Kumbia Altarz
Biography
Abraham Quintanilla III remained at the forefront of Latin pop for years on end, primarily as a producer with a long track record, but also as the brother of Selena, as a hit songwriter, and as a polarizing troublemaker. His recording career began alongside that of his iconic sister, with the release of Selena y los Dinos (1984), the first of many albums that he would produce and co-write. As Selena's star rose, so did his. And when her star went dark, following her tragic slaying in 1995, Quintanilla withdrew from the limelight for a while, co-writing occasional songs for Selena followers like Thalía and Olga Tañón. In 1999, he returned to the big time with A.B. Quintanilla y los Kumbia Kings, a bilingual hitmaking collective that fused traditional Mexican music (cumbia, above all) with urban American styles (hip-hop, funk, R&B, reggae), topping it all off with a slick sheen of easily enjoyable pop accessibility. Los Kumbia Kings, always preceded in billing -- or, later, "presented" -- by Quintanilla, scored too many hits to list, and following their debut album, they began hitting number one with regularity. The group unraveled, however, following the release of their fourth album, 4 (2003), as all the leading members of the group, including frontmen Frankie J and DJ Kane, left bitterly and mounted recording careers of their own.
Selected Discography
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