"SHHH!" Says A.B. Quintanilla III and his lyrical , hip-hop posse, The Kumbia Kings! "SHHH!" Yes, the Kumbia Kings are poised to launch their sophomore album fittingly titled, "SHHH!". Get ready to savor hip grooves, hip lyrics, to a hip-hop trend with the Kumbia Kings. A.B. Quintanilla has optimized their cross-over appeal and musically has positioned the group as the hottest recording act in the Latin industry today, with soon-to-be the hottest cross-over act in the music industry's fusion of Top 40 R/B and Hip-Hop Billboard chart heavies. A.B. Quintanilla III has injected a refreshing, trendy, pop-culture sound that embraces Tejano, Regional Mexican, Reggae, Top 40 and Hip-Hop attracting a cross-section fan base in Mexico, United States, Central and South America.
Why "SHHH!"? A.B. Quintanilla III says, "dance and don't talk much." "SHHH!" A.B., affectionately known to his loyal fans, with a look of confidence, subtly and slowly, raises his index finger over his lips and non-verbally gestures the thought and message, "SHHH!" Hence, the reflective album title. He wants his fans to sit back, keep quiet and listen to a new era of musical connection and expressive thoughts of love, hurt, betrayal, happiness and dance through the realm of his uncanny interpretation for his love of the international language we call music. The result: a modern fusion of the popular and club-friendly dance, “the cumbia.” The cumbia, through A.B.'s perspective is unique in that it blends pop, hip- hop, r/b or techno-thump grooves, mixed with reggae and merengue rhythms, slightly laced with beats of rap.
Through the year's A.B., along with the late singer and sister, Selena, enjoyed success in bridging the gap of diverse genres and cultures in the Latin community with the cumbia, a popular form of dance in Mexico and in the Southwest. They modernized the sound with a fusion by A.B. and Selena, re-introduced this popular dance through her performances and videos.
According to A.B., this album is affectionately dedicated to all of the people who talk a big game, and keep talking, never keeping quiet whether bad-mouthing, issue-driven or simply, being a "player-hater", a popular phrase coined in the rap world of music. The album contains thirteen songs, three remixes and five special "acts"...thought provoking statements and reflective perspectives of A.B.'s philosophy about life and his music. On this album, A.B. produced, arranged, and selected compositions to mirror the Kumbia Kings’ pop sound and trend-setting image.
Make no mistake about it, "Amor, Familia, Y Respeto", the Kumbia Kings’ debut album in March 1999, sold close to 1,000,000 units in the United States and Mexico. An impressive achievement by today's industry standards. In his spectacular debut, A.B. penned key #1 releases with “Azucar”, “Fuiste Mala”, “Te Quiero A Ti”, and the smash, cross-over Top 40 record, “U Don’t Love Me”, which gave the Kumbia Kings a solid presence on Billboard for ninety-five weeks, a difficult and impressive achievement for a debut act. The cause and effect result is that the Kumbia Kings garnered eighteen awards, including three Billboard Awards, ten Tejano Music Awards, two Furia Musical Awards, and a Ritmo Latino and Premio Lo Nuestro Award. The Kumbia Kings were in the #1 spot and headed to the Best Sellers' Billboard 2000 List. In 2000, the Recording Industry Association of America recognized this super debut album, "Amor, Familia, Y Respeto", with gold and platinum sales certifications.
The multi-talented A.B. Quintanilla III and his Kumbia Kings continue to perform in the United States and Mexico attracting new fans. In 2000, the Kumbia Kings headlined to a sold-out 70,000 capacity Astrodome, at the 68th Annual Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. On February 11, 2001 they headlined two record-breaking shows at the San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo. The vocals are delivered by DJ Kane, Cisko, and Baby Drew. On stage, the Kumbia Kings embrace eight key personalities: Cruz “CK” Martinez, Jason “DJ Kane” Cano, Alex Ramirez, Roy “Slim” Ramirez, Frank “Cisko” Bautista, Andrew “Drew” Maes, Jesse “OJ” Martinez, and Frank Arrandar.
Source: http://www.latinbayarea.com/PagesF-M/kumbia_kings.htm
