Other members of the band include:
Nando (vocalist)
Pangie (vocalist)
Abel Talamantez (vocalist)
Cruz "CK" Martinez (keyboards, producer)
Chris Perez (lead guitar)
Nino B (rapper, dancer)
Pee Wee (vocalist)
J.P. (dancer)
They have produced 8 albums since their debut in 1999:
Amor, Familia y Respeto... (1999)
SHHH! (2001) (their first album with English tracks)
All Mixed Up: Los Remixes (2002)
4 (2003)
Fuego (2004)
Los Remixes 2.0 (2004)
Duetos (2005)
Kumbia Kings Live (2006)
Their first album sold over 500,000 copies and earned them a Grammy nomination, and later they earned a nomination for the "Latin Artist of the Year" at the 2003 American Music Awards.
2005's "Los Kumbia Kings" are vastly different then the group that originated in Corpus Christi 8 years ago.The groups two founding members remain(A.B. Quintanilla and Cruz Martinez) but the group has gone through a revolving door of members in recent years, amid controversy and finger-pointing.
Gone are original members Frankie J. and DJ-Kane.Both who have gone on to success as solo artists and Kingz1, a collaboration of former Kumbia Kings members, who defected from the group among internal dissention, released "Amor,Familia,Respect" in 2004.
In October 2004, Los Kumbia Kings released their 8th studio album titled "Fuego".The CD went on went to sell well over 500,000 copies. The "Gold-Standard" in the Latin music Industry.
The Current Los Kumbia Kings roster includes former "Menudo" member Abel Talamantez, as well as a 14 year old Irvin "Pee-Wee" Gonzalez. Gonzalez was born in Washington state, but moved to Texas at an early age. He was plucked from a talent search to head Los Kumbia Kings into the next generation.
In early 2006, Los Kumbia Kings will return to the studio to begin work on their next album, and the final one as members for A.B. Quintanilla and Cruz Martinez.The group's original members will no longer record and tour with musical sensation they built following this year.Quintanilla has stated his desire to expand the musical empire he has created.His "King Of Bling" production company recently signed a multi-million deal with EMI Latin.He also plans on taking "Los Kumbia Kings" to the American pop-markets.A move he had been reluctant to do until the recent success of "Reggaeton" in the international music market.
Martinez, who is wed to Mexican singing sensation Alicia Villareal, will work along-side Quintanilla developoing "King of Bling" artists'.He also is producing albums for latin super-stars Joan Sebastian, and Pablo Montenero.
There has also been varied speculation of a possible "Los Kumbia Kings" reunion in recent months.Recent media reports have Quintanilla reuniting many former Kumbia King members, including Frankie "J" Baustista, Jason "DJ-Kane" Cano, Alex and Roy Ramirez,in the studio as a farewell tribute to their fans.
Although, this group has gained much success since its founding co-founder A.B. Quintanilla III took off from the group. On August 03, 2006 Pee Wee has come out saying he will not be coming back to Los Kumbia Kings due to a conflict. Pee Wee was sick for a performance and was replaced, Pee Wee seeing this as an insult decided to leave the group for good joining up with former co-founder A.B. Quintanilla III to do form another group.
Mi Gente
A.B. Quintanilla III Y Los Kumbia Kings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Si yo, trabajo de sol a sol
Si ser honesto es mi religión
Yo no necesito que me digan
Si yo vine de lejos a esta tierra
Fue porque había escuchado la promesa
Que aquí yo encontraría la manera
Para poder vivir mejor
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Yo quiero que entiendan que en mí también corre el sudor
Que yo quiero a mi tierra
Que a mí también me duele lo mismo que a usted
Que sepan que yo soy de aquí como lo es cualquiera
Que también me da pena
Las injusticias, la pobreza de mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Sufro por ti para que no sigas así
Gozo al sentir que tú me entiendes a mí
Río al mirar toda mi gente reír
Grito al saber que tú te sientes así
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
Por mi gente es que grito yo
Es que grito hoy
Por mi gente es que canto hoy
Es que canto pa' mi gente
Por mi gente es que grito yo
Grito al saber que tú te sientes así
Por mi gente es que canto hoy
Canto de mi gente, canto por mi gente
Por mi gente es que grito yo
Que no sufra más así
Por mi gente es que canto hoy
Por mi gente es que canto hoy
Esta es mi tierra por ella es que hoy canto yo
Canto, canto
Esta es mi tierra por ella es que hoy canto yo
Canto, canto
Esta es mi tierra por ella es que hoy canto yo
Canto, canto
Esta es mi tierra por ella es que hoy canto yo
Canto, canto
Esta es mi tierra por ella es que hoy canto yo
The lyrics of "Mi Gente" by A.B. Quintanilla III is an emotional expression of the struggles and pain that the singer and his people have gone through. The first stanza portrays the emotions of suffering, feeling, laughing, crying, staying silent, and shouting together with his community. The second stanza emphasizes the singer's hard work and struggles in a foreign land and the promises he believed were there to improve his life. He does not need anyone to tell him what he can or cannot do because honesty is his religion. The third stanza explains that the singer is just like any other person from his homeland and experiences the same struggles as them. He loves his country, feels shameful towards the poverty and injustices there, and wants his community to understand his emotions.
The chorus repeats the emotions of suffering, feeling, laughing, crying, staying silent, and shouting with his people, where no one understands his pain. In the bridge, the singer expresses that he screams for his people and sings for his people, who he does not want to suffer anymore. Finally, the end of the song talks about the singer's love for his country and how his music is meant for his people.
Line by Line Meaning
Sufro, siento, río, lloro
I suffer, feel, laugh, cry
Callo, grito, con toda mi gente
I am silent, I scream, with all my people/Mi gente
Callo, grito, porque no me entienden
I am silent, I scream, because they don't understand me
Si yo, trabajo de sol a sol
If I work from sunrise to sunset
Si ser honesto es mi religión
If honesty is my religion
Yo no necesito que me digan
I don't need anyone to tell me
Que es lo que puedo hacer, no no que no
What I can or cannot do
Si yo vine de lejos a esta tierra
If I came from far to this land
Fue porque había escuchado la promesa
It was because I had heard the promise
Que aquí yo encontraría la manera
That here I would find a way
Para poder vivir mejor
To be able to live better
Yo quiero que entiendan que en mí también corre el sudor
I want them to understand that sweat also runs in me
Que yo quiero a mi tierra
That I love my land
Que a mí también me duele lo mismo que a usted
That it hurts me the same as it hurts you
Que sepan que yo soy de aquí como lo es cualquiera
Let them know that I am from here like anyone else
Que también me da pena
That it also makes me sad
Las injusticias, la pobreza de mi gente
The injustices, the poverty of my people
Sufro por ti para que no sigas así
I suffer for you so you don't continue like this
Gozo al sentir que tú me entiendes a mí
I feel joy when you understand me
Río al mirar toda mi gente reír
I laugh watching all my people laugh
Por mi gente es que grito yo
It is for my people that I scream
Por mi gente es que canto hoy
It is for my people that I sing today
Que no sufra más así
May they not suffer like this anymore
Esta es mi tierra por ella es que hoy canto yo
This is my land for which I sing today
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Luigi Giraldo, Cruz Martinez, Asdrubal P. Sierra, Jiro Yamaguchi, Raul Jr. Pacheco, Justin B. Poree, Nir Seroussi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind