Héctor & Tito

Héctor & Tito were a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo famous for their song "Ay Amor", featuring salsa singer Víctor Manuelle, which was the group's only charting song in the United States. They are widely regarded as one of the most influential and famous pioneering duos in the history of reggaeton. The duo caught the world's attention and expanded the genre reggaeton globally. They both became the first stars of Reggaeton and paved the way for such an artist Daddy Yankee , Tego Calderón. They are also known for the songs "Gata Salvaje" (featuring Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam), "Baila Morena" (featuring Glory and Don Omar) and "Amor de Colegio" (featuring Don Omar).

Héctor & Tito
OriginPuerto Rico
Genres
Years active1996–2004
Past members

Héctor & Tito started their career in the 1990s going by the name of "Los Bambinos" after singing with other reggaeton artists. Together, they released several albums and rose to fame in all Latin America.

In 2004, the duo announced they were separating. Since then, they have gone on with their careers separately. Although not really in a tiraera war, their friendship remained tense for a time though both have publicly reconciled in present time. The singers are now known as Héctor el Father and Tito El Bambino who would go on to be two of the most successful solo acts in Latin music history. Héctor el Father retired in 2008 to become an evangelical pastor in Puerto Rico, while Tito El Bambino remains active in the music industry.

Beginnings

Efrain Fines (Tito) and Hector Delgado were born in 1981 and 1979 respectively in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Both artists resided in the neighborhood of Parque Ecuestre and began their artistic pursuits in their teens. Hector El Father was part of the rap group "Masters of Funk" alongside Rey and Julio Voltio, while Tito El Bambino recorded with various local DJs gaining an appearance in the famous reggaeton series "The Noise vol. 5" which was considered his big break into the music scene. Thanks to local DJs such as Chiclin and Estefano, Tito and Hector form a friendship which evolved into a duo when Hector separated from Masters of Funk. After appearances on many compilations from local DJs and producers from Puerto Rico, the duo connected with DJ Goldy and signed to VI Music in order to prepare their first album Violencia Musical, released in 1998. It became a huge commercial and critical success in Puerto Rico, selling over 100,000 copies at the time and turning the duo into one of the most popular music groups on the island.[1]

International recognition

Over the course of time, the reggaeton genre gained prominence outside of Puerto Rico and despite Hector y Tito's temporary loss of popularity due to a Christian album which didn't sell well and rap battles against Rubio y Joel and Baby Rasta y Gringo which also affected their sales; by 2002 Hector y Tito won their lyrical battle against Rubio y Joel and regained their position as one of the most popular acts in Puerto Rico. This was good news for the company Universal Latino which entered in a partnership with VI Music to distribute Hector y Tito's much anticipated A La Reconquista, which became one of the first widely distributed reggaeton albums during the genre's boom period of 2002-2006. Thanks to international hits such as "Duele (Cuando El Amor Se Va)", "Gata Salvaje" and "Felina", the positive reception of these songs throughout Latin America and the United States made Hector y Tito protagonists in the expansion of the reggaeton culture alongside artists such as Don Omar, Tego Calderon and the hitmaking production duo Luny Tunes. A La Reconquista also served as a launching pad for the career of Don Omar who was signed to Hector 'El Father' and VI Music leading to Omar writing many of the songs for the album including songs he was featured on. A La Reconquista is recognized as one of the greatest reggaeton albums of all-time and was both a commercial and critical success winning a Billboard Latin Music Award for best Latin rap album.[2] The live version of the album, La Historia: Live which includes additional live performances of some of the duo's earlier hits was certified Latin platinum by the RIAA in 2003.[3]

Separation

Due to unforeseen pressures from the unexpected success, tensions arose between the fellow artists and both decided to pursue solo ambitions amid an inamicable split. Hector changed his name from El Bambino to El Father evolving into a mafioso persona emulating his American hip hop influences such as Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Hector recorded many successful records and platinum albums such as "Noches De Travesura" feat. Divino, "Mayor Que Yo" featuring Varios, and his solo project The Bad Boy which was certified Latin platinum by the RIAA in 2006.[4] Hector El Father also had partnerships for his record label Gold Star Music with Roc-A-Fella Records and Machete Music/Universal Latino recording a collaboration with Jay-Z on "Here We Go" from Los Rompediscotecas, distributed by Roc La Familia (Roc-A-Fella's Latino division).[5] Hector El Father would retire from the music scene in 2008 to pursue his faith in Jesus Christ.[6]

Post-duo solo careers

Tito El Bambino became one of the most popular acts in Latin music and is most well known for the pop-smash "El Amor" from 2009's platinum El Patron album.[7] Tito would feature alongside many prominent Latin music acts such as Marc Anthony, Ednita Nazario, Zion y Lennox and Wisin y Yandel.

Tito El Bambino is currently active to the present day and remains one of the most popular Latin acts in the industry.[8] Hector y Tito have publicly reconciled since their split in 2004.[9]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Live albums

Tito El Bambino

Hector El Father

Studio albums

Live albums

  • 2007: Bad Boy: The Concert

Compilation albums

References
  1. http://www.coveralia.com/biografias/Hector-y-Tito.php Coveralia biography
  2. https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/71168/2003-billboard-latin-music-award-winners Billboard list of winners for 2003
  3. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA.
  4. https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=HECTOR+%26quot%3BEL+FATHER%26quot%3B&ti=THE+BAD+BOY Bad Boy RIAA certification
  5. https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58546/bambino-cd-inaugurating-roc-la-familia Billboard article about Los Rompediscotecas
  6. Peña, Ninro Ruíz (20 March 2015). "Héctor El Father: "Que me busquen en la Biblia dónde dice que Jesús cobró por predicar"".
  7. https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=TITO+EL+BAMBINO&ti=EL+PATRON El Patron Certification
  8. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin-notas/6121136/tito-el-bambino-hits-no-1-ricky-martin-vida-cracks-top-10-on-latin-charts Tito El Bambino Billboard news
  9. https://www.msn.com/es-xl/noticias/otras/h%C3%A9ctor-%E2%80%98el-father%E2%80%99-y-tito-el-bambino-se-reencuentran/vp-AAmU1oM Hector and Tito reunion in 2017
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