Barrio Boyzz

Barrio Boyzz
Background information
Origin	New York City, United States
Genres	Latin pop, Contemporary R&B, Pop, Contemporary Latin, New Jack Swing, Adult contemporary
Years active	1991–2001
Labels	EMI Records, EMI Latin, SBK Records
Associated acts	Selena
Past members
Angel Ramirez David Davilla Hans Giraldo Louie Marrero Robert Vargas

The Barrio Boyzz were a Latin pop group. The group were made up of Puerto Rican American and Colombian Americans who grew-up in New York City. They gained popularity during the 1990s, especially when they became label-mates with the Mexican-American singer-songwriter Selena, and landed their first Billboard number-one song entitled "Donde Quiera Que Estes" (Where Ever You Are) in 1993, from the album of the same name.

Career

The group was formed in 1991 when they were introduced to each other by manager Joe Jacket (of New Kids on The Block), who was looking to create a mainstream Latino group.^[1] After auditioning to Charles Koppelan, the CEO of EMI Records, they were then signed to SBK Records, a pop sub-division of EMI.^[2] They initially wanted to crossover as mainstream American pop singers, similar to Gloria Estefan, Jon Secada, and Selena.^[3] The following year, they released their debut album, "Crazy Coolin'", which they toured in middle and high schools across New York City, and made motivational speeches.^[2] Their single "Muy Suavemente", charted on the Billboard Latin Charts; its accompanying music video was shot in the barrios of New York City, sticking to their heritages.^[2] Their follow-up album "Dondequiera Que Estes" (1993) peaked on Billboard Latin Pop Albums at number-seven, whereas the album peaked at number-fifteen on the Billboard Top Latin Albums.^[4] The duet, with Selena, peaked at number-one on three Billboard charts in 1994^[5][6] as Selena and the Barrio Boyzz promoted the song during her Amor Prohibido Tour. The song helped the Barrio Boyzz crossover to Southern United States^[7] Their next album, "Una Vez Mas" peaked at number three on the Latin Pop Albums,^[8] while managing on the top twenty of the Billboard Top 50 Latin Albums. Their crossover album, "How We Roll", an all-English language album, was released in 1995.^[9] The group continued to chart on Billboard until the release of Destiny in 2000. The group released their last studio album, "Destino" in 2001, before the band broke up. On 5 April 2005, during the benefit concert Selena ¡VIVE!, the Barrio Boyzz reunited and sang "Dreaming of You" along with Colombian-American singer Soraya,^[10] who died of breast cancer within a year.^[11]

Members

• Angel Ramirez (1991–1997)
• Fredy Correa (1991–1994)
• David Davilla (1991–2001)
• Hans Giraldo (1994–2001)
• Louie Marrero (1991–2001)
• Robert Vargas (1994–2001)

Discography

Studio albums

• Crazy Coolin' (1992)
• Dondequiera Que Estes (1993)
• Una Vez Mas (1995)
• How We Roll (1995)
• Navidad, Tu y Yo (1995)
• Ven A Mi (1997)
• Destiny (2000)
• Destino (2001)

Complication albums

• 10 Super Exitos (1994)
• 12 Super Exitos (1997)
• The Best of Barrio Boyzz (2000)
• Sólo Lo Mejor: 20 Exitos (2002)
• Latin Classics (2003)
• Los Romanticos (2007)

Filmography

• I Like It Like That (1994)

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans

References

1. ^ "Barrio Boyzz biography". Artist direct. http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/the-barrio-boyzz/401426. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Dana Mayer (1993). "Magic's In The Music And The Music Is In These". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 105 (11): 176. http://books.google.com/books?id=0w8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA85&dq=Barrio+Boyzz&hl=en&ei=5CTpTZjFBqni0QGAlM2HAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Barrio%20Boyzz&f=false. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
3. ^ John Lannert (1994). "Golden Age of Latin Music". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 106 (21): 112. http://books.google.com/books?id=TAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48&dq=Barrio+Boyzz&hl=en&ei=5CTpTZjFBqni0QGAlM2HAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Barrio%20Boyzz&f=false. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
4. ^ "Dondequiera Que Estes peak positions on Billboard". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/the-barrio-boyzz/dondequiera-que-estes/150292. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Lannert, John (1995). "Selena a retrospective". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 107 (23): 112. http://books.google.com/books?id=0QsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA62&dq=Dondequiera+Que+Estes+Selena&hl=en&ei=RD3oTYyDN4fb0QG67pmtAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Dondequiera%20Que%20Estes%20Selena&f=false. Retrieved 2 June 2011. ,
6. ^ ^{a b} "Latin Music Conference Awards". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media). 1994. http://books.google.com/books?id=TAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA32&dq=Dondequiera+Que+Estes+Selena&hl=en&ei=RD3oTYyDN4fb0QG67pmtAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Dondequiera%20Que%20Estes%20Selena&f=false. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Celeste Arrargas, Maria (1997). Selena's Secrets: the revealing story behind her tragic death. Fireside Publications. p. 65. ISBN 9780684831350. http://books.google.com/books?id=er04VqtBSQgC&pg=PA65&dq=Barrio+Boyzz&hl=en&ei=5CTpTZjFBqni0QGAlM2HAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Barrio%20Boyzz&f=false. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
8. ^ "Una Vez Mas peak positions". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/the-barrio-boyzz/una-vez-mas/163443. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
9. ^ John Lannert (1996). "Latin Music World's Future Stars". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 108 (18): 122. http://books.google.com/books?id=9gsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA28&dq=Barrio+Boyzz&hl=en&ei=5CTpTZjFBqni0QGAlM2HAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Barrio%20Boyzz&f=false. Retrieved 3 June 2011. 
10. ^ "Univision’s ‘Selena ¡Vive!’ Breaks Audience Records". SpanishTown.ca. http://www.spanishtown.ca/enterstory5.htm. Retrieved 5 June 2011. 
11. ^ "Colombian-American singer Soraya dies of breast cancer at 37". WSVN.com. 2006. http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI20173/. Retrieved 5 June 2011.