December 2006 Archives

Even though record sales were hella down this year there was still hot ish out there. Whether you bought it or bootlegged it you still were bumping to it. Below are my perfect seven for 2006 (note: El Cangri’s Barrio Fino En Directo was more of a rehash of his platinum joint. Thus it ain’t on my list).

Wisin Y Yandel, P’al Mundo Deluxe Edition
Calle 13, Calle 13
Rakim Y Ken-Y, Masterpiece
Don Omar, King of Kings
Tego Calderón, The Underdog
Various, Hector El Father Presents Los Rompe Discotekas
Various, Los Cocorocos

Sup mi gente. 2006 was here and now it’s p’al carajo. It was the post-reggaeton boom and the genre had it a ton of bangers. Below are my top 10 picks (no particular order) for songs of the year. Remember this list is just the shit I felt this year.

Daddy Yankee, “Rompe”
Wisin Y Yandel, “Noche de Sexo”
Rakim y Ken-Y, “Down”
Calle 13, “Atrévete-te-te”
Termanology, “Watch How It Go Down”
Pitbull, “Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera)”
Hector El Father f/ Wisin Y Yandel, “El Telefono”
Daddy Yankee, Wisin Y Yandel, Hector El Father, Zion, and Tonny Tun Tun “Noche De Entierro”
Zion, “Alocate”
Don Omar & Gilberto Santa Rosa, “Los Hombres Tienen La Culpa”

Just cause your brother’s an MC doesn’t mean you can flow. Half-dominicano and Nas comrade AZ presents his brother Begetz. AZ’s helping his hermano debut his solo joint, Ghetto Pass.

Brooklyn boricuas T-Weaponz’s new single “Dem Boyz” featuring Trae and Shamrock debuted No. 7 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop singles chart. This is their second single to do well; the first was the Spanglish hit “Mira Mira” featuring Pitbull and Notch.

Joell Ortiz. It ain’t your cousin it’s the BK artist that’s giving Termanology a run for his money as the best new Latino MC. Before he drops his debut on Dr. Dre’s Aftermath (damn, you know he got talent) Joell is going the indie route with his KOCH-backed The Brick (Bodega Chronicles). His first single is called “Hip Hop.”

With the new Hèctor Lavoe film, "El Cantante," due next year it’s time for those of y’all that don’t know well to know his impact. Coming from a jibaro upbringing in Ponce, PR Lavoe came to NY to in search of what most of our parents came looking for as well: a better future.

Florida’s given us a lot of things: hot Latinas (from Cuba to Brazil), dope food, bangin’ clubs, and countless Spring Break memories. The Sunshine State’s Latino MC talents have been on the come-up as well. Aside from Pitbull there are some newer cats that are stepping up to the plate. Like this new gangsta rapper, Jediah.

She’s back! Cuban reggaetonera/model Mayra Veronica is giving back during the holiday season. Aside from her single “Vengo Con To” getting mad airplay, she’s playing Santa’s little helper for war veterans.

Every artist needs someone big-timer to help them out their first time out. Snoop Dogg had Dr. Dre. Big Pun had Fat Joe. Memphis Bleek had Jay-Z…well not all of them work out. You need some type of talent. Sorry M. Easy. Mexican rap duo, Akwid are taking an artist their platinum wing as well. They’ve been working with Chicana singer, Kuky (pronounced cookie) on her debut for two years now.

Sometimes hip-hop outside of the States is a bit different. But for the most part different is good. Take for example Spanish hip-hopper Mala Rodriguez. She just dropped her new video for “Por La Noche,” which is off her next album, Malamarismo.

I don’t know how I feel about child entertainers. Let’s face it they’re, more often than not, pushed into show biz by their parents and their career and childhood are both finished before they know it. Hip-hop has done it (Chi Ali, Bow Wow, Kris Kross) and now reggaeton is following suit with seven-year-old Migueltio.

Y’all remember Maria from the weed flick, Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle? You know the cute Latina who the Asian was feening for throughout the movie and wasn’t able to talk to her until the end. Anyway, why am I talking about her. Well, in one of the most random events in C-level celebrity history she just did a pictorial for Penthouse.

So we all know that if it weren’t salsa there would be no reggaeton. Yes, I know rap and reggae had a lot to do with it also but salsa, Nuyorican’s native sound was the genre that helped reggeaton be born as well (Props to medfire. Reggaeton is one of reggae's offspring) . That being said, it’s great to see Emusica, owner of the legendary Fania Records catalogs, just signed an administration deal with Universal Music.

Akwid were recently on Telemundo’s Al Rojo Vivo griping about being musically discriminated due to the recent surge of reggaeton radio stations. No doubt there has been a backlash of the reggaeton movement â€" some radio stations put Latin hip-hop to the side. Which is stupid because it falls under the same category. Where else are they gonna be heard? You gotta respect Akwid though, even if they got limited airplay they still manage to sell mad units.

So The Grammys announced their nominees for next February’s soirée. While Mary J. Blige stood out as the artist, three-time Latin Grammy winners Calle 13 and Tego Calderón’s were also among the nominees.

Christmas time here and NYC’s La Kalle radio station is getting ready for their annual holiday extravaganza, La Kalle Kristmas Concert at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14. A whole bunch of cats from reggaetoneros to MCs will rock the stage.

Who remembers Killarmy? The Wu Tang Clan spin-off group. Well I do. It was the first interview I ever did with true MCs. But anywho the one cat that stood was Dom Pachino.

Creative Media Group’s Latin Urban Mix debut last year was an overwhelming success. The conference is a get together of DJs, musicians, fashion designers, photographers, entrepreneurs and artists where they all break bread and highlight their personal skills.

First Tila Tequila and now Chicana artist La La is using MySpace as her own personal launching pad into fame. It ain’t La La from MTV, she’s actually got some type of future besides Carmello Anthony. KDAY’s Julio G discovered her through MySpace, where she has over 40,000 friends. The Los Angeles-based singer’s buzz started growing more when Julio began playing her song “La La La” featuring Mack 10.

I know you’ve all waited for this and it finally came. A couple of months ago The Reyes Brothers dropped their first album together, Ghetto Therapy. Actually I keed, aside from backpackers, who the hell wants to hear a couple of washed up rappers? Rappers that weren’t even really good for that matter.