Barrio Boyzz

Formed in 1991 by manager Joe Jacket in an effort to launch a mainstream Latino ensemble, the Barrio Boyzz quickly established themselves as a New York-based Latino quintet featuring Angel Ramirez, Jr., David Davilla, Hans Giraldo, Louie Marrero, and Robert Vargas. Every member grew up in New York, fluent in both English and Spanish, while absorbing the soul sounds of the 1970s, the R&B of the 1980s, and the hip-hop of the 1990s. Jacket insisted the young performers formally pledge their commitment to one another and remain united for an entire year before any recording could begin. Although their earliest releases were in Spanish, the group’s long-term objective was always to break into the wider pop market. Their range surfaced clearly on the 1995 English-language album How We Roll, where they moved freely among R&B, hip-hop, and soul. The New York collective notched repeated successes on Latin charts, secured two platinum certifications for Spanish albums, and appeared in the feature film I Like It Like That.