Arcangel (singer)
Encyclopedia
Austin Santos better known by his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...

 Arcángel, is a singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

, rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...

 and actor. He was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, and eventually moved to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 in 2002, interested in becoming a performer of reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...

, a contemporary Latin American urban music genre. While living in Puerto Rico, he would eventually form part of a popular then-underground reggaeton act, Arcángel & De La Ghetto
Arcangel & De La Ghetto
Arcángel y De La Ghetto are a Reggaeton Duo, which consist of Austin "Arcángel" Santos and Rafael "De La Ghetto" Castillo.Arcángel and De La Ghetto are both of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent...

. The duo eventually went on to make songs that became popular among reggaeton fans in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and Puerto Rico, including "Agresivo", "Sorpresa" and "Mi Fanática" during the mid-2000s.

Arcángel went on to release his debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

, El Fenómeno
El Fenómeno
El Fenómeno is the first studio album by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Arcángel, released on December 9, 2008, by Machete Music.-Album details:...

, in late 2008. The album included songs that were produced in 2008, as well as the DJ Nelson
DJ Nelson
Nelson Díaz Martinez , known artistically as DJ Nelson is a DJ/producer who played a significant role in the development and popularization of reggaeton. He first made a name for himself as part of the Noise, a club-centered collective that was spawned in 1992...

 produced "Chica Virtual
Chica Virtual
"Chica Virtual" is a 2007 single by reggaeton singer Arcángel, released in February 2007 by Universal Music Group. It was produced by executive producer DJ Nelson, and appears on the compilation album Flow la Discoteka 2, as well as Arcángel's second studio album El Fenómeno.-Chart performance:The...

", which was produced in 2007. Half of the album also included newly produced tracks, ones including "Pa' Que la Pases Bien
Pa' Que la Pases Bien
"Pa' Que la Pases Bien" is a single by American reggaeton artist Arcángel from his first studio album La Maravilla, released in February 2008....

" and "Por Amar a Ciegas
Por Amar a Ciegas
"Por Amar a Ciegas", English: For Loving Blind,is the first single by reggaeton artist Arcángel from his second studio album El Fenómeno, released in December 2008. It was produced by Luny Tunes, Tainy and Noriega.-Music video:...

", which went on to become successful airplay songs on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States.

Early life

Arcángel was born in New York. He was born eldest of three children to a Dominican mother, Carmen Santos, and a Dominican father. His mother was a former member of the all-women merengue group, Las Chicas del Can
Las Chicas Del Can
Las Chicas Del Can is an all-female merengue group from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Originally created by Wilfrido Vargas, several teams of female vocalists and musicians have alternately performed under the name Las Chicas del Can throughout the group's history.Originally founded in 1982,...

, who were popular during the early 1980s to the late 1990s. He grew up listening to various types of music and has been a fan of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

, particularly Robi Draco Rosa, a Puerto Rican pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...

 artist and a former member of Menudo
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....

. Arcángel was not always a fan of reggaeton; he claims that it is not his favorite type of music, but it is easy to sing to. During the early 2000s, Arcángel grew fond of the new kind of music. Listening to artists like Tego Calderón
Tego Calderón
Tegui Calderón Rosario is a Puerto Rican rapper and actor.-Early life:Calderón was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, the son of Pilar Rosario Parrilla, a schoolteacher, and Esteban Calderón Ilarraza, a government worker for Puerto Rico's Department of Health. Moving at a young age from his native...

 and Tempo, it inspired him to pursue a singing and rapping career in Puerto Rico.

2004–2007: Beginning of career

After moving to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 in 2002, Arcángel had decided to follow in the footsteps of the upbringing of reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...

 music. He went on to form part of an underground reggaeton act, Arcángel & De La Ghetto
Arcangel & De La Ghetto
Arcángel y De La Ghetto are a Reggaeton Duo, which consist of Austin "Arcángel" Santos and Rafael "De La Ghetto" Castillo.Arcángel and De La Ghetto are both of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent...

. The duo was signed to reggaeton singer-songwriter Zion's record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...

, Baby Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...

. The duo were also involved with Machete Music
Machete Music
Machete Music is an urban music label owned by Universal Music Group. The record label had been largely associated with reggaeton music, but in recent years, it has been also been signing non-urban artists such as Malverde, Mala Rodriguez and Chino XL. The label is part of Universal Music Latin...

 in 2004 during the time that they were recording for reggaeton compilation albums. Arcángel & De La Ghetto rose to fame in 2006 on the reggaeton compilation album hosted by Héctor "El Father", Sangre Nueva
Sangre Nueva (album)
Sangre Nueva is a compilation album by Hector "El Bambino" and reggaeton producer Naldo. Its purpose is to introduce new artists from the reggaeton genre to the audience. It presents the new generation of reggaeton. It was created to respond to the tidal wave of worldwide interest in reggaeton. The...

, with their hit song, "Ven y Pegate." They were also featured on the Luny Tunes
Luny Tunes
Luny Tunes are a Dominican reggaeton production duo consisting of Francisco Saldaña and Víctor Cabrera , who have been known for creating unique musical rhythms for some of the most popular reggaeton artists since the early 2000s.-Biography:...

-hosted compilation Mas Flow: Los Benjamins
Mas Flow: Los Benjamins
Mas Flow: Los Benjamins is the third compilation album by Dominican reggaeton producers Luny Tunes, released on September 26, 2006 by Machete Music. The album features appearances by Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, Hector "El Father", Tito "El Bambino", Wisin & Yandel, Alexis & Fido, Zion, Magnate, Ñejo &...

 in 2006.

Though an active musical duo, Arcángel & De La Ghetto never released a studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 since the formation of the duo. Any production they had been involved with only resulted in tracks and recordings being included on compilation albums or leaked
Internet leak
An Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...

 onto the Internet. This was due to a conflict with Baby Records because the company was not releasing any material by Arcángel & De La Ghetto onto an album of their own. Arcángel claimed to have even spent $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

150,000 on producing an album, which resulted in the label not releasing it to market. The tracks produced were said to have been leaked onto the Internet instead. Arcángel had then filed a lawsuit with Baby Records in 2007 for US$1,000,000 and would eventually leave the record company in December 2006, when he announced that he was embarking on a solo career and founding a label of his own.

After the separation of the duo in 2007, Arcángel went on to perform solo, working with various reggaeton producers and performers on compilation albums. Most notable of them was a compilation album produced in 2007, Flow la Discoteka 2
Flow la Discoteka 2
Flow la Discoteka 2 is a 2007 compilation album produced by DJ Nelson, and is the sequel album to Flow la Discoteka.-Track listing:-Chart performance:It became a major success on the Billboard Top Latin Albums, peaking at #28...

, which was produced by songwriter and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 DJ Nelson
DJ Nelson
Nelson Díaz Martinez , known artistically as DJ Nelson is a DJ/producer who played a significant role in the development and popularization of reggaeton. He first made a name for himself as part of the Noise, a club-centered collective that was spawned in 1992...

. The album was an upbringing of different artists trying to rise to fame, one of those including Arcángel, who made a track titled "Chica Virtual
Chica Virtual
"Chica Virtual" is a 2007 single by reggaeton singer Arcángel, released in February 2007 by Universal Music Group. It was produced by executive producer DJ Nelson, and appears on the compilation album Flow la Discoteka 2, as well as Arcángel's second studio album El Fenómeno.-Chart performance:The...

", which went on to be one of his most recognizable songs, as well as being a popular airplay single on American Latin Urban radio stations, charting at number 9 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

 Latin Rhythm Airplay chart. It also charted at number 22 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart.

2008–present: Solo career and debut album

Since the departure from the duo, as well as his former record label Baby Records, Arcángel originally decided to release his debut studio album titled La Maravilla in early 2008. The decision to release the album, however, was cancelled due to the album being leaked onto the Internet during Spring 2008. The tracks were distributed through his official website and file sharing sites relating to reggaeton under the title La Maravilla. One of the internet leaks, a song titled "Pa' Que la Pases Bien
Pa' Que la Pases Bien
"Pa' Que la Pases Bien" is a single by American reggaeton artist Arcángel from his first studio album La Maravilla, released in February 2008....

", went on to be a popular airplay track on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The unreleased album being leaked onto the internet resulted in making Arcángel more popular among reggaeton fans in the United States, as well as Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

.

Arcángel founded Flow Factory Inc. in 2008, and his mother became his manager afterward. He claimed that it was easier having his mother be his manager so that he would not have to pay 20 percent of money received from record sales to his record label and manager. He went on to release his debut album, El Fenómeno
El Fenómeno
El Fenómeno is the first studio album by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Arcángel, released on December 9, 2008, by Machete Music.-Album details:...

, in late 2008. The album included songs that were produced in the last quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008, including the DJ Nelson produced "Chica Virtual
Chica Virtual
"Chica Virtual" is a 2007 single by reggaeton singer Arcángel, released in February 2007 by Universal Music Group. It was produced by executive producer DJ Nelson, and appears on the compilation album Flow la Discoteka 2, as well as Arcángel's second studio album El Fenómeno.-Chart performance:The...

". Half of the album was tracks that he originally produced for an album that was to be released in the first quarter of 2008. The other half of the album also included newly produced tracks, ones including "Por Amar a Ciegas
Por Amar a Ciegas
"Por Amar a Ciegas", English: For Loving Blind,is the first single by reggaeton artist Arcángel from his second studio album El Fenómeno, released in December 2008. It was produced by Luny Tunes, Tainy and Noriega.-Music video:...

", which went on to become a successful airplay single on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States.

In mid-January 2009, Arcángel announced plans of a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an tour sometime during 2009, in promotion of his debut album, El Fenómeno, and to receive more exposure across the world from reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...

 fans. To comment on the tour, he claimed that in order for it to be successful, good equipment would be highly important, and by going along with the tour, he will be able to learn more on what the continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...

al tour experience is like. Arcángel confirmed to be touring in several countries, including Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, Holland and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

. His Mixtape The Problem Child was released on April 2010 and now he is planning to make a new album called Sentimento, Elegancia & Maldad. His most recent mixtape Optimus A.R.C.A was released on October 2010.

Film career

In 2008, Arcángel starred in the independently-produced
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...

 film Muerte en El Paraíso, which told the story of two brothers who make it into the music industry, but are swindled by two record company executives. The film was directed by Abimael Acosta and opened on March 5, 2008 in selected theaters. In the film, Arcángel starred as "Kalil", one of the brothers who was new to the music industry. The film was distributed by independent film company, Producciones Nuevo-Enfoque, and was produced by Jeancarlo Rodríguez and Doel Alicea.

Mixtape with De La Ghetto

  • La Factoría del Flow (2006)
  • La Factoría del Flow, Vol.2 (2006)
  • La Factoría del Flow, Vol.3 (2007)

Singles

  • Chica Virtual
    Chica Virtual
    "Chica Virtual" is a 2007 single by reggaeton singer Arcángel, released in February 2007 by Universal Music Group. It was produced by executive producer DJ Nelson, and appears on the compilation album Flow la Discoteka 2, as well as Arcángel's second studio album El Fenómeno.-Chart performance:The...

     (2007)
  • Pa' Que La Pases Bien
    Pa' Que la Pases Bien
    "Pa' Que la Pases Bien" is a single by American reggaeton artist Arcángel from his first studio album La Maravilla, released in February 2008....

     (2008)
  • Por Amar A Ciegas (2008)
  • Mundo De Colores (2010)

Studio Albums

  • La Maravilla (2008)
  • El Fenómeno
    El Fenómeno
    El Fenómeno is the first studio album by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Arcángel, released on December 9, 2008, by Machete Music.-Album details:...

     (2008)
  • Sentimiento, Elegancia & Maldad (2011)

Collaboration Albums

  • Lo Mejor de los Dos Mundos (with Kendo Kaponi) (2012)
  • Juntos Por Necesidad Del Genero (with De La Ghetto
    De La Ghetto
    Rafael Castillo , better known by his stage name De La Ghetto, is an American reggaeton singer/rapper originally of the duo Arcángel & De La Ghetto.-Biography:...

    ) (2012)
  • Arcángel Presenta: Flow Factory Vol.1 - Los Maravilloso (201?)

iTunes Albums

  • Arcangel (2004)
  • La Maravilla Finest Hits (2009)
  • Special edition vol.1 (2009)
  • La Maravilla, Vol.2 (2010)

Mixtape

  • K-Libre (2006)
  • The New King (2007)
  • K-Libre: Special Edition (2007)
  • Captain America (2008)
  • Los Metalicos 18+ (2009)
  • The Hit Maker (2009)
  • The Problem Child (2010)
  • Optimus A.R.C.A.
    Optimus A.R.C.A.
    Optimus A.R.C.A. is the 8th mixtape by Arcángel released through Flow Factory Inc. on October 31, 2010.-Track listing:...

    (2010)
  • Optimus A.R.C.A. Reborn (2012)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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