La Sinfonia

The L.A.-based Latin rap trio La Sinfonia traces its origins to the underground hip-hop crew Los Mafiosos. Seis (Alfonso García) and Arsenal (Luis E. Bañuelos), who would later form La Sinfonia, belonged to that earlier group; their poignant words earned a cult following until the backstabbing music business and an excess of deadbeats forced an early demise. Seis and Arsenal chose to continue working together. A new direction emerged when Arsenal suggested that his sister Vanessa Bañuelos might join a hip-hop project, a shift from the mariachi and banda bands she had previously performed with. She adopted the name Vane, became part of the lineup, and La Sinfonia officially formed in 2003. Their debut album, La Lucha, el Dolor, el Triunfo, arrived on Sony Discos the following year. It included the bitter track “Respira,” which detailed the hardships Los Mafiosos had endured, as well as the infectious single “Inseparable.” The 2006 release of the single “Mi Tierra” signaled the arrival of the group’s sophomore effort, City of Candles.