Yotuel Omar Manzanarez Romero is a Cuban singer, songwriter, actor, model, and music producer born on October 6, 1976, in Havana, Cuba.
His journey in the music world began at the age of 18 when he joined Hiram Riverí (Ruzzo) and Joel Pando (El Pionero) to form the group Amenaza, a pioneering band in Cuban hip-hop that blended and revived the oral traditions of Cuba with rap, laying the groundwork for what would later become the group Orishas. The band performed in the 90s at various popular venues such as Café Cantante, a gathering place in the gardens of the Teatro Mella, the Casa de la Música, and the Casa de la Cultura in Centro Habana, among others.
In 1997, they were awarded the First Prize at the semi-clandestine Cuban Rap Festival in Alamar. By then, they were already being played on the radio and television across the island. Later, thanks to an exchange organized by a French solidarity association with the Cuban people, the members of Amenaza traveled to France, where they eventually settled to continue their music project. Roldán González Rivero, who sang traditional Cuban music with the group Rico Son, joined them. Under the name Orishas, the new group signed with the record label EMI and released their first studio album, A Lo Cubano, in 1999. This album brought them worldwide fame, establishing them as the leading figures in Cuban hip hop. In 2002, they released Emigrante, followed by El Kilo in 2005, Antidiotico in 2007, and Cosita Buena in 2008. After 10 years during which each member took separate paths, they reunited to launch Gourmet in 2018.
With Orishas, Yotuel performed on stages around the world and sold over 750,000 copies in Europe.
In 2003, "Time" magazine named Orishas one of the top 10 bands outside the U.S
Emigrantes received a nomination for the Grammy Awards in the category of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album and won the award for Best Hip Hop/Rap Album
In 2005, El Kilo was nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards for Best Urban Music Album and at the Grammy Awards in the category of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.
In 2008, the song "Pal Norte," by the Puerto Rican group Calle 13, won a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Song. They were also nominated for "Antidiotico" for Best Urban Music Album and "Hay Un Son" for Best Video.
In addition, Orishas' music received awards in Spain, where they achieved several gold and platinum sales certifications.
The theme "A lo cubano" is one of the most commonly used backgrounds in series, contests, and movies where a character from the island is introduced.
Additionally, his music has been featured in various soundtracks such as Kubaner Küssen Besser (Germany, 2002), Fast & Furious II (2003), Bad Boys II (2003), Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), Perfecto Amor Equivocado (Cuba-Spain, 2004), and El Benny (Cuba, 2006)
On December 12, 2009, Orishas held their final concert as a group in Zurich, Switzerland. After that, each member of the group pursued their own path to work on solo albums.
As an actor, Yotuel has been involved in series and films such as the popular "Un paso adelante," where he met his partner, the Spanish actress, dancer, songwriter, and singer Beatriz Luengo. He has also appeared in Cuban cinema in "Color Habana," "Perfecto amor equivocado," and "El Baile de San Juan."
As a solo artist, Yotuel has collaborated with singers like Ricky Martin, with whom he joined on the single "Una mordidita" from the Puerto Rican's album *A quien quiera escuchar* (2015). The song, which has over 1.2 billion views on YouTube, won the Premio Lo Nuestro for Video of the Year.
In January 2021, along with Beatriz Luego, he released the music video for his single "Rebelde" on YouTube, featuring the popular Spanish singer and influencer Omar Montes.
In January 2020, along with Orishas and Beatriz Luengo, they released "Ojalá pase," in which Luengo sings the exact chorus of the song "Ojalá" by Silvio Rodríguez. This sparked significant controversy with Silvio, and ultimately, the song was removed from all platforms.
In 2021, Yotuel made headlines again for using the same lyrics to create the song "Patria y Vida," joining his voice in collaboration with Gente de Zona, Decemer Bueno, and the rappers Maykel Osorbo and Funky, two of the most prominent figures in the San Isidro Movement and the fight against repression on the island. Additionally, the audiovisual features Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, another member of the MSI.
With this song, which has garnered over 4 million views, the musicians have made history by creating an anthem of freedom that resonates with all Cubans, both on the island and abroad. It has profoundly irritated the Cuban regime, leading to an increase in repression against anyone who sings or publicly writes any of its verses.
Yotuel himself became the target of insults from the Cuban government, which called him a "jinetero" due to his relationship with the Spanish singer Beatriz Luengo.
In February, along with other Cuban artists and personalities, they addressed the European Parliament to discuss the situation in Cuba, as well as engaging with members of the Joe Biden administration regarding the impact of the song.
In January, he announced that he was working on a song titled "Propuesta indecente" alongside the Spanish singer-songwriter Rozalén
Yotuel resides in Miami with his wife Beatriz Luengo, with whom he is expecting their second child together—a girl who will be born in 2021. He also has a third child from a previous relationship. He often shares family moments and is usually accompanied by his mother, with whom the Cuban artist has a strong bond.
