remix] (Cristian Castro featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2009: One In A Million (Ken-Y featuring Cruzito)
• 2009: Se Apagó La Llama (Chino & Nacho featuring R.K.M & Ken-Y)
• 2009: Mi Amor Es Pobre (Tony Dize featuring Arcángel & Ken-Y
• 2010: Mi Delirio [Remix] (Anahí featuring Ken-Y)
• 2010: El Doctorado [Remix] (Tony Dize featuring Ken-Y & Don Omar)
• 2010: Lloras (featuring Plan B)
• 2010: Déjame Entrar (featuring Marcos Yaroide)
• 2011: Besame [Remix] Feat.(Nova y Jory)
• 2011: Tus Recuerdos Son Mi Dios Ft. (Pipe Calderon)
• 2011: El Doctorado [Remix] (Tony Dize) Feat. R.K.M & Ken-Y
• 2011: Solo Pienso En Ti [Remix](Jerry Rivera)Feat.Ken-Y
• 2011: Pienso en Ti (Remix)(Eloy) Ft. R.K.M & Ken-Y
• 2012: 3 Pa 3 (RKM Feat Maldy & Lennox)

References[link]

External links[link]

• R.K.M. & Ken-Y's Universal Music Latin Entertainment Official Website
• Official MySpace
• Official Website
• Official Website on Pina Records
• Official Twitter Page

De La Ghetto
Background information
Also known as	El Jefe Del Bloque The Boss Of The Block El Jefe De La Versatilidad De La Geezy
Born	(1982-09-17) September 17, 1982 (age 29) New York City, United States
Origin	San Juan, Puerto Rico
Genres	Reggaeton, Urban, R&B
Occupations	singer-songwriter, rapper
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Masacre Musical Inc., Fight Klub Nation, Sony, Def Jam
Associated acts	Arcángel, Jowell & Randy, Zion & Lennox, Juelz Santana, Alliance, Miguel Apollo

Rafael Castillo (born September 17, 1982), better known by his stage name De La Ghetto, is an American reggaeton singer/rapper originally of the duo Arcángel & De La Ghetto.

Biography[link]

Rafael was born in New York and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was born to a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother, and he later found out that he is of Chinese descent from his maternal grandfather. In 2004, he collaborated with reggaeton artist Arcángel (born Austin Santos) to form the duo Arcángel & De la Ghetto; the group debuted with the single "Pégate", which was featured on Naldo's mixtape Sangre Nueva in 2005. He along with Arcángel signed to Zion's label Baby Records, and have appeared on numerous reggaeton albums including the compilation Mas Flow: Los Benjamins. In 2006, De la Ghetto began his solo career and appeared the next year on two hit singles, the remix of "Siente el Boom" by Tito el Bambino and a collaboration with Randy, "Sensación del Bloque". De la Ghetto's solo debut album which has been watched on Youtube over 26 million times. Masacre Musical was released in 2008.^[1] Masacre Musical peaked at #46 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in the U.S.;^[2] its single "Tu te Imaginas" peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart.^[3]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 2008: Masacre Musical
• 2012: Mi Movimiento

Mixtapes[link]

• Masacre Musical Mixtape (2007)
• The Boss of the Block (2007)
• El Jefe del Bloque (2007)
• The Boss of the Block Vol. II (2007)
• Masacre Musical Presents: El Movimiento (2008)
• Masacre Musical Presents: El Movimiento Vol. II (2009)
• El Jefe De La Versatilidad (2010)

Singles[link]

As featured artist[link]

Trivia[link]

"XXX" (Feat. Jowell y Randy) (2011)

De La Ghetto took his stage name from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode Def Poet's Society, where the character played by Will Smith makes up a poem to impress a girl, and says it was written by a poet named "Rafael de la Ghetto", since his real first name is Rafael.

References[link]

External links[link]

• De La Ghetto on Myspace