Gente de Zona
Gente de Zona | |
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 Gente de Zona in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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Gente de Zona (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxente ðe ˈsona]; lit. 'Locals') is a Cuban reggaeton duo made up of musicians Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom Martínez. In 2016, the duo gained success with the song "Bailando" with Enrique Iglesias. This hit gave the duo numerous prestigious awards including the Latin Grammy and Latin Billboard Award. The duo was known for its Cubatón hits before succeeding on the international stage with major hits and collaborations that infused "tropical" rhythms to mainstream pop and urban music. Their song "Bailando" (with Enrique Iglesias) became the first Spanish language song to get 1 billion views on YouTube and their song "La Gozadera" has been described by many as "Latin America's official hymn."
Career
Gente de Zona was founded in 2000 in the Alamar neighborhood of Havana,[1] consisting initially of Alexander Delgado and Michel Delgado. They initially performed at smaller events and parties in the Havana area, including Alamar, Regla and Guanabacoa. Two years later, they joined the Asociación Hermanos Saíz, a government-sponsored Cuban cultural organization, and signed with the Empresa Comercializadora de la Música y los Espectáculos Antonio María Romeu (Commercial Business of Music and Performances Antonio María Romeu), which allowed them to perform across the country. This same year, they became one of the first members of the Cuban Rap Agency, a government agency involved with promoting and commercializing rap on the island.[2]
In 2005, Michel Delgado departed from the group, while rapper Jacob Forever (Yosdany Jacob Carmenates) and DJ and producer Nando Pro joined.[2] The trio released the album Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora in 2008. In March 2013, the members separated, with Jacob Forever embarking on a solo career supported by Nando Pro. Delgado continued the group under the Gente de Zona moniker after bringing on ex-Charanga Habanera singer Randy Malcom Martínez.[2]
In their early years, the group's appeal was mostly limited to Cuba, with some fans in Europe, until the release of Enrique Iglesias's "Bailando" in 2014. Although work on the song began in 2009, it was several years before fellow Cuban musician and songwriter Descemer Bueno went to Cuba and recruited Gente de Zona to be part of the song.[3] With newfound international recognition, the group subsequently released collaborations with Pitbull, Chino & Nacho, Marc Anthony and Juan Magán in the year that followed.[2]
In 2019, Gente de Zona was initially announced as part of a Pitbull-organized New Year's Eve concert lineup Miami, but was later withdrawn due to concerns from the local community that the group was too close with the Cuban government.[4] Then-Miami mayor, Cuban American Francis Suarez, criticized the choice of the group for the event, stating, "You have to understand that an artist who declares themselves in favor of communism or gives communism credibility is considered persona non grata. It's not about intolerance or censorship, it's about respect and recognizing the mortifying history of communism, especially in Cuba."[5]
Two years later, in February 2021, Gente de Zona, with other Cuban artists Yotuel, Beatriz Luengo, Descemer Bueno, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Osorbo and El Funky released "Patria y Vida" paying tribute to the San Isidro Movement and criticizing the Cuban government's repression of artistic expression in the country, shortages of essential items, and management of the country's currency.[6] The song was Gente de Zona's first politically partisan song, with Delgado later saying, "It becomes a commitment that you have with your people, who have followed you and given you everything you have today. We never knew that your talent and a song could be the weapon to hit these people hard, this government."[7] The song was subsequently banned in Cuba, and Gente de Zona stated that they were subsequently been banned from performing concerts on the island.[8]
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora |
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| A Full |
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| Visualízate |
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| En Letra de Otro |
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| Otra Cosa |
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| De Menor a Mayor |
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Reissued albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora v2.0 |
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Compilation albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Oro: Lo Nuevo y Lo Mejor |
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Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEX [17] |
SPA [18] |
US Latin [19] |
US Latin Airplay [20] |
US Latin Tropical [21] |
US Latin Rhythm [22] |
VEN [23] | |||||||
| "Le Gustan Los Artistas" | 2008 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora | ||||
| "Pinocho" | 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||||
| "Yo Quiero (Si Tu Te Enamoras)" (featuring Pitbull) |
2014 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 15 | 9 | Dale and Visualízate | ||||
| "Ponte Bonita" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||||
| "La Gozadera" (featuring Marc Anthony) |
2015 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
|
Visualízate | |||
| "Traidora" (featuring Marc Anthony) |
— | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | ||||||
| "Más Macarena" (featuring Los Del Río) |
2016 | — | 33 | — | — | 23 | — | 13 | Los Del Río: Tropical | ||||
| "Cuando Calienta el Sol" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | En Letra de Otro | ||||
| "Si No Vuelves" | — | 8 | 35 | 33 | 3 | 14 | — | Otra Cosa | |||||
| "Te Duele" | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | ||||||
| "Solterita De Oro" (with Lerica and Leslie Shaw) |
2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||||
| "Muchacha" (with Becky G) |
2020 | — | 82 | — [A] |
— | 5 | 22 | — |
|
De Menor a Mayor | |||
| "La Noche Pinta Buena" (with Pacific Broders and Carlos Vives) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||||
| "Otra Botella" (with Gerardo Ortíz) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | De Menor a Mayor | |||||
| "Loco Por Bailar Contigo" (with El Chulo) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||||
| "Patria y Vida" (with Yotuel, Descemer Bueno, Maykel Osorbo and El Funky) |
2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ||||
| "Tuki Tuki" (with Pucho y Tucutu, Motiff featuring Tony Succar) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Se Vuelve Loca"[28] (with Deorro) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| "Háblame De Miami" (with Maffio) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | De Menor A Mayor | |||||
| "Que Locura" (with Ovi) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||||
| "Tulum" (with Nia and JC El Diamante) |
2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Q’lona" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | De Menor A Mayor | |||||
| "Hice Bien Quererte" (with Kassav) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||||
| "El Negrito" (with Carlos Vives) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | De Menor A Mayor | |||||
| "—" denotes a title that was not released or did not chart in that territory. | |||||||||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COL [29] |
MEX [17] |
SPA [30] |
US [31] |
US LATIN [32] |
US LATIN RHYTHM [22] |
US TROP [33] |
VEN [23] | ||||||
| "Dame Una Noche" (DJ Chino featuring Gente de Zona, Fito Blanko, and Fuego) |
2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/a | |||
| "Bailando" (Enrique Iglesias featuring Gente de Zona and Descemer Bueno or featuring Sean Paul, Gente de Zona, and Descemer Bueno) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | — | 1 | 17 | Sex and Love | ||||
| "Tu Me Quemas" (Chino & Nacho featuring Gente de Zona and Los Cadillacs) |
6 | — | — | — | 27 | 6 | 1 | 1 | Radio Universo and Visualízate | ||||
| "Piensas (Dile la Verdad)" (Pitbull featuring Gente de Zona) |
2015 | — | — | 22 | — | 11 | 1 | 8 | — |
|
Dale and Visualízate | ||
| "He Llorado (Como Un Niño)" (Juan Magan featuring Gente de Zona) |
— | 26 | 12 | — | — | 23 | 33 | — |
|
The King Is Back (#LatinIBIZAte) | |||
| "Lo Que Dios Quiera" (Fanny Lu featuring Gente de Zona) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/a | ||||
| "Arena y Sol" (Anahí featuring Gente de Zona) |
2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Inesperado and The Fate of the Furious | |||
| "La Mala y La Buena" (Alex Sensation featuring Gente de Zona) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | TBA | ||||
| "Ni Tú Ni Yo" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Gente de Zona) |
2017 | — | — | 12 | — | 15 | — | 2 | — | TBA | |||
| "Lo Digo" (Carlos Rivera featuring Gente de Zona) |
27 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Yo Creo | ||||
| "3 A.M." (Jesse & Joy featuring Gente de Zona) |
55 | 2 | — | — | 22 | — | 2 | — | Un Besito Más | ||||
| "Baddek Enayah" (Mohammed Assaf featuring Gente De Zona) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ma Wahashnak | ||||
| "Quédate Conmigo" (Chyno Miranda featuring Wisin and Gente de Zona) |
— | — | — | — | 25 | — | 2 | — | Quédate Conmigo | ||||
| "La Vida Me Cambió" (Diana Fuentes featuring Gente De Zona) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | TBA | ||||
| "Stop Me from Falling" (Kylie Minogue featuring Gente de Zona) |
2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Golden | |||
| "Lento" (Thalía featuring Gente de Zona) |
— | 12 | 88 | — | — | — | 4 | — | Valiente | ||||
| "Nadie Como Yo" (Malu Trevejo featuring Gente de Zona) |
2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | TBA | |||
| "Tulum" (NIA featuring Gente de Zona and JC El Diamante) |
2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N/a | |||
| "—" denotes a title that was not released or did not chart in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Latin American Music Awards | Favorite Urban Duo or Group | Gente de Zona | Won | |
| Favorite Tropical Song | "La Gozadera" | Won | |||
| 2016 | Premios Juventud | La Combinación Perfecta | "La Gozadera" | Won | [40] |
| Mi Artista Tropical | Gente de Zona | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | Latin American Music Awards | Favorite Artist – Tropical | Gente de Zona | Nominated | [41] |
| Favorite Album – Tropical | "Visualízate" | Won | |||
| Favorite Song – Tropical | "Traidora" | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | Latin Grammys | Best Tropical Fusion Album | "Visualízate" | Won | [42] |
| 2017 | Premio Lo Nuestro | Grupo o Dúo del Año / Group Or Duo Of The Year | Gente de Zona | Won | |
| Album Tropical del Año / Tropical Album Of The Year | "Visualizate" | Won | |||
| Album del Año / Album Of The Year | "Visualizate" | Won | |||
| 2017 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Tropical Albums Artist Of The Year, Duo or Group | Won | ||
| Tropical Album Of The Year | "Visualízate" | Won | |||
| 2019 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Tropical Arista, Duo or Group | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | Tu Musica Urbana | Cancion Tropical Urbano | El Mentiroso | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Premios Lo Nuestro | Colaboración del Año - Tropical | El Mentiroso | Nominated | |
| Colaboración del Año - Tropical | Tan Buena | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Premios Lo Nuestro | Pop Collaboration of the Year | Muchacha ft. Becky G | Nominated | |
| Tropical Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| 2021 | Billboard Latin Music Awards | Artista Tropical del Año | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Latin Grammys | Song of the Year | Patria y Vida | Won | |
| Best Urban Song | Patria y Vida | Won |
Notes
- ^ "Muchacha" did not chart on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs, though did peak at number 22 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Pérez, Erwin (3 June 2025). "Gente de Zona celebra su 25 aniversario con un concierto en el Kaseya Center". El Nuevo Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d Pérez, Carmen María (5 October 2024). "Gente de Zona: el grupo de Alamar" [Gente de Zona: The Group from Alamar]. Periódico Cubano (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Cantor-Navas, Judy (15 July 2015). "Beyond 'Bailando': Getting to Know Cuba's Gente De Zona". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Mazzei, Patricia (17 July 2021). "Miami Embraces Cuba Protests: 'I Never Thought That This Day Would Come'". New York Times. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ "Miami Sees Return to Cold War Cultural Hard Line on Cuba". Voice of America. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Janetsky, Megan (13 July 2021). "'Patria y Vida' — Homeland and Life — Watchwords in Cuba's Protests". New York Times. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Bautista, Berenice (16 July 2021). "Gente de Zona on Cuba: 'It is the people who are marching'". Associated Press. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ Cobo, Leah (26 February 2021). "Death or Life: Here's Why This Song Is Pissing Off the Cuban Government". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
- ^ "Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora - Reggaeton by Gente de Zona". iTunes Store US. Apple. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ "A Full by Gente de Zona". iTunes Store US. Apple. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ "Visualízate by Gente de Zona". iTunes Store US. Apple. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
- ^ "Gente de Zona recibe disco de platino en Viña del Mar, y anuncia que cantarán con Jesse & Joy" (in Spanish). 20 February 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 12 June 2022. Type Gente de Zona in the box under the ARTISTA column heading.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – Gente de Zona". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora v2.0 by Gente de Zona". iTunes Store US. Apple. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ "Oro - Lo Nuevo y Lo Mejor by Gente de Zona". iTunes Store US. Apple. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ a b Mexican Airplay for Gente de Zona Billboard.com
- ^ "Spanish Charts". PROMUSICAE. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ "Gente de Zona Chart history – Hot Latin Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ "Gente de Zona Chart History (Latin Airplay)". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "Gente de Zona Album & Song Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ a b "Latin Rhythm Songs by Gente de Zona". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
- ^ a b Songs of Gente de Zona charted in Record Report Top 100 chart:
- "Bailando":"Top 100". Record Report. R.R. Digital C.A. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2 September 2014.
- "Tu Me Quemas": "Top 100". Record Report. R.R. Digital C.A. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014.
- "Yo Quiero": "Top 100". Record Report. R.R. Digital C.A. 17 September 2014. Archived from the original on 17 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 12 June 2022. Type Gente de Zona in the box under the ARTISTA column heading.
- ^ "Spanish single certifications – Gente de Zona – La Gozadera". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ a b c "American single certifications – Gente de Zona". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Spanish single certifications – Gente de Zona – Traidora". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ Astronaut, Dancing (8 October 2021). "Deorro x Gente De Zona – 'Se Vuelve Loca'". Dancing Astronaut. Archived from the original on 8 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Songs of Gente de Zona charted in Colombian charts (National-Report):
- "Bailando":"Top 10 Música Nacional Radio". National-Report (in Spanish). Radio y Música. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - "Tu Me Quemas":"Top 10 Música Nacional Radio". National-Report (in Spanish). Radio y Música. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - "Lo Digo" and "3 A.M.":"Top 10 Música Nacional Radio". National-Report (in Spanish). Radio y Música. 8 September 2017. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- "Bailando":"Top 10 Música Nacional Radio". National-Report (in Spanish). Radio y Música. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ Songs of Gente de Zona in Spanish Singles Chart:
- "Bailando": "spanishcharts.com - Enrique Iglesias feat. Descemer Bueno / Gente de Zona - Bailando". spanishcharts.com, Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
- "Piensas (Dile La Verdad): "spanishcharts.com - Pitbull feat. Gente de Zona - Piensas (Dile La Verdad)". spanishcharts.com, Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- "He Llorado (Como un Niño): "spanishcharts.com - Juan Magan feat. Gente de Zona - He Llorado (Como un Niño)". spanishcharts.com, Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 June 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Peak chart positions for featured singles in the United States:
- "Bailando": "Enrique Iglesias – Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- ^ Peak chart positions for featured singles in the United States, BillboardHot Latin Songs chart:
- "Bailando": "Enrique Iglesias – Chart History: Hot Latin Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- "Tu Me Quemas": "Chino & Nacho – Chart History: Hot Latin Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- ^ Peak chart positions for featured singles in the United States, BillboardTropical Songs chart:
- "Bailando": "Enrique Iglesias – Chart History: Tropical Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- "Tu Me Quemas": "Chino & Nacho – Chart History: Hot Latin Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- "He Llorado (Como Un Niño)": "Juan Magan – Chart History: Hot Latin Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
- ^ "..:Certificaciones Mensuales 2014:.. - Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "FIMI - Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana - Certificazioni". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". www.swisscharts.com. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Enrique Iglesias - Bailando". Enrique Iglesias - Bailando - Elportaldemusica.es: Novedades y Listas Oficiales de Ventas de Música en España. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Pitbull Feat. Gente de Zona - Piensas (Dile la Verdad)". Pitbull Feat. Gente de Zona - Piensas (Dile la Verdad) - Elportaldemusica.es: Novedades y Listas Oficiales de Ventas de Música en España. Archived from the original on 26 August 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Juan Magan feat Gente De Zona - He Llorado (Como Un Niño)". Juan Magan feat Gente De Zona - He Llorado (Como Un Niño) - Elportaldemusica.es: Novedades y Listas Oficiales de Ventas de Música en España. Archived from the original on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Premios Juventud 2016: Lista completa de ganadores". www.univision.com. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Latin American Music Awards 2016: lista de ganadores". People Espanol. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ "17a Entrega Anual del Latin GRAMMY". Latin GRAMMYs. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
External links
- Official website in English Archived 2018-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Official Facebook
- Alexander Delgado Facebook
- Randy Malcom Facebook
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| National | |
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