Julio Voltio (born as Julio Irving Ramos Filomeno on June 11, 1977 in

Santurce, Puerto Rico Santurce (, from the Basque '' Santurtzi'' which means Saint George) is a barrio or district in the municipality of San Juan. Its population in 2020 was 69,469. It is also the biggest and most populated of all the barrios in the capital city wi ...

) is a Puerto Rican former

reggaeton Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American Hip hop m ...

artist. A pioneer of the reggaeton genre, Voltio retired from music in 2014 and dedicated himself to preaching

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

. His nickname came to be as the result of an accident. Before joining Karel, he worked as an

electrician An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance ...

. One day, he stuck his hand in the wrong place and got

shock Shock may refer to: Common uses Collective noun *Shock, a historic commercial term for a group of 60, see English numerals#Special names * Stook, or shock of grain, stacked sheaves Healthcare * Shock (circulatory), circulatory medical emergen ...

ed. Everyone then called him "Bombillo" (Light Bulb) and "Corto Circuito" (Short Circuit), until eventually giving him a nickname that stuck: "Voltio" (Spanish word for

volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Defi ...

). Julio Voltio now identifies as a

born-again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...

. Julio said in an interview: "Yes, really I accepted Christ as my savior, I really do because sometimes you have a void in the hearts and therefore need to search for Christ."

Music career

Growing up in the Parque Ecuestre section of Carolina, Voltio entered the music business as a

teenager Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...

. Together with Rey 29 and Héctor Delgado (AKA

Hector "El Father" In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

), he formed ''The Masters of Funk''. Although the trio released no listed albums, they were influential in starting the reggaeton movement. Shortly after separating from The Masters of Funk, Voltio partnered with Karel, a neighborhood friend, to form Karel y Voltio. They released their debut album

Los Dueños del Estilo ''Los Dueños del Estilo'' (English: The Owner's of Style) was the first album of the duo Karel & Voltio. The album languished, however, and the duo's enthusiasm dwindled. Track listing # Dale Con La Lenta # Yal # Siempre Hay Algo (feat. Yaga & ...

in 2003. The album languished, however, and the duo's enthusiasm dwindled. Karel was last featured in La Mision 4. Voltio was signed under Pina Records company. Pina stole money from Voltio and he left that company, then went into a musical battle (Tiraera Pina, Bling Bling, Wasa Wasa) against Lito y Polaco, Pina Records main artists. With few options, Voltio was preparing to exit the music business when

Tego Calderón Tegui Calderón Rosario (born February 1, 1972) is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and actor. He began his musical career in 1996 (as Tego Tec) and was supported by the famous Puerto Rican rapper Eddie Dee, who invited him on his second studio albu ...

, a leading artist with

White Lion Records White Lion Records is a reggaeton, Latin Music, Latín reggae and urbano record label established by Elías de León with the release of the album '' No Mercy'' by Daddy Yankee in 1995. The label would temporarily change its name to 'Boricua Guerr ...

, convinced him to sign with the label. Having taken Tego's advice, Voltio released the album

Voltage AC ''Voltage AC'' is the debut solo album by Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Voltio. It was released in 2004 through record label Sony BMG. The album sold more than 200,000 copies to date, including 50,000 in Japan. Track listing # Intro # Julito Mar ...

, with the hits "Bumper", "No Amarres Fuego" (featuring

Zion & Lennox Zion & Lennox are a reggaeton music duo from Carolina, Puerto Rico. In 2004, Zion & Lennox released their first studio album titled ''Motivando A La Yal'' under White Lion Records. After their first album, Zion & Lennox decided to start their own ...

) and "Julito Maraña". Voltio also featured on a remix of the song " Locked Up" by

Akon Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...

, which was released in the UK as part of ''Locked Up-Global Remixes''. Having experienced relative success, Voltio returned with his a self-titled release in 2005, which included his biggest hit to date "Chulín Culín Chunflai", which features

Residente Calle 13 René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978), known professionally as Residente (often stylized as Resīdɛntə), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as one of the founders of the alternative rap band Calle 13. ...

and a remix version with

Three 6 Mafia Three 6 Mafia is an American Hip hop music, hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip hop group, they would eventually go on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mys ...

. In 2006, Voltio was on

Frankie Frankie may refer to: People *Frankie (musician), indie pop musician from Los Angeles, California * Frankie Abernathy (1981–2007), American MTV Real World cast member *Frankie Adams (born 1994), Samoan New Zealand actress *Frankie Avalon (born ...

2006 remix of his "Puerto Rico". Voltio recently teamed up with Calle 13 to speak out against police brutality in Puerto Rico. On August 11, 2008, announced the publication of a documentary titled "En vivo desde Oso Blanco". The production covers the time that Voltio spent in prison. Voltio is also included on the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack with his song ''Pónmela'' from the 2007 release of ''En lo Claro''. He made collaborations with Jowell & Randy (Welcome to my crib). ''En lo Claro'' has experienced mild success in contrast to Voltio's first two releases, garnering #36 on the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Top Latin Albums Top Latin Albums is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine and is labeled as the most important music chart for Spanish language, full-length albums in the American music market. Like all ''Billboard'' album charts, the chart is based ...

chart. The album also peaked at #24 on the Billboard

Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...

chart. In 2014, Voltio left reggaeton and converted to Christianity.

Discography

Albums

;Solo albums * 2004: ''

'' * 2005: '' Voltage DC'' * 2007: '' En lo Claro'' ;Other albums * 2003: ''

Singles

* 2004: "Julito Maraña" (feat.

) * 2004: "Bumper" * 2004: "Lock Up" (Akon feat Voltio) * 2005: "Mambo" * 2005: "Bumper (Official Remix)" (feat.

Pitbull Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...

Lil Rob Roberto L. Flores (born September 21, 1975), better known by his stage name Lil Rob, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. Biography Flores was born in San Diego and raised in La Colonia de Eden Gardens, a Mexican American neighborhood i ...

) * 2005: "

Chulin Culin Chunfly "Chulin Culin Chunfly" is the third single by Puerto Rican reggaeton performer Voltio, from his eponymous second studio album, ''Voltio''. It was released on January 23, 2006, by Sony BMG and White Lion. The album version features Residente o ...

" (feat.

) * 2005: "Chulin Culin Chunfly (remix)" (feat.

) * 2005: "Se Van, Se Van" (feat.

) * 2005: "Matando La Liga" * 2005: "Culebra" * 2005: "Chévere" (feat. Notch) * 2006: "Claro de Luna" * 2006: "Let's Go To My Crib" (feat.

Jowell & Randy Jowell & Randy are a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo composed of Joel Muñoz (born March 3, 1982) and Randy Ortiz (born July 16, 1983). The duo have been active since the early-2000s and have become one of the most popular acts in reggaeton. They have ...

) * 2007: "Los Capo" (feat.

Ñejo & Dalmata Ñejo & Dálmata, also known as Ñejo y Dálmata, are a reggaeton duo from Ponce, Puerto Rico. Ñejo was born June 20, 1975 & Dálmata was born February 27, 1979. They had worked together in collaborations with other reggaeton artists before th ...

Guelo Star Miguel de Jesús (born September 19, 1981, Ponce, Puerto Rico), also known as Guelo Star, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton rapper, singer, lyricist, occasional producer and promoter. In his musical career, he has worked with artists such as Daddy Yan ...

Zion Zion ( he, צִיּוֹן ''Ṣīyyōn'', LXX , also variously transliterated ''Sion'', ''Tzion'', ''Tsion'', ''Tsiyyon'') is a placename in the Hebrew Bible used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole (see Names ...

De La Ghetto Rafael Castillo Torres, known professionally as De La Ghetto, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter, originally part of the duo Arcángel & De La Ghetto. His name is a reference to a 1990 episode of ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air''. Earl ...

, Syko,

) * 2007: " El Mellao" * 2008: " Pónmela" (feat.

) * 2008: "Un Amor Como Tú" (feat.

Arcangel Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...

) * 2009: "Esto Es A Palo" * 2009: "Dimelo Mami" * 2009: "Dimelo Mami (Remix)" (feat.

Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, composer, and actor. Known as the " King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike, he is the artist who coined ...

) * 2009: "Tumba El Piquete" (feat.J-Alvarez) * 2012: "La Kiebra nuka remix" (feat.Mr. Pelón (503)) * 2014: "Siempre Estoy" (feat.

Ñengo Flow Edwin Rosa Vázquez Ortiz (born October 15, 1981), known professionally as Ñengo Flow, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. He was born in the Río Piedras district of San Juan and grew up in Bayamón where he started in the music business ...

)

Guest appearances

* 1993: "No Te Canses, El Funeral"

(feat. Voltio) * 1998: "Muévela" DJ Dicky (feat. Voltio) * 2003: "Mi Libertad" (feat.

Jerry Rivera Jerry Rivera (born Gerardo Rivera Rodríguez on July 31, 1973) is a Puerto Rican salsa singer and songwriter. Early years Rivera was born in Humacao, a town located on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. He moved with his family to Levittown i ...

) * 2004: " 12 Discípulos" (

Eddie Dee Eddie Alexander Ávila Ortiz (born April 26, 1977), originally known by his stage name Eddie Dee, is a Puerto Rican hip hop recording artist, lyricist and dancer. He began his career in 1990 and launched his debut studio album three years later ...

feat.

Tego Calderon Tego may refer to: * Tego (toego), Bhutanese clothing *Tego film, an adhesive sheet used in the manufacture of waterproof plywood *Tego Calderón Tegui Calderón Rosario (born February 1, 1972) is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and actor. He bega ...

Ivy Queen Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez (born March 4, 1972), known professionally as Ivy Queen, is a Puerto Rican singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress. She is considered one of the pioneers of the reggaeton genre, commonly referred to as the Qu ...

Vico C Luis Armando Lozada Cruz (born September 8, 1971), known by his stage name Vico C, is an American rapper and record producer. Regarded as the founding father of reggaeton, Vico C has played an influential role in the development of Latin American ...

Nicky Jam Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer and actor. He is best known for hits such as " X", " Travesuras", "En la Cama", "Te Busco", "El Perdón", "Hasta el Amanecer", and "El Amante"; ...

, Voltio, Gallego, Wiso G and Johhny Prez) * 2005: "En Este Infierno"

K-Narias K-Narias is a reggaeton/pop music group formed by twin sisters Gara and Loida H, born on 12 January 1985 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. K-Narias are twins born and raised in the Canary Islands, specifically in Santa Cruz d ...

(feat. Voltio) * 2005: "Amor de Una Noche" (feat.

N'Klabe N'Klabe is a Puerto Rican salsa group formed in 2003. History N'Klabe was formed in 2003 by Félix Javier "Felo" Torres. They have released several albums, including their debut album, ''Salsa Contra Viento y Marea'', in 2004 and recently releas ...

) * 2005: "So Amazing" Jagged Edge (feat. Voltio) * 2006: "Lo Que Son Las Cosas (Reggaeton Version)" Anaís (feat. Voltio) * 2006: "En Mi Puertorro" Andy Montañez (feat. Voltio) * 2006: "Abusando Del Genero" DJ Joe (feat.

Yomo Jose Alberto Torres Abreu (born June 17, 1980 in Chicago), known professionally as Yomo, is an American reggaeton singer of Puerto Rican descent. He was raised in Humacao. Before becoming a professional artist, he used to work as a handyman ...

, Voltio, Trebol Clan,

, Tempo) * 2006: "Mil Caminos" Leonor (feat. Voltio) * 2006: "Payaso"

(feat. Voltio &

) * 2006: "Gansta" Baby Ranks (feat. Voltio) * 2006: "Llegaron Los Rebuleros" Maestro (feat. Voltio) * 2007: "Ella Volvió" (feat. N'Klabe) * 2007: "Dale Mami Damelo" DJ Nelson (feat. Voltio) * 2007: "Lo Hecho Hecho Esta"

(feat. Pirulo, Voltio, Ñejo, Chyno Nyno) * 2007: "

Get Me Bodied "Get Me Bodied" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second solo studio album ''B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Sean Garrett, Makeba Riddick, Angela Beyince, and Solange Knowles, while ...

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

(feat. Voltio) * 2007: "Si Me Matan"

Alexis & Fido Alexis & Fido, a.k.a. Los Pitbulls,Reggaetón 'Pitbulls' Ready To S ...

(feat. Lapiz Conciente, Luis Vargas, Voltio,

, Jadiel, Primer Mandatario & Sofla) * 2007: "Easy"

Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1978), better known by his stage name Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican reggaeton singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. On September 1, 2017, he announced that he would retire after a ...

(feat.

, Voltio, Eddie Dee,

& Cosculluela) * 2008: "Don't Stay Away from the Sunlight" Turbulence (feat. Voltio) * 2008: "Levántate" J-King & Maximan (feat. Voltio,

) * 2008: "Na De Na (Remix)"

Angel & Khriz Angel & Khriz are a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo, consisting of Angel Rivera Guzmán (Angel) and Christian Colón Rolon (Khriz). Their high-impact performance on this first-time-out recording led to their sponsorship by Héctor el Father. Through ...

(feat. John Eric, Gocho,

Alexis Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–1977 ...

, Voltio,

, & Franco "El Gorila") * 2008: "Ella Menea (Remix)" NG2 * 2010: "

Hipnótika ''La Vida de un Genio'' (English: ''The Life of a Genius'') is the third studio album by Mexican-American cumbia group A.B. Quintanilla y Los Kumbia All Starz and the seventh studio album by Mexican-American musician A.B. Quintanilla. It was relea ...

A.B. Quintanilla Abraham Quintanilla III (born December 13, 1963), known professionally as A.B. Quintanilla III or A.B. Quintanilla, is an American record producer, songwriter and musician, and the older brother of singer Selena, known as " The Queen of Tejano ...

Y Los

Kumbia All Starz Los Kumbia All Starz are an American musical group from Corpus Christi, Texas, created by A.B. Quintanilla. Kumbia All Starz are not to be confused with Los Kumbia Kings although some members are originally from Los Kumbia Kings. Their 2006 debut ...

(feat. Voltio and

Marciano Cantero Marciano Cantero (born Horacio Eduardo Cantero Hernández, 25 August 1960 – 8 September 2022) was an Argentine musician. He was the lead singer and bassist of Enanitos Verdes, an Argentine pop/rock band. Biography Cantero was nine when he f ...

from

Los Enanitos Verdes Enanitos Verdes (literal translation: "Little green dwarves", roughly equivalent to the English phrase "Little green men") is a rock trio from Argentina, formed in 1979 in the city of Mendoza. History The band started in 1979, with Marciano ...

) * 2012: "

Ella Lo Que Quiere Es Salsa "Ella Lo Que Quiere Es Salsa" (English: "What She Wants Is Salsa") is a song by Puerto Rican-American recording artist Victor Manuelle featuring Voltio and Jowell & Randy. It was composed by himself and released on January 21, 2012, as the second ...

" (

Víctor Manuelle Víctor Manuel Ruiz Velázquez (born September 27, 1968), known professionally as Víctor Manuelle, is an American salsa musician, known to his fans as ''El Sonero de la Juventud'' ("The Singer Of Youths"). He is identified primarily with ''s ...

(feat. Voltio and

)

Filmography

* 2008: ''Feel The Noise'' as himself * 2009: '' Talento de Barrio'' as himself * TBA: ''Julito Maraña''

Note

References

External links

*
Official MySpace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voltio 1977 births Living people People from Santurce, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican rappers Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians Sony Music Latin artists Converts to Christianity Puerto Rican Christians 21st-century American rappers