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The Kumbia Kings were a Latin Grammy-winning Cumbia music group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia (hence their name), hip-hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band’s producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III and Cruz Martínez. A.B. Quintanilla is also known as the brother of the late “queen of tejano music”, Selena. He played bass guitar for the group, while Cruz played keyboards. Both co-wrote songs for the Kumbia Kings. Though the group has gone through a revolving door of members in recent years amid controversy and finger-pointing, and the Kumbia Kings of today are vastly different than what originated in Corpus Christi, TX over 8 years ago, A.B. and Cruz were always the soul of the group. Gone are original members Frankie J and DJ Kane both who have gone on to significant success as solo artists, as well as the group Kingz1 (K1), a collaboration of former Kumbia Kings members who have defected from the group for reason of “internal dissention”. Unfortunately, A.B. Quintanilla, singer Irvin “PeeWee” Salinas, as well as Selena’s widower Chris Pérez (who has now remarried), also decided to leave the group due to that same “internal dissention”. Cruz Martínez kept Los Kumbia Kings but changed the name to Los Super Reyes for legal issues. |
