Spkilla

SPKilla
SPKilla at his studio
Background information
Birth name	Edwin Almonte
Genres	Reggaeton, Hip Hop, R&B
Occupation(s)	Record producer, record executive, artist
Instruments	Keyboard, Sampler, MPC
Years active	1998–present
Labels	SPKilla Muzik, Thugged Out Militainment
Website	http://www.spkilla.com

Edwin Almonte, known by stage names SPK and SPKilla, is a Dominican-American record producer, and DJ. Hip hop pioneers Run DMC, LL Cool J, N.W.A, EPMD, Eric B & Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, and Beastie Boys, The Police. and Metallica played at his home. He also listened to Buju Banton, Super Cat, Juan Luis Guerra,and Luis Vargas, with a Caribbean vibe.

His sound merges hip hop, reggaeton, and urban New York City, SPK lists Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Timbaland, and Pete Rock as his primary influences as an artist. SPK cites these four maestros as “the reason why I picked up a sampling machine and started making beats."

1998 - N.O.R.E. chose SPK to produce 3 tracks for his eponymous first solo album. However, due to sample clearance issues, only one track of his was included. SPK was labeled as the new beatsmith for the new millennium by the bible of hip hop back then, ‘The Source’.”

2002 - SPK produced a track for the movie Fast and the Furious that reached number 7 on the Billboard and number 1 on the Top Soundtracks. The Soundtrack went platinum in 2002 in both the USA and Canada.

In 2004 SPK produced the track for Oye Mi Canto, a song that reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Oye Mi Canto video was the first reggaeton video played on MTV.