Alexander Delgado. A popular and renowned Cuban reggaeton singer. He is the founding director and main composer of the famous Cuban musical group Gente de Zona. He was born in the Alamar district of Havana on August 21, 1979.
With numerous followers both inside and outside the territory, he has managed to develop a very distinctive and Creole style in his musical creations. Professional Career His story began long before the year 2000 when he became associated with Cuban hip-hop and was a regular at the Alamar Rap Festival in Havana. Initially, he attended all the rap concerts and began doing sampling. It was precisely in the year 2000 that several rap singers, including Alexander, gathered in Alamar, a place in the capital known for being the cradle of Cuban hip-hop.
The name of the group, Gente de Zona, then became a testament to the place they came from, as Alamar is divided into numbered zones. Alexander Delgado later met Michel, “el Caro,” and the two began playing at parties and official venues in Guanabacoa, Regla, and especially Alamar, their territory.
In their early days as amateurs, they performed at various cultural centers such as those in Alamar, Guanabacoa, and Regla, but primarily in their hometown, where they quickly gained a following. They then participated in the international rap festivals held annually in Cuba. Alexander was in charge of the animation for three consecutive years. Later, they became part of the Asociación Hermanos Saíz, and it wasn't until 2002 that they began their professional career with the Antonio María Romeu company, performing throughout the country.
In July 2005, Gente de Zona, which at the time consisted of Alexander and Michel, became part of the catalog of the Cuban Rap Agency, showcasing a more mature approach within their genre while always blending it with our rhythms and considering market demands. In 2005, Michel left the group and was replaced by Jacob Forever, who came from the group "Made in Cuba," along with Nando Pro, a well-known music producer and DJ. With Gente de Zona, he contributed to the album
The best that sounds right now, vol II, features tracks like “She Likes Artists” and “Animals,” which topped the charts not only in Cuba but also in places like Miami and Europe, where they were recognized as champions of Caribbean reggaeton. “I’m from Alamar, Nando is from Santa Fe, and we’ve been part of Cuban hip hop from the beginning. We dressed like other rappers, but we didn't sound like them. Our lyrics were more commercial.
"Almost all of our songs come from the street, from our personal experiences, but we didn't want our music to be limited to just one area. We wanted to share our ideas and what we did musically with a broader audience, to all Cubans," said the founder and director of Gente de Zona on one occasion. In 2006, they released the great hits "Soñé" and "La Campaña," two superhits both in Cuba and among fans of Cuban music in general. In 2007, they performed as guest stars on David Calzado and his Charanga Habanera's CD, "El cañón." They won a "Premio Lucas," and the megahits continued with "Le gustan los artistas” and "Pa’ la calle." In the summer of 2008, they released their first exclusive worldwide CD with Planet Records, “Lo mejor que suena ahora.” The music video for the superhit "Yo te enseñé," directed by Santana, was nominated for the Premios Lucas.
After their success, in 2010, "Full" was released in the music market. It consists of 16 songs and was created in collaboration with many artists: Orishas, Dr. López, Sr. Rodríguez, Los Generales, El Micha, Los Alertas, La Real Familia, and Elvis Manuel. In the summer of 2011 and January 2012, the band embarked on two major tours, performing in nearly forty cities with significant artistic, critical, and public success. In the summer of 2012, they undertook another important tour in Europe. In March 2013, Gente de Zona announced the separation of Alexander and Jacob Forever. Alexander continues under the name Gente de Zona alongside Randy, former singer of Charanga Habanera.
