DCClubbing Presents:

Arcangel
Ken-Y
Jason Cerda

Tickets On Sale Now
Thursday, May 22, 2014 | Doors 8pm | Ages 18+
Echostage • 2135 Queens Chapel Rd NE • Washington, DC
VIP and Venue Information – 202.503.2330

Austin Santos (born December 23, 1986), better known by his stage name Arcangel, is a Dominican singer-songwriter, . He was born in New York and moved to Puerto Rico some years later. While living in Puerto Rico, he would eventually form part of a popular then-underground reggaeton act, Arcangel & De La Ghetto. The duo eventually went on to make songs that became popular among reggaeton fans in the United States and other countries including Puerto Rico, including “Agresivo”, “Sorpresa” and “Mi Fanática” during the mid-2000s. Arcangel went on to release his debut studio album, El Fenómeno, in late 2008. The album included songs that were produced in 2008, as well as the DJ Nelson produced “Chica Virtual”, which was produced in 2007. Half of the album also included newly produced tracks, ones including “Pa’ Que la Pases Bien” and “Por Amar a Ciegas”, which went on to become successful airplay songs on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States. Also in other countries as well as the United States. Arcangel has success very fast by the help of various artist such as De La Ghetto, Daddy Yankee, Zion & Lenox and much more. His first debut album was a successful album because of it’s success in his solo career. The album top many charts in the U.S and Latin America.

Arcangel was born in Bronx, NY. He was born eldest of three children to Dominican mother and Dominican Father. His mother was a former member of the all-women merengue group, Las Chicas del Can, who were popular during the early 1980s to the late 1990s. Martínez Tutek, Andrés (2009-03-04). “Arcangel: el irreverente del reggaetón” (in Spanish). People en Español (Time Inc.). He grew up listening to various types of music and has been a fan of rock music, particularly Robi Draco Rosa, a Puerto Rican pop rock artist and a former member of Menudo. Arcangel was not always a fan of reggaeton; he claims that it is not his favorite type of music, but it is easy to sing to. During the early 2000s, Arcangel grew fond of the new kind of music. Listening to artists like Tego Calderón, Tempo, and Daddy Yankee, it inspired him to pursue a singing and rapping career in reggaeton music.

After moving to Puerto Rico in 2002, Arcangel decided to follow in the footsteps of the upbringing of reggaeton music. He went on to form an underground reggaeton duo, Arcangel & De La Ghetto. The duo was signed to reggaeton singer-songwriter Zion Baby Records from making continuos hits for Zion’s record label, Baby Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. The duo were also involved with Machete Music in 2004 during the time that they were recording for reggaeton compilation albums. Arcangel & De La Ghetto rose to fame in 2006 on the reggaeton compilation album hosted by Héctor “El Father”, Sangre Nueva, with their hit song, “Ven y Pegate.” They were also featured on the Luny Tunes-hosted compilation Mas Flow: Los Benjamins in 2006.

Though an active musical duo, Arcangel & De La Ghetto never released a studio album since the formation of the duo. Any production they had been involved with only resulted in tracks and recordings being included on compilation albums or leaked onto the Internet. This was due to a conflict with Baby Records because the company was not releasing any material by Arcangel & De La Ghetto onto an album of their own. Arcangel claimed to have even spent $150,000 on producing an album, which resulted in the label not releasing it to market. The tracks produced were said to have been leaked onto the Internet instead. Arcangel had then filed a lawsuit with Baby Records in 2007 for US$1,000,000 and would eventually leave the record company in December 2006, when he announced that he was embarking on a solo career and founding a label of his own.

After the separation of the duo in 2007, Arcangel went on to perform solo, working with various reggaeton producers and performers on compilation albums. Most notable of them was a compilation album produced in 2007, Flow la Discoteka 2, which was produced by songwriter and record producer DJ Nelson. The album was an upbringing of different artists trying to rise to fame, one of those including Arcangel, who made a track titled “Chica Virtual”, which went on to be one of his most recognizable songs, as well as being a popular airplay single on American Latin Urban radio stations, charting at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart. It also charted at number 22 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart.

Since the departure from the duo, as well as his former record label Baby Records, Arcangel originally decided to release his debut studio album titled La Maravilla in early 2008. The decision to release the album, however, was cancelled due to the album being leaked onto the Internet during Spring 2008. The tracks were distributed through his official website and file sharing sites relating to reggaeton under the title La Maravilla. One of the internet leaks, a song titled “Pa’ Que la Pases Bien”, went on to be a popular airplay track on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States. The unreleased album being leaked onto the internet resulted in making Arcangel more popular among reggaeton fans in the United States, as well as Puerto Rico. HE had made many songs by then until they were leaked on to the internet which helped his fame.

Arcangel founded Flow Factory Inc. in 2008, and his mother became his manager afterward. He claimed that it was easier having his mother be his manager so that he would not have to pay 20 percent of money received from record sales to his record label and manager. He went on to release his debut album, El Fenómeno, in late 2008. The album included songs that were produced in the last quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008, including the DJ Nelson produced “Chica Virtual”. Half of the album was comprised of tracks that he originally produced for an album that was to be released in the first quarter of 2008. The other half of the album also included newly produced tracks, ones including “Por Amar a Ciegas”, which went on to become a successful airplay single on American Latin Urban radio stations across the United States.

In mid-January 2009, Arcangel announced plans of a European tour sometime during 2009, in promotion of his debut album, El Fenómeno, and to receive more exposure across the world from reggaeton fans. To comment on the tour, he claimed that in order for it to be successful, good equipment would be highly important, and by going along with the tour, he will be able to learn more on what the continental tour experience is like. Arcangel confirmed to be touring in several countries, including Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, England, Netherlands and Denmark. Arcangel released some tracks in 2009 like Movimiento Violento,Si Te Pegas Featuring John Jay, No Me Digas Que No Featuring Lenzo and Se Va. Also Arcangel performed a song with Vico C named Sentimiento, this is the first single of the new album of Vico named Babilla. He Has Also Sang Some Songs With Daddy Yankee Like “Pasion”. Hopefully his upcoming mixtapes and albums will help his singing career. Arcangel was butaly hit in the face by “Hector” El father in a concert in Puerto Rico.

In 2008, Arcangel starred in the independently-produced film Muerte en El Paraíso, which told the story of two brothers who make it into the music industry, but are swindled by two record company executives. The film was directed by Abimael Acosta and opened on March 5, 2008 in selected theaters. In the film, Arcangel starred as “Kalil”, one of the brothers who was new to the music industry. The film was distributed by independent film company, Producciones Nuevo-Enfoque, and was produced by Jeancarlo Rodríguez and Doel Alicea. Critics called the film plot to be somewhat similar to the idea of the 2008 film Talento de Barrio, a film starring Puerto Rican reggaeton recording artist Daddy Yankee. Though both films were completely different in production, both recording artists were said to have enjoyed the filming experience. Both Arcangel and Daddy Yankee are reggeaton artists. Arcangel was also featured in one of the songs of Daddy Yankee’s album Talento de Barrio.