Narcocorridos vs. Gangsta Rap
versus
tue 4/21/2009
| genre | Narcocorridos. | Gangsta rap. |
| origins | Writer Juan Carlos Ramirez-Pimienta dates the first narcocorrido to 1934. | Hustler's Convention (1973) by Lightnin' Rod is said to be one of the first gangsta rap albums. |
| heyday | 1990s to present. | Late 1980s to early 2000. |
| epicenter | Northern México. | Southern California. |
| signature outfit | Tejana, collared shirt, jeans and boots. | Baseball caps, baggy shirt, khakis and converse. |
| popularized by | Chalino Sánchez, Los Tigres Del Norte, Los Cadetes de Linares, Los Invasores de Nuevo Leon and Los Tucanes de Tijuana. | Ice-T, N.W.A., Geto Boys, Above the Law, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, King T, Snoop Dogg, 2Pac and DJ Quik. |
| subject matter | Drug trafficking, guns, police corruption, poverty, violence, money and hope. | Street life, gangs, police brutality, poverty, violence, money and hope. |
| breakthrough track | Contrabando y Traición by Los Tigres del Norte. | Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. |
| fallen icon | Chalino Sanchez. | Eazy-E. |
| essential listening | Pistoleros Famosos by Los Cadetes de Linares, La Banda Del Carro Rojo by Los Tigres del Norte, Corrido de Rigoberto Campos by Chalino Sanchez, Rafael Caro Quintero by Los Invasores de Nuevo Leon and A Mis Enemigos by Valentín Elizalde. | Colors by Ice-T, Boyz-N-The Hood by Eazy-E, It Was A Good Day by Ice Cube, My Mind Playing Tricks on Me by Geto Boys, Nothin' But A G Thang by Dr. Dre, Trigga Gots No Heart by Spice 1 and Born and Raised in Compton by DJ Quik. |
| anti-cop anthem | El Gato de Chihuahua by Los Huracanes del Norte. | F*** Tha Police by N.W.A. |
| notorious womanizer/s | Los Razos. | Too $hort. |
| underground hero | Saul Viera "El Gavilancillo." | C-Bo. |
| the new breed | Larry Hernández. | The Game. |
| hardcore | Beto Quintanilla, El Tigrillo Palma and El As De La Sierra. | Spice 1, MC Eiht, Compton's Most Wanted, Bloods and Crips. |
| blamed for | Promoting violence, misogyny, substance abuse, drug dealing and romanticizing drug trafficking. | Promoting violence, misogyny, substance abuse, drug dealing and glamorizing gang life. |
| stop the music | Radio stations and many night clubs in Baja California have stopped playing narcocorridos. | Reverend Al Sharpton urged the FCC to ban violent rap music from radio and TV. |
| killer lyrics | "Es gente de alto poder, no cabe la menor duda, nada les pueden hacer, la policia los ayuda, es mejor hacerce güey que estar en la sepultura." - Gente de Alto Poder by Tigrillo Palma. | "Red or Blue, Cuz or Blood, it just don't matter, sucker die for your life when my shotgun scatters. We gangs of L.A. will never die… just multiply." - Colors by Ice-T. |
| in their own words | "We've never gotten any threats. We only focus in making music and entertaining. We always do it with respect and if someone feels offended, well, we apologize beforehand." - Mario Quintero (Tucanes de Tijuana) | "Before rap came out, there was violence. When I was nine years old, one of my homeboys got shot in some gang violence. And wasn't no rap music being played then." - Snoop Dogg. |
| best video moments | La Fuga de Mazatlán by Saul Viera and El Gato de Chihuahua by Los Huracanes del Norte. | Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. and Mind Is Playing Tricks on Me by The Geto Boys. |
David Beckham vs. Yao Ming
versus
tue 4/14/2009
| name | David Robert Joseph Beckham. | Yao Ming. |
| born in | London, England. | Shanghai, China. |
| age | 33. | 28. |
| nicknames | Becks, Goldenballs. | The Great Wall, The Ming Dynasty. |
| height | 5' 11". | 7' 6". |
| weight | 158 lbs. | 310 lbs. |
| sport | Soccer. | Basketball. |
| current team | AC Milan (on loan from L.A. Galaxy). | Houston Rockets. |
| previous team/s | Spain's Real Madrid and England's Manchester United. | China's Shanghai Sharks. |
| position | Midfielder. | Center. |
| American debut | July 27, 2007. | October 31, 2002. |
| better half | Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. | Basketball player Ye Li. |
| sometimes stereotyped as | More celebrity than athlete. | A freakish giant. |
| 2008 earnings | $48.2 million. | $31.2 million. |
| endorsements | Emporio Armani, Gillette, Pepsi, Vodafone, Adidas, Police Sunglasses and Sharpie. | Apple, Visa, Nike, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Reebok. |
| jersey sales | Over 250,000 L.A. Galaxy jerseys were sold before his debut. | Had the sixth highest-selling jersey in China in 2007 behind players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. |
| charity work | Established the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust to raise money to buy wheelchairs for children in the U.K. | Established The Yao Ming Foundation to help victims of the 2008 earthquake in Southern China. |
| the critics | U.K.'s Telegraph: "Any critique of Beckham must begin with two realities: he is a savvy man mindful of his image and how history will regard him, but also a sportsman who just loves the feeling of a ball, preferably motionless, nestling against his right foot.” | Bleacherreport.com: "You’ll never find Yao trash-talking after a glamorous dunk. Nor will you find him complaining over a lack of playing time. Instead, you’ll see Yao be the first to jump off the bench to applaud a seldom-used teammate—even when the game is all but over." |
| in their own words | "I have always looked for challenges in my life. My family… is the most important thing for me, but the soccer is second." - David Beckham. | "I'm just one of the 1.3 billion Chinese." - Yao Ming. |
| at the movies | Goal II: Living the Dream and Bend it Like Beckham. | The Year of the Yao. |
| bet you didn't know | Wears a new pair of shoes every game. | Ming is his first name, his family name is Yao. |
| best video moment | Becomes a klepto in a commercial for Sharpie. | Taller than the Statue of Liberty in a commercial for Visa. |
Wale vs. Kid Cudi
versus
mon 4/6/2009
| name | Olubowale Victor Akintimehin. | Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi. |
| pronounced | Wah-lay. | Cuh-dee. |
| birthdate | September 21, 1984. | January 30, 1984. |
| reppin' | Washington, D.C. | Cleveland, Ohio. |
| also known as | The Great Rap Hope. | Man On The Moon. |
| style | Hip Hop. | Hip Hop. |
| mentor | Mark Ronson. | Kanye West. |
| affiliated with | Rhymefest and The Roots. | Chip Tha Ripper and Emile. |
| signed to | Mark Ronson's Allido Records. | Kanye West's GOOD Music. |
| recent mixtape | A Mixtape About Nothing. | A Kid Named Cudi. |
| underground hit | Nike Boots. | Day And Night (Crookers Remix). |
| forthcoming album | Attention Defecit. | Man on the Moon: The Guardians. |
| killer collabs | Chillin' with Lady Gaga. | Welcome to Heartbeak with Kanye West. |
| controversy | Accused of falsely reppin' Washington D.C. when he's really from a small town in Maryland. He says he reps D.C.-Virginia-Maryland. | Claimed he was going to retire after his debut album cause of comments made by Wale and 9th Wonder. Then backtracked. |
| the critics | URB Magazine: “Few unsigned rappers have been able to generate the buzz and connections young Wale has garnered. Of course, Wale is signed to a production deal with Ronson's Allido Records… because Wale is a slick fucking rapper." | The BBC: “Like his mentor [Kanye West], the 23-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio - known as Scott Mescudi to his mum - is at the adventurous end of rap and his single, 'Day 'N' Nite,' bridges the gap between dance and urban." |
| down with | Streetwear brand 10.Deep. | Streetwear brand 10.Deep. |
| in his own words | "I can tell you it’s scary being a recording artist right now because there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to who sells and who doesn’t. I’m just hoping my album can connect all the dots I’ve been putting out over the past few years and I can start my career off on the right foot." - Wale. | "I feel like I’m so distant from what’s going on around me all the time. I’m completely oblivious to the whole Kid Cudi hype. It’s still unbelievable to me how far I’ve come and how big “Day 'n' Nite” has gotten. Sometimes I feel like I came from another world." - Kid Cudi. |
| webprops | 73,119 friends on Official MySpace. | 57,682 friends on Official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Morphing with live animation on Waledance. | Morphing with live animation on Day And Night. |
The Rock vs. John Cena
versus
tue 3/31/2009
| name | Dwayne Douglas Johnson. | John Felix Anthony Cena. |
| birthdate | May 2, 1972. | April 23, 1977. |
| born in | Hayward, CA. | West Newbury, MA. |
| also known as | The Rock, The People's Champ. | Mr. P and The Prototype. |
| modus vivendi | Wrestler and actor. | Wrestler, actor and rapper. |
| ethnicity | Samoan and African-American. | Italian-American. |
| height | 6' 4". | 6' 1". |
| weight | 255 lb. | 240 lb. |
| played college football for | University of Miami. | Springfield University. |
| family affair | Father "Soulman" Rocky Johnson and grandfather "High Chief" Peter Maivia were both wrestlers. | Introduced to wrestling by his father, an announcer at Chaotic Wrestling. |
| became a star in | World Wrestling Entertainment. | World Wrestling Entertainment. |
| finishing move | The Rock Bottom and The People's Elbow. | The Attitude Adjuster (previously The F-U). |
| catchphrase | Do you smell what The Rock is cookin? | You can't see me! |
| drives the crowd wild | By raising his eyebrow. | By waving his hand in front of his face. |
| film debut | The Mummy Returns. | The Marine. |
| current film | Race to Witch Mountain. | 12 Rounds. |
| as seen on TV | "That 70's Show," "The Net" and "Star Trek: Voyager." | "Fast Cars and Superstars," "MADtv" and "Punk'd." |
| endorsements | Turned down an offer from Dunkin Donuts. | Gold's Gym and Subway. |
| the critics | Entertainment Weekly: “The guy who once cracked vertebrae in the wrestling ring and taunted his opponents with references to ''poon tang pie'' is now hell-bent on becoming your kid's favorite film star." | Latino Review: "[John Cena] certainly makes no apologies that action is where he wants to be when it comes to his on screen roles, and even he is disappointed at the lack of action heroes in theaters.” |
| charity work | The Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation. | The Make-A-Wish Foundation. |
| controversy | Admitted to using steroids while in college. | Accused CNN of editing an interview to imply he used steroids. |
| in his own words | "Wrestling was like stand-up comedy for me. Every night I had a live audience of 25,000 people to win over. My goal was never to be the loudest or the craziest. It was to be the most entertaining." - Dwayne Johnson. | “[The Rock], at one point, loved wrestling and wanted to do this all of his life. Explain to me why he… can’t make an appearance at Wrestlemania. Simply put it’s because he wants to be an actor." - John Cena. |
| bet you didn't know | WWE wrestler Tonga "Haku" Fifita was the best man at his wedding. | Appears on Murs' Hustle (Remix) with Chingo Bling and E-40. |
| best video moment | Wanting to be a cross between Harrison Ford and Elvis Presley. | Taking on a "fan" in a rap battle while on the red carpet. |
Eminem vs. Asher Roth
versus
tue 3/24/2009
| name | Marshall Bruce Mathers III. | Asher Paul Roth. |
| age | 36. | 24. |
| reps | Detroit, Michigan. | Morrisville, Pennsylvania. |
| also known as | Slim Shady. | The Great White Hope. |
| style | Urban hip hop. | Suburban hip hop. |
| the look | Baggy clothes, jewlery and bleached blonde hair (now dark brown). | Wrinkled T-shirts, cargo shorts and sandals. |
| mentor | Dr. Dre. | Don Cannon. |
| built a buzz through | Underground rap battles and radio freestyles. | MySpace freestyles. |
| down with | D12, 50 Cent. | DJ Drama, Akon. |
| influences | Ice T, LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Nas. | Eminem, Mos Def, Talib Kweli. |
| breakthrough track | My Name Is. | A Millie Freestyle. |
| debut | The Slim Shady LP. | The Greenhouse Effect. |
| forthcoming album | Relapse and Relapse II. | Asleep in the Bread Isle. |
| killer collabs | Dr. Dre, Dido, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg and Xzibit. | Cee-Lo, Estelle, Jazze Pha, Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne. |
| the critics | All Music: “The controversy over his lyrics was the best publicity any musician could afford, and being the first Caucasian rapper to make a significant impact in years may have given him a platform not afforded to equally talented African-American rappers.” | All HipHop: “Time will tell if Roth will be more MC Serch than say…Milkbone (no disrespect), but his humility when off the mic combined with the self-assurance he displays when in rhyme mode give the kid a good chance of sticking around.” |
| controversy | Criticized for promoting misogyny and homophobia. | Announcing he loves weed. |
| in his own words | "Failure has always been the biggest motivation to me – the fear of losing and somebody getting the last laugh on me. I've felt since my first day of rapping that my time is ticking. That's how I've based my whole career – that this may never happen again." - Eminem. |
“Kids from the ’burbs have been inspired and influenced by hip hop for years, When I wrote my ‘A Millie’ freestyle, that was me listening to 10 years of hip hop and not relating to it at all. Like, Damn I don’t sell coke. Damn, I don’t have cars or 25-inch rims. I don’t have guns.” - Asher Roth. |
| webprops | 1,041,252 friends on Official MySpace. | 55,547 friends on Official MySpace. |
| best video moment | An obsessed fan, a pregnant girlfriend and tragedy in Stan. | Parties, weed and beer pong in I Love College. |
LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant
versus
tue 3/17/2009
| name | LeBron Raymone James. | Kobe Bean Bryant. |
| born in | Akron, Ohio. | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
| birthdate | December 30, 1984. | August 23, 1978. |
| nickname | King James. | Black Mamba. |
| height | 6' 8". | 6' 6". |
| weight | 250 lbs. | 205 lbs. |
| high school | St. Vincent - St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. | Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. |
| college | Entered the NBA draft straight out of high school. | Entered the NBA draft straight out of high school. |
| drafted | 1st overall in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers. | 13th overall in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets and traded to the Los Angeless Lakers. |
| current team | Cleveland Cavaliers. | Los Angeles Lakers. |
| jersey number | 23. | 24 (previously, 8). |
| once called the next | Michael Jordan. | Michael Jordan. |
| position | Small forward or "point forward." | Shooting guard. |
| often described as | A "freak of nature" with an unparalleled combination of size, speed and strength. | A perfectionist driven by his singular desire to be the best. |
| standout achievements | Rookie of the Year (2003-04 and 2004-05). Five-time All-Star. | Three NBA championships, league MVP (2006-07) and 11-time All-Star. |
| worth | Net worth close to $1 billion in 2007. | Net worth valued at $200 million in 2008. |
| personal life | Married with two children to high school sweetheart Savannah Brinson. | Married with two children to Vanessa Laine. |
| endorsements | Nike, State Farm, Sprite, Bubblicious, MSN, Upper Deck and Glacéau. | Nike, Vitamin Water, Guitar Hero, Upper Deck and GameLoft. |
| controversy | Wore a New York Yankees cap during a baseball game between the Yanks and his hometown Cleveland Indians. | Accused of sexual assault. The case was dropped when the accuser declined to testify. |
| bet you didn't know | Established The LeBron James Family Foundation, which helps single parents and inner-city children. | Part owner of Italian basketball team Olimpia Milano. |
| the critics | JockBio.com: "LeBron makes the game look easy—unless you are wearing an enemy uniform." | JockBio.com: "Kobe is the reason fans stopped raising an eyebrow when high-school stars skipped college and went directly to the pros." |
| in their own words | "I think you do what's best for you and your family. And you do what's best for your career. I think loyalty definitely has a big part to do with it… Every night I go out, play hard, that's loyalty." - LeBron James. | "Once you get to the top, the hard work becomes staying on top. But you have to work to get there. You always have to be on edge. You always have to take every practice, every game, like it is your last." - Kobe Bryant. |
| best commercial | Putting the moves on Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. | Jumping over a speeding Aston Martin. |
Slumdog Millionaire vs. City of God
versus
tue 3/3/2009
| name | Slumdog Millionaire. | City Of God. |
| directed by | Danny Boyle. | Fernando Meirelles. |
| co-directed by | Loveleen Tandan. | Kátia Lund. |
| based on the novel | Q & A by Vikas Swarup. | Cidade de Deus by Paulo Lins. |
| plot | The story of two brothers, one good and one bad, growing up in the slums of Mumbai with a love story at the center of its arc. | The story of two friends, one good and one bad, growing up in the favelas of Rio with a love story at the center of its arc. |
| tagline | "What does it take to find a lost love?: A. Money B. Luck C. Smarts D. Destiny". | "Fight and you'll never survive... Run and you'll never escape." |
| inspiration | Indian cinema and the lives of kids in the slums of Mumbai. | The lives of kids in drug gangs in the slums of Rio. |
| common themes | Poverty, corruption, classism, rape, racism, murder, drug use and gang violence. | Poverty, corruption, classism, rape, racism, murder, drug use and gang violence. |
| in the author's words | "Just because someone has not had a formal education, that does not mean he does not have wisdom and common sense. Sometimes street knowledge can be as important as book knowledge." - Vikas Swarup. | "I think about the moment that we are living today and the current situation, and the racial tension that exists. People are starting to realize that these attitudes do not fit anymore and doesn’t make sense." - Paolo Lins. |
| starring | Dev Patel, Madhur Mittal, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. | Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Jonathan Haagensen, Douglas Silva and Seu Jorge. |
| the music | Bollywood technopop, hip-hop and traditional hindi by A.R. Rahman and M.I.A.. | Brazilian jazz, samba and funk by Antonio Pinto and Ed Cortes. |
| keeping it real | Real-life residents of Mumbai slums were cast as actors. | Real-life residents of the Vifigal and Cidade de Deus favelas in Río were cast as actors. |
| controversy | Film producers accused of exploiting child actors. Famous Indian actor accused producers of "portraying India as a Third World, dirty, underbelly developing nation." | Some critics accused the film of glamorizing violence and devaluing the lives of those who live in favelas. |
| sales | Has grossed over $100,000,000 in the U.S. | Has grossed over $28,000,000 worldwide. |
| critical acclaim | USA Today: "The beautifully rendered and energetic tale celebrates resilience, the power of knowledge and the vitality of the human experience. Horrifying, humorous and life-affirming, it is, above all, unforgettable." |
The Washington Post: "If one of the moral responsibilities of the movies is to put you in places where you'd never go and live lives you'd never live, then City of God is great moviemaking." |
| awards | Eight Academy Awards, including "Best Picture." Golden Globe Award for Best Drama and other international awards. | Four Academy Award nominations, including "Best Director." Nearly 50 awards won worldwide. |
Sábado Gigante vs. The Price Is Right
versus
tue 2/24/2009
| name | Sábado Gigante. | The Price Is Right. |
| based on | Chile's "Show Domingal" which premiered in 1962 and eventually became "Sabados Gigantes." | The original "Price Is Right" hosted by Bill Cullen from 1956 to 1965. |
| current version premiered in | 1986. | 1972. |
| hosted by | Don Francisco (aka Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld). | Bob Barker, from 1972 until 2007. Currently hosted by Drew Carey. |
| premise | Game show, talk show and talent show all rolled into one. | Game show in which contestants guess the prices of products. |
| created by | Don Francisco. | Bob Stewart. |
| network | Univisión. | CBS. |
| when? | Four hours, once a week. | One hour, five days a week. |
| announcers | Pedro De Paul (1986-1991) and Javier Romero (1991- present). |
Johnny Olson (1972–1985), Rod Roddy (1986–2003) and Rich Fields (2004–present). |
| famous former show model | Lily Estefan of "El Gordo y La Flaca." | Geena Lee Nolin of "Baywatch." |
| catchphrase | "Que venga la modelo!" | "Come on down!" |
| memorable game | La Gran Oportunidad: amateur singers perform for masked trumpet player El Chacal. | Plinko: players drop up to five discs down a board for a chance to win up to $50,000. |
| continuity | Has never had a re-run. | Bob Barker only missed three episodes in 35 years. |
| longevity | The world’s longest-running TV variety show, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. | The longest-running American game show of all time. |
| controversy | Don Francisco was sued by a former show model for sexual harassment. The suit was settled out of court. | Bob Barker was sued by former Barker's Beauty model Dian Parkinson for sexual harassment. Parkinson dropped the suit. |
| good works | Don Francisco has hosted Teletón Chile, a telethon that raises money for sick children. | Bob Barker is a supporter of spaying and neutering animals. |
| reset | Became "Super Gigante" in September of 2008. | In July of 2007, Drew Carey became the new host. |
| the critics | Entertainment Weekly: "Imagine 'Wonderama,' 'Sally Jessy Raphael,' 'The Carol Burnett Show,' and the Bumblebee Man from 'The Simpsons' all mashed together and dubbed into Spanish, and you have 'Sabado Gigante.'" | Variety: "To say the press overreacted to Bob Barker's departure would be something of an understatement, though his absence from 'The Price is Right' after 35 years does look a little weird." |
| around the world | The show runs in almost every Latin American country and on some European cable networks. | Almost every country in the world has a version, including China, Latvia and México (Atínale al Precio). |
Gael García Bernal vs. Diego Luna
versus
wed 2/18/2009
| name | Gael García Bernal. | Diego Dionisio Luna Alexander. |
| born in | Guadalajara, Jalisco. | México City, México. |
| birthdate | November 30, 1978. | December 29, 1979. |
| son of | José Angel García (actor and director) and Patricia Bernal (actress and former model). Stepfather is photographer Sergio Yazbek. |
Alejandro Luna (theatre and opera set designer) and Fiona Alexander (costume designer). |
| early start | Children's telenovela El Abuelo y Yo. | Children's telenovela El Abuelo y Yo. |
| first starring role in México | Amores Perros in 2000. | Un Hilito de Sangre in 1995. |
| first role in an international film | I'm with Lucy. | Before Night Falls. |
| crossover hit | Y Tu Mamá También. | Y Tu Mamá También. |
| most recent film | Mammoth. | Milk. |
| soon to star as | Tato Verdusco, the naive, soccer-playing brother of Beto in Rudo y Cursi. | Beto Verdusco, the rough, soccer-playing brother of Tato in Rudo y Cursi. |
| family life | Welcomed his first son with Argentinean actress Dolores Fonzi in this January. | Welcomed his first son with his wife, actress Camila Sodi, last August. |
| previous girlfriends | Mexican actress Cecilia Suárez and American actress Natalie Portman. | British actress Romola Garai and Mexican actress Paola Núñez. |
| extracurricular | Movie director, producer of the documentary festival Ambulante and social activist. | Movie director, producer of the documentary festival Ambulante and social activist. |
| the critics | Suite 101: “Gael García Bernal is an enigmatic actor who has pulled off the stupefying feat of courting favour in Hollywood whilst remaining true to his roots.… He can quietly dominate a scene with absolute stillness or the smallest flicker of an eye.” | Allmovie: “Though his breakout success could only be hinted at when he appeared in… Before Night Falls… it was his turn as a naïve, sex-starved teen in Cuarón's [Y Tu Mamá También] that catapulted him to international stardom.” |
| bet you didn't know | Touted as a possible political candidate for Mexican leftist party PRD. | Business partner in NaCo clothing brand. |
| in their own words | "I do characters that I like and that are human. They have many different sides. It depends on how you see them — whether you look for the dark or the light." - Gael García Bernal. | "Having fear is a beautiful thing in an actor. And fear always accompanies me. If it doesn't paralyze you, it transforms you into something productive." - Diego Luna. |
| webprops | Various fan websites across the web. |
5,022 friends on official MySpace and several fan websites. |
| best video moment | Playing a Norteño star, from the movie Rudo y Cursi. | Playing a dancing Latin lover from the movie Havana Nights. |
Luis Fonsi vs. Obie Bermúdez
versus
tue 2/10/2009
| name | Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero. | Obie Bermúdez. |
| hometown | Born in San Juan Puerto Rico. Grew up in Orlando, FL. | Born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico. Grew up in Vineland, NJ. |
| born | April 15, 1978. | January 10, 1977. |
| the vibe | Nice guy in a button-down shirt and jeans. | Nice guy in a button-down shirt and jeans. |
| style | Latin pop, ballads and tropical. | Latin pop, ballads and tropical. |
| runs in the family | His younger brother is Latin soul singer Jean. | His grandfather and father were musicians. |
| debut album | Comenzaré (1998). | Locales (1998). |
| breakthrough track | Si Tu Quisieras. | Antes. |
| killer collab | Aquí Estoy Yo featuring Aleks Syntek, David Bisbal and Noel Schajris. | Cuando Se Ama Una Mujer featuring Reyli, Fonseca and Gustavo Loriano. |
| high profile marriage | Married to actress Adamari López. | Married to Tejano-pop artist Jennifer Peña. |
| in their own words | "I am not a political singer, I am a romantic singer. But at the same time, one can take a social message through a romantic song." - Luis Fonsi. | "I never gave up. I kept on writing, getting ready. I didn't know when, but something inside me kept telling me that something was gonna happen." - Obie Bermúdez |
| most recent release | Palabras del Silencio. | Sólo Exitos. |
| lead single | No Me Doy Por Vencido. | Si Fuera Fácil. |
| the critics | All Music: “Initially molded as a traditional Latin balladeer, one who sings romantic songs with much dramatic flair over sweeping string arrangements, Luis Fonsi enjoyed much success as such, though he began to break from that mold steadily, beginning with Paso a Paso in 2005, and enjoyed even greater success and more critical acclaim as a result." | Newsday: “In the tradition of Latin American singer-songwriters before him, Obie Bermúdez has taken up the task of chronicling everyday life and turning it into a successful combination of art and pop music. And like his colleagues, the Puerto Rican-born, Miami-based singer benefits from a transnational perspective that is increasingly the norm.” |
| bet you didn't know | Worked at Disneyland and Universal Studios in Florida. | Worked at a laundromat after the release of his debut. |
| webprops | 51,416 friends on official MySpace. | 12,298 friends on official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Taking snapshots of the love of his life in Nada Es Para Siempre. | Sketching the love of his life in Sigo Con Ella. |
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