Vico C
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Luis Armando Lozada Cruz |
| Also known as | El Filósofo del Rap |
| Born | September 8, 1971 |
| Origin | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Genre(s) | Rap, Urban, Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | singer |
| Years active | 1984 - present |
| Label(s) | Emi Latin |
| Website | Vico C official website |
Vico C (born Luis Armando Lozada Cruz on September 8, 1971) is an American rapper and reggaeton artist of Puerto Rican descent. He is considered one of the founders of hip hop in Spanish or Latin hip hop. He was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. Nicknamed The Philosopher, he adopted the professional name Vico C, by which he is better known, to honor his mother (by including the letter C in the name, Cruz is his mother's last name) and also because the Dominicans wanted to call him "Visco". Vico C is a prime example of a Puerto Rican artist who was directly influenced by rap in the United States. Rap and hip hop culture in the United States has come to influence Puerto Rican music by way of the mass media and the inevitable cultural exchange that occurs through the constant migration of persons between the United States and Puerto Rico. Through these lines of communication new musical developments and technologies are consistently exchanged between the two places. Vico C's music inherently reflects this cultural intermixture. He even goes as far as to describe reggaeton as "essentially hip-hop but with a flavor more compatible to the Caribbean." Though he maintains they are of the same essence, Vico C believes the difference lies in the quintessential music style; the beat or rhythm of the music.
As one of the founders of hip hop in Spanish, Vico C was able to show that it was possible for one to be able to rap entirely and compellingly in Spanish using just occasional English phrases or slang terms. He can be seen in the reggaeton movement as far back as its "underground" days ghostwriting and producing music for other young performers in the Puerto Rican rap scene.
Vico C grew up in the Puerta de Tierra barrio in San Juan. He got enrolled in acting classes by the age of nine and began his professional rapping career in 1984. At first, he used to go to bodegas (grocery stores) or pharmacies, buy home recording tapes, record himself singing his songs and then sell the tapes to friends or family. His first production earned him a grand total of 20 dollars.
In 1989, Vico C finally got his first big break. Rap in Puerto Rico was at a popular high, and Ruben DJ had become extremely popular with his radio hit "La Escuela" ("The School"). Vico C entered the charts with his super hit "La Recta Final" ("The Final Stretch"). With this song, Vico C reached international fame. Vico C started touring frequently to places like New York, Chicago, Miami, Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and more places.
Vico C in 1992 came through with more major hits, his singles "Saborealo" ("Taste it") and "María" became gold and platinum albums, respectively. In 1994 however, Vico C suffered a car accident while on tour in the Dominican Republic, and had to be hospitalized a considerable amount of time. At the same time, rumors of his alleged drug use became constant among the general public.
Also in 1994, he established his own record company, promoting such singers as Francheska and Lisa M.
Soon after, he became a born again Christian and went into a voluntary semi-retirement. In 1998, he resurfaced, with the Christian rap CD Aquel Que Había Muerto (He who had Died). The new CD went gold and in 1999, he returned to the touring scene with his concert Antes y despues (Before and After). Soon after, he released a sequel to Aquel que Habia Muerto. With that, he earned the Latino Rap of the year award by Billboard.
In 2003, Vico C entered a drug rehabilitation program because he had apparently returned again to it. However, he has stated publicly that he wants to get back into a Christian lifestyle.
In 2004, Vico C released an album titled En Honor A La Verdad (In Honor Of The Truth). While it was not a major hit it still sold well and one of the album's singles "El Bueno, El Malo y El Feo" ("The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"), referring to Eddie Dee, himself and Tego Calderón respectively. The single was widely heard. The single was a great combination of the best "Conscience" sub-genre of reggeaton artists.
Vico C's latest album was Desahogo (Speaking Freely), in early 2005. The album was a success and by June 3, 2006 he came back with another concert, El Encuentro. The concert was in San Juan, PR, and the tickets were sold out. In this concert, Vico sang some of the songs in Desahogo as well as some of his classic songs like "Explosion" and "Me Acuerdo".
Many consider Vico C to be a pioneer of Reggaeton. Some have gone as far as to call him the "Father and Creator of Reggaeton" He has worked alongside with many artists including Big Boy, Eddie Dee, Ivy Queen, Héctor y Tito, Tego Calderon. He has also worked with producers Baby Ranks, Tony Touch and Luny Tunes.
Not just limited to rap, he has sang alongside with Salsa singer Gilberto Santa Rosa and Kumbia group Kumbia Kings.
Vico C is part of Los 12 Discípulos.
Daddy Yankee and Wisin Y Yandel have claimed that Vico C is their biggest influence.
[edit] Albums
- La Recta Final (1989)
- Misión: La Cima (Ft. DJ Negro) (1990)
- Xplosion (1993)
- Humolandia (1994)
- Con Poder (1996)
- Aquel que Había Muerto (1998)
- Vivo (2001)
- Emboscada (2002)
- En Honor a la Verdad (2003)
- Desahogo (2005)
- El Encuentro-En Vivo (2006)
- Babilla (2008)
[edit] External links
- Vico C official website English/Spanish. With a forum for fans.
- Vico C interview
- [1]
[edit] References
[Giovannetti, Jorge L. "Popular Music and Culture in Puerto Rico: Jamaican and Rap Music as Cross-Cultural Symbols." In Musical Migrations: Transnationalism and Cultural Hybridity in the Americas, ed. Frances R. Aparicio and Cándida F. Jáquez, 81-98. New York]
