Yotuel Omar Manzanarez Romero is a Cuban singer, songwriter, actor, model, and music producer born on October 6, 1976, in Havana, Cuba.
His beginnings in the world of music started at the age of 18 when he joined Hiram Riverí (Ruzzo) and Joel Pando (El Pionero) to form the group Amenaza, a pioneering band of Cuban hip-hop that rescued and fused the Cuban oral tradition with rap, thus laying the groundwork for what would later become the group Orishas. The group performed in the 90s at various prominent venues such as Café Cantante, a gathering place in the gardens of Teatro Mella, Casa de la Música, and 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 in 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 with their music project, which included Roldán González Rivero, who sings traditional Cuban music in the group Rico Son. Under the name Orishas, the new group signed with the record label EMI, and in 1999 they released their first studio album A Lo Cubano, which made them famous worldwide, becoming the leading representatives of Cuban hip hop. In 2002, Emigrante was released, 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 release Gourmet in 2018.
With Orishas, Yotuel toured stages around the world and sold over 750,000 copies in Europe.
In 2003, "Time" magazine included Orishas among the 10 most important 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 for 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 the song Hay Un Son for Best Video.
Additionally, Orishas' music received awards in Spain, where they achieved several gold and platinum sales records.
The theme A lo cubano is one of the most frequently used backgrounds in series, contests, and movies where a character from the island is introduced.
In addition, his music has been part of 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, El Benny Cuba 2006
On December 12, 2009, Orishas had their final concert as a group in Zurich, Switzerland, after which each member went their separate ways to work on solo albums.
As an actor, Yotuel has participated 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 been seen in Cuban cinema in "Color Habana," "Perfecto amor equivocado," and "El Baile de San Juan."
As a solo artist, Yotuel has collaborated with singers such as Ricky Martin, with whom he teamed up for the single Una mordidita from the Puerto Rican's album A quien quiera escuchar (2015). The song, with over 1.2 billion views on YouTube, won the Premio Lo Nuestro for Video of the Year.
In January 2021, along with Beatriz Luego, she released the music video for her single Rebelde through the YouTube channel, in collaboration with the popular Spanish singer and influencer Omar Montes.
In January 2020, together with Orishas and Beatriz Luengo, he released "Ojalá pase," in which Luengo sings the exact chorus of the song "Ojalá" by Silvio Rodríguez. This sparked a major 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 el Funky, two of the most visible faces of 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 with which all Cubans, both inside and outside the island, have identified. This has notably disturbed the Cuban regime, leading to increased repression against any citizen who sings or publicly writes any of its verses.
Yotuel himself was the target of insults from the Cuban government, which labeled him a "jinetero" due to his relationship with the Spanish singer Beatriz Luengo.
In February, along with other Cuban artists and personalities, he addressed the European Parliament to discuss the situation in Cuba, as well as with members of Joe Biden's administration, regarding the impact the song has had.
In January, he announced that he was working on a song with the Spanish singer-songwriter and composer Rozalén titled "Propuesta indecente"
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. It is common to see him sharing family snapshots and he is always accompanied by his mother, with whom the Cuban artist is very close.
