Known
as the "Queen
of Reggaeton",
Ivy Queen, born
Martha Ivelisse
Pesante on March
4, 1972 in Añasco,
Puerto Rico
but raised in
New York City.
She
began her music
career writing
songs for other
artists and
competing in
various talent
shows with great
success. At
age 18, she
decided to pursue
her musical
career in earnest.
She went to
Puerto Rico
where she met
well known impresario,
DJ Negro, who
invited her
to join a rap
group known
as "Noise".
Ivy Queen wrote
and performed
her first hit
song, "Somos
Raperos Pero
No Delincuentes",
with that band,
effectively
launching the
professional
career she longed
for.
Ivy Queen
released her
debut album,
En Mi Imperio
in 1997, with
hit songs "Pon
Atención"
and "Como
Mujer".
The album clearly
showed a style
that was based
on lyrics not
dependent on
the crude language
so typical of
the genre and
enabled the
artist to focus
on her message.
As a positive
voice for her
generation,
her album was
well received
and was a solid
start for her
budding career.
Having firmly
established
herself in
the world
of reggaeton
and rap, the
debut album
also afforded
her opportunities
to expand
her musical
horizons.
Ivy Queen
recorded with
noted salsa
star, Domingo
Quiñones,
with the band,
DLG and a
duo with singer
and former
Miss Universe
and wife of
Marc Anthony,
Dayanara Torres
on the hit
song, "Jerigonza".
In 1998,
the Queen released
her second album,
The Original
Rude Girl, on
Sony Records,
with hit songs
such Interlude
in the Zone,
and "Sabes
Que Tu".
The collaboration
with rap star,
Wyclef Jean
figures prominently
in this album.
This collaboration
was born of
the chance meeting
of the artists
at a Wyclef
concert where
Ivy Queen joined
him on stage
for an improvised
"rap".
The encounter
demonstrated
her ample talent
to Wyclef and
the appreciative
public.
At a later
event at Madison
Square Garden,
Ivy Queen invited
Wyclef to join
her on her upcoming
Rude Girl project.
Her most
recent album,
Diva was released
in 2003 on the
Real Music label,
winning a great
reception among
her growing
fan base. The
album included
all original
songs penned
by the Queen
herself but
performed with
the collaboration
of several well-known
reggaeton artists,
including El
Mexicano, K-7
and Gran Omar,
who was also
the producer.
As with previous
efforts, Queen
Ivy clearly speaks
on behalf of her
native Puerto
Rico and particularly
for women. This
was particularly
evident in the
song "Tuya
Soy" which
takes the prespective
of the wife in
marital relationships
that often juxtopose
her life with
a husband that
does not or cannot
understand or
respect her her
role.
On January
27, 2004, Ivy
Queen releases
her new album
under the Universal
Latino label,
"Diva Platinum
Edition", the
Puerto Rican Diva
brings contagious
rhythms and more,
with her greatest
hits "Papi te
quiero", "Tu no
puedes" and "Quiero
bailar". The album
features 22 tracks
including "Tuya
Soy", "Guillaera",
"Alerta", "Venganza",
"Bailame", "Subelo"
and remixes like
"Babe", "Papi
te quiero" and
"Tu no puedes".
Ivy
Queen
