Gente de Zona
| Gente de Zona | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Reggaeton, merengue |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Members | Alexander Delgado Randy Malcom Martinez |
| Past members | Jacob Forever, Nando Pro |
Gente de Zona (sometimes stylized as Gente D' Zona) is a Cuban reggaeton (cubaton) group founded by Alexander Delgado in 2000. The group combines reggaeton rhythms with more traditional forms of Cuban music.
Gente de Zona found its first international success following their collaboration with Enrique Iglesias on his 2014 release "Bailando". The track was awarded three Latin Grammy awards and received widespread international airplay.
The group began in 2000 when several rappers met in Alamar, an urban area of Havana, known as the birthplace of Cuban hip-hop. The name of the group, Gente D' Zona, reflects their emergence from Alamar.
Alexander Delgado then met Michel Delgado, "El Karo," and both started playing at parties and official playrooms Guanabacoa, Regla and especially Alamar. The group quickly earned the support of the public in those areas, and soon started participating in international festivals. These were in addition to annual rap festivals in Cuba, where Alexander was responsible for the animation for three consecutive years.
They later formed part of the Hermanos Saiz Association, and it is not until the year 2002 that Alexander started his career in the company Antonio María Romeu appearing around the country. In July 2005 Gente D' Zona was still composed of Alexander and Michel, and became part of the catalogue of the Cuban Rap Agency. This led to a more mature genre of work, always mixing with Cuban rhythms, and considering market requirements.
In 2005, Michel left the group. With the departure of Michel, Alexander called Jacob Forever, director of the non-professional group Made in Cuba who had done important work with Pachito Alonso and Eddy K, among others. Nando Pro also came to join as a music producer and DJ, and Gente D'Zona increased their original format of two members to three: Jacob Forever, Alexander and Nando Pro. In March 2013, Gente D' Zona announced the separation of Alexander and Jacob Forever.
In 2014, Gente D'Zona joined Enrique Iglesias and Descemer Bueno to produce the outstanding successful theme, "Bailando", which catapulted the group to the international arena. The song stayed in first place on international hits lists; noteworthily, in the U.S. market, where it is typically difficult to get the music of Cuban artists living in Cuba. In June 2014 it was located at number one in the Top Latin Songs. The group has also been successful in Europe.
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