Jonny Z is an American
hip hop artist and producer.
Career
Jonny Z first began working with producer Doug Rasheed in the mid 1990s. He scored his first hit when "Shake Shake (Shake Your Culo)" reached #38 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music chart.
In 1996 he released "Latin Swing" which peaked at #43 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music Chart.
[allmusic.com,]
Jonny Z - Awards
. Accessed 27 May 2013.
His debut album, ''Jonny Z'', was released in December 1996. It featured "No Senor (Drop Your Chones)", which reached #38 on the Billboard Hot Dance Singles chart, and "Mamacita", which reached #51.
[
He recorded a Latino version of ]Rodney O and Joe Cooley
Rodney-O & Joe Cooley, consisting of rapper Rodney Oliver, also known as "Rodney O", DJ Joe Cooley (August 15 1965) and Jeffrey Page, also known as "General Jeff", is an American rap group from Southern California. Rodney O, from Riverside, and J ...
's "Everlasting Bass" entitled "Puro Latin Bass", featuring South Park Mexican a.k.a. SPM.
He then established his own label "One Lil Vato". His singles "Ku-Ku" and "Te La Pongo" were released by Jellybean Benitez
John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters. H ...
's label, Jellybean Recordings, in 2001.
Legacy
Jonny Z is considered to be a pioneer of Latin Hip-Hop, due to him being one of the first Latinos combining bass music with salsa, mambo, and regional Mexican banda. The Oxford encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States - Volume 2 - Page 301 states:
"A new style of Latina and Latino hip-hop was created in Miami and Texas by the bass rappers DJ Laz
Lazaro Mendez, better known by his stage name DJ Laz (born December 2, 1971 in Hollywood, Florida, United States) is a Cuban-American rapper and DJ from Miami, Florida. He hosted his weekday radio show in Miami on WPOW 96.5 FM, branded "Power 96 ...
and Jonny Z, who mixed Latin styles with bass music"....funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
-influenced hip hop on his earlier albums. Among those early tracks, the Chicano anthem "Orale". He also was the first Latino American to incorporate not only Spanglish in his raps, but more explicit words and phrases. Words like "Culo" and "Nalgas", and "Chones". Phrases like "Vamos a la cama", and "Se me Paro". This opened the door of acceptability at radio stations across the U.S. He was truly the original Latin rap rebel.
Jonny Z's records continue to be aired frequently on major radio stations across the U.S. including KBBT San Antonio, and KYLD San Francisco.
Discography
* ''Jonny Z'' (1996) Pump Records/Quality Records
Quality Records was a Canadian entertainment company which released music albums in Canada on behalf of American record labels. They also released recordings by Canadian artists.
The company operated between 1950 and 1985 with offices in Toron ...
* ''Sancho Villa'' (1999) One Lil Vato Records
* ''Z 1 N Only'' (1998) Pump Records
* ''Bass Balla'' (2000) Thump Records
Thump Records is a record label specialized in various genres of music. Founded by Bill Walker and Al Lopez for $10,000. In 1997 Bill Walker became its sole C.E.O. and President.
History
Thump's success was ignited by the popularity of its Old S ...
* ''El Catrin'' (2000) Thump Records
* ''Hits and More'' (2000)
* ''Greatest Hits'' (2000)
* ''Barrio Knights'' (2003)
Billboard Charts
Notes and references
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jonny Z
American male rappers
American rappers of Mexican descent
Chicano rap
Hip hop record producers
Hispanic and Latino American rappers
Living people
Rappers from San Diego
Year of birth missing (living people)
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American male musicians