Gente de Zona (; ) is a Cuban reggaeton duo made up of musicians Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom Martínez. In 2014, the duo gained success with the song "Bailando" with Enrique Iglesias. This hit gave the duo numerous prestigious awards including the Latin Grammy and Latin Billboard Award. The duo was known for its Cubatón hits before succeeding on the international stage with major hits and collaborations that infused "tropical" rhythms to mainstream pop and urban music. "Bailando" became the first Spanish language song to get 1 billion views on YouTube and their song "La Gozadera" has been described by many as "Latin America's official hymn."
Career Gente de Zona was founded in 2000 in the Alamar neighborhood of Havana, consisting initially of Alexander Delgado and Michel Delgado. They initially performed at smaller events and parties in the Havana area, including Alamar, Regla and Guanabacoa. Two years later, they joined the Asociación Hermanos Saíz, a government-sponsored Cuban cultural organization, and signed with the Empresa Comercializadora de la Música y los Espectáculos Antonio María Romeu (Commercial Business of Music and Performances Antonio María Romeu), which allowed them to perform across the country. This same year, they became one of the first members of the Cuban Rap Agency, a government agency involved with promoting and commercializing rap on the island.
In 2005, Michel Delgado departed from the group, while rapper Jacob Forever (Yosdany Jacob Carmenates) and DJ and producer Nando Pro joined. The trio released the album Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora in 2008. In March 2013, the members separated, with Jacob Forever embarking on a solo career supported by Nando Pro. Delgado continued the group under the Gente de Zona moniker after bringing on ex-Charanga Habanera singer Randy Malcom Martínez.
In their early years, the group's appeal was mostly limited to Cuba, with some fans in Europe, until the release of Enrique Iglesias's "Bailando" in 2014. Although work on the song began in 2009, it was several years before fellow Cuban musician and songwriter Descemer Bueno went to Cuba and recruited Gente de Zona to be part of the song. With newfound international recognition, the group subsequently released collaborations with Pitbull, Chino & Nacho, Marc Anthony and Juan Magán in the year that followed.
In 2019, Gente de Zona was initially announced as part of a Pitbull-organized New Year's Eve concert lineup Miami, but was later withdrawn due to concerns from the local community that the group was too close with the Cuban government. Then-Miami mayor, Cuban American Francis Suarez, criticized the choice of the group for the event, stating, "You have to understand that an artist who declares themselves in favor of communism or gives communism credibility is considered persona non grata. It's not about intolerance or censorship, it's about respect and recognizing the mortifying history of communism, especially in Cuba."
Two years later, in February 2021, Gente de Zona, with other Cuban artists Yotuel, Beatriz Luengo, Descemer Bueno, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Osorbo and El Funky released "Patria y Vida" paying tribute to the San Isidro Movement and criticizing the Cuban government's repression of artistic expression in the country, shortages of essential items, and management of the country's currency. The song was Gente de Zona's first politically partisan song, with Delgado later saying, "It becomes a commitment that you have with your people, who have followed you and given you everything you have today. We never knew that your talent and a song could be the weapon to hit these people hard, this government." The song was subsequently banned in Cuba, and Gente de Zona stated that they were subsequently banned from performing concerts on the island.
Discography Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Album detailsCertifications Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora Released: February 8, 2008 Label: Planet Records Europe Format: CD, digital download A Full Released: July 19, 2010 Label: Planet Records Europe Format: CD, digital download Visualízate Released: April 22, 2016 Label: Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC and Magnus Media LLC Format: CD, digital download IFPI CHI: Platinum AMPROFON: Gold RIAA: 2× Platinum En Letra de Otro Released: October 26, 2018 Label: Sony Music Latin, Magnus Otra Cosa Released: May 24, 2019 Label: Sony Music Latin, Magnus RIAA: Platinum De Menor a Mayor Released: April 8, 2022 Label: Sony Music Latin, Magnus Demasiado Released: April 18, 2024 Label: Magnus
Reissued albums + List of reissued albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora v2.0 Released: July 25, 2008 Label: Planet Records Europe, Format: CD, digital download
Compilation albums + List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Oro: Lo Nuevo y Lo Mejor Released: April 30, 2012 Label: Planet Records Europe Format: CD, digital download
Singles As lead artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album MEX[ Mexican Airplay for Gente de Zona] Billboard.com SPA USLatin USLatinAirplay USLatinTropical USLatinRhythm VENSongs of Gente de Zona charted in Record Report Top 100 chart: "Bailando": "Tu Me Quemas": "Yo Quiero": "Le Gustan Los Artistas" 2008 — — — — — — — Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora "Pinocho" 2013 — — — — — — — "Yo Quiero (Si Tu Te Enamoras)" (featuring Pitbull) 2014 — — — — 34 15 9 Dale and Visualízate "Ponte Bonita" — — — — — — — "La Gozadera" (featuring Marc Anthony) 2015 2 1 2 1 1 1 — AMPROFON: Diamond+Platinum+Gold PROMUSICAE: 5× Platinum RIAA: 12× Platinum Visualízate "Traidora" (featuring Marc Anthony) — 8 6 2 1 — — AMPROFON: Gold PROMUSICAE: 2× Platinum "Más Macarena" (featuring Los Del Río) 2016 — 33 — — 23 — 13 Los Del Río: Tropical "Cuando Calienta el Sol" 2017 — — — — — — — En Letra de Otro "Si No Vuelves" — 8 35 33 3 14 — Otra Cosa "Te Duele" — — — — 6 — — "Solterita De Oro"(with Lerica and Leslie Shaw) 2019 — — — — — — — "Muchacha"(with Becky G) 2020 — 82 — — 5 22 — RIAA: Platinum De Menor a Mayor "La Noche Pinta Buena"(with Pacific Broders and Carlos Vives) — — — — — — — "Otra Botella"(with Gerardo Ortíz) — — — — — — — De Menor a Mayor "Loco Por Bailar Contigo"(with El Chulo) — — — — — — — rowspan="4" "Patria y Vida"(with Yotuel, Descemer Bueno, Maykel Osorbo and El Funky) 2021 — — — — — — — RIAA: Platinum "Tuki Tuki"(with Pucho y Tucutu, Motiff featuring Tony Succar) — — — — — — — "Se Vuelve Loca" (with Deorro) — — — — — — — "Háblame De Miami"(with Maffio) — — — — — — — De Menor A Mayor "Que Locura"(with Ovi) — — — — — — — rowspan="2" "Tulum"(with Nia and JC El Diamante) 2022 — — — — — — — "Q’lona" — — — — — — — De Menor A Mayor "Hice Bien Quererte"(with Kassav) — — — — — — — "El Negrito"(with Carlos Vives) — — — — — — — De Menor A Mayor "—" denotes a title that was not released or did not chart in that territory.
As featured artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album COLSongs of Gente de Zona charted in Colombian charts (National-Report): "Bailando": "Tu Me Quemas": "Lo Digo" and "3 A.M.": MEX SPASongs of Gente de Zona in Spanish Singles Chart: "Bailando": "Piensas (Dile La Verdad): "He Llorado (Como un Niño): USPeak chart positions for featured singles in the United States: "Bailando": USLATINPeak chart positions for featured singles in the United States, BillboardHot Latin Songs chart: "Bailando": "Tu Me Quemas": USLATIN RHYTHM USTROPPeak chart positions for featured singles in the United States, BillboardTropical Songs chart: "Bailando": "Tu Me Quemas": "He Llorado (Como Un Niño)": VEN "Dame Una Noche" (DJ Chino featuring Gente de Zona, Fito Blanko, and Fuego) 2014 — — — — — — — — "Bailando" (Enrique Iglesias featuring Gente de Zona and Descemer Bueno or featuring Sean Paul, Gente de Zona, and Descemer Bueno) 1 1 1 12 1 — 1 17 AMPROFON: 2× Platinum FIMI: 7× Platinum IFPI SWI: Gold PROMUSICAE: 5× Platinum Sex and Love "Tu Me Quemas" (Chino & Nacho featuring Gente de Zona and Los Cadillacs) 6 — — — 27 6 1 1 Radio Universo and Visualízate "Piensas (Dile la Verdad)" (Pitbull featuring Gente de Zona) 2015 — — 22 — 11 1 8 — PROMUSICAE: Gold Dale and Visualízate "He Llorado (Como Un Niño)" (Juan Magan featuring Gente de Zona) — 26 12 — — 23 33— PROMUSICAE: Platinum The King Is Back (#LatinIBIZAte) "Lo Que Dios Quiera" (Fanny Lu featuring Gente de Zona) — — — — — — — — "Arena y Sol" (Anahí featuring Gente de Zona) 2016 — — — — — — — — Inesperado and The Fate of the Furious "La Mala y La Buena"(Alex Sensation featuring Gente de Zona) — — — — — — — — "Ni Tú Ni Yo" (Jennifer Lopez featuring Gente de Zona) 2017 — — 12 — 15 — 2 — "Lo Digo"(Carlos Rivera featuring Gente de Zona) 27 30 — — — — — — Yo Creo "3 A.M."(Jesse & Joy featuring Gente de Zona) 55 2 — — 22 — 2 — Un Besito Más "Baddek Enayah"(Mohammed Assaf featuring Gente De Zona) — — — — — — — — Ma Wahashnak "Quédate Conmigo"(Chyno Miranda featuring Wisin and Gente de Zona) — — — — 25 — 2 — Quédate Conmigo "La Vida Me Cambió" (Diana Fuentes featuring Gente De Zona) — — — — — — 10 — TBA "Stop Me from Falling" (Kylie Minogue featuring Gente de Zona) 2018 — — — — — — — — Golden "Lento" (Thalía featuring Gente de Zona) — 12 88 — — — 4 — Valiente "Nadie Como Yo" (Malu Trevejo featuring Gente de Zona) 2019 — — — — — — — — TBA "Tulum" (NIA featuring Gente de Zona and JC El Diamante) 2022 — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a title that was not released or did not chart in that territory.
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref.2015Latin American Music AwardsFavorite Urban Duo or GroupGente de Zona Favorite Tropical Song"La Gozadera" 2016 Premios Juventud La Combinación Perfecta "La Gozadera" Mi Artista Tropical Gente de Zona 2016 Latin American Music Awards Favorite Artist – Tropical Gente de Zona Favorite Album – Tropical "Visualízate" Favorite Song – Tropical "Traidora" 2016 Latin Grammys Best Tropical Fusion Album "Visualízate" 2017Premio Lo NuestroGrupo o Dúo del Año / Group Or Duo Of The YearGente de Zona Album Tropical del Año / Tropical Album Of The Year"Visualizate" Album del Año / Album Of The Year "Visualizate" 2017Billboard Latin Music AwardsTropical Albums Artist Of The Year, Duo or Group Tropical Album Of The Year "Visualízate" 2019Billboard Latin Music Awards Tropical Arista, Duo or Group 2020Tu Musica UrbanaCancion Tropical Urbano El Mentiroso 2020Premios Lo NuestroColaboración del Año - Tropical El Mentiroso Colaboración del Año - Tropical Tan Buena 2021Premios Lo NuestroPop Collaboration of the Year Muchacha ft. Becky G Tropical Artist of the Year 2021Billboard Latin Music AwardsArtista Tropical del Año 2021Latin GrammysSong of the Year Patria y Vida Best Urban Song Patria y Vida
Notes
References
External links Official website in English Official Facebook Alexander Delgado Facebook Randy Malcom Facebook