Check the scenario: Anthony Santos, his cousin Henry Santos, and brothers Mikey and Lenny Santos, four boys from the Bronx, grow up listening to both their parents' Latin music and the Boogie Down's hottest Hip-Hop. And out of this fusion emerges something new -traditional Bachata melodies over Hip-Hop's staccato beats. While rejected by critics at first, this innovative music goes on to become an international phenomenon leading to worldwide tours and movie deals. Sound like a dream? Not if you're Aventura.
Aventura, Spanish for "adventure," first came on the scene in 1999 with the release of their debut album, Generation Next. But they didn't really hit until 2002's We Broke the Rules, which included the mega-smash "Obsession (No Es Amor)." A single that topped the charts throughout Latin America as well as places the group had only seen microscopically on maps, such as Switzerland, Italy, and Romania.
In the past, detractors had denounced the group for combining Bachata (a form of Blues originated in the Dominican Republic) with Hip-Hop and other rhythms. However, convinced they had hit an untapped market, Aventura continued to perfect their sound and with the success of "Obsession," shed their boy band image and earned praise for their dedication to Bachata music and its roots. "We know the tradition and where Bachata comes from and we're not trying to change it," says lead singer Anthony Santos. "It's an honor to spread Bachata around the world, and everywhere we go we make sure to explain how we didn't create the music."
What Aventura did create was a new style that struck a chord with Latinos and non-Latinos alike, while at the same time generating a lot of music industry buzz, which has high-profile artists in multiple genres, including Busta Rhymes and P.Diddy, giving up props. "A lot of people caught on to the style because it's modern, and they adapted to it," explains Santos.
One of the keys to Aventura's success has to do with the truthful topics broached in their songs. "I'm really into lyrics," says Santos, who mentions Tupac, Biggie, and Jay-Z as influences. "That's what people will always remember. You can have a beat that's the jump-off, but at the end of the day, if the lyrics aren't tight then the song is a waste." Words to live by.
Article courtesy of Bridgez Magazine.
