Qbanito

Qbanito, originally from Havana, wove together strands of hip-hop, French pop, and longstanding Middle Eastern traditions to shape a distinctly multicultural take on modern Latin R&B. Neiver Alberto Alvarez entered the world in 1979 and passed most of his teenage years on Cuban soil, where an intense fixation on American rap took hold. At age 17 he moved with his sister to Montreal to join their father, an influx of fresh sounds that left a deep imprint on his developing approach to Cuban rap. Following time spent with Cuban Convoy, he launched his solo path in early 2005 and initially aimed to settle in Miami, yet a local producer in Montreal forwarded his demo to Universal Music France and secured an immediate deal. His first album, Partir, appeared at the start of 2006, while the Spanish-language project Adivina Quien Llegó reached American stores before the year ended.