Akwid

Akwid emerged from the efforts of brothers Sergio Gomez and Francisco Gomez, who arrived in California from Mexico during childhood and took root in the vibrant, multicultural environment of South Central Los Angeles. As teenagers they launched the Juvenile Style DJ crew and assumed the monikers “Wikid” for Sergio and “AK” for Francisco. Captivated by the rhythms and spirit of American hip-hop, the siblings began fusing those influences with strands of traditional Mexican music. Merging their crew aliases into the name Akwid, they pursued a banda/rap approach with determination, delivering Spanish-language rhymes across gritty beats spiked by piercing Mexican brass accents. After inking a deal with Univision’s music division, the pair released their debut full-length in June 2003; its single “No Hay Manera (There's No Way)” quickly scaled the Latin music charts. By December the album Proyecto Akwid had achieved platinum status with 200,000 units sold in the Latin market and earned a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Strong media attention followed Akwid into 2004 as the act wrapped a promotional tour across Mexico while pursuing broader mainstream exposure within the United States.