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By Michael Lopez

This year brought us some very interesting "El Headliner" winners. There were colorful duos like Domino Saints, introspective songwriters like Bergman Pazs, and now an unconventional studio wiz named Galante. A true master of reggaeton and synthesized beats, "El Emperador" (as he's also called) shared his thoughts on what it's like to be 2011's final "El Headliner" champ.

"I feel great," he told us when reacting to his victory. "My manager called me up and said, 'You're the winner!' It took me completely by surprise."

Just 23-years-old, Galante has already established himself as a very powerful musical presence. Born in Puerto Rico, he grew up dividing his time between two very different passions: music and technology.

"I'm actually trained to be a computer programmer," Galante explained. "I've won awards for my networking designs."

Back in 2006, Galante beat out 6,000 students to win first place in a nationwide programming competition. And, as he explained to us, it was his passion for computers that helped give him an edge in the music biz.

"My computer abilities have helped me learn about engineering and studio production," he said. "That's kind of how I was able to get so much attention so fast. It had a lot to do with my skills behind the soundboard."

Indeed, Galante's music caught the ear of quite a few famous Puerto Ricans. In the past year alone, he's collaborated with heavy hitters like Jowell y Randy, Arcangel, and Daddy Yankee. Working with El Big Boss seemed to be the highlight so far, as Galante confessed to us.

"Daddy Yankee is a musical hero of mine. Being able to collaborate with him in the studio, it's like a dream come true!"

Though somewhat coy about his work with DY, Galante did openly discuss his upcoming single with Jowell y Randy. Set to come out next February, it’ll surely put this young music wiz on the map.

"I'm really hoping for big things in 2012," Galante said. "My song with Jowell y Randy should be out by February and by April, I hope to have my first solo studio album completed."

Obviously those are things we will definitely keep an eye out for. In the meantime, you catch up on all of the latest Galante happenings by visiting his official site (which he happened to have designed himself).

See you next year "El Headliner" fans!

Who was your favorite "El Headliner" of the year? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Daddy Yankee, El Emperador, El Headliner, Exclusive Entrevistas, Galante, Jowell y Randy, Música, Ourstage, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

We're sure it would cause a concert promoter a lot of stress to have an artist bail on them at the last second. But would it be enough to make you bleed from your eyeballs? That's what one Argentine music mogul is claiming, after Daddy Yankee pulled out of his 10-show tour.

According to TMZ, Diego Hernan de Iraola is suing DY for $820,000 after an unplanned contract breach. Iraola allegedly signed Yankee for multiple shows in Argentina, which wound up getting cancelled just two days before the start date.

Diego claims that DY's no-show caused him so much stress, his eyes began to bleed. Not surprisingly, he's also going after Yankee for a ton of personal damages.

So far El Big Boss is staying quiet on the matter, but we imagine he'll have his own side of the story to share soon. Perhaps he can even make amends, by giving Iraola a free pair of Yankee sunglasses to hide his bleeding eyes.

Do you think this latest Daddy Yankee lawsuit is bogus? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Daddy Yankee, Diego Hernan de Iraola, Lawsuits, Música, popnews

By Larry Yepez Jr.

If you haven’t heard of JBalvin yet, remember the name, because you will be hearing quite a bit from this Colombian music phenomenon. The talented Colombian is on a mission to conquer the world! JBalvin just signed an international recording contract with EMI/Capitol Latin, which is putting Balvin on its roster of artists. The record company also named him Ambassador of the Latin Urban Movement , putting him in the perfect path to achieve his global dream.

Balvin came onto the music scene in Colombia with fresh beats and seductive lyrics that instantly captivated audiences. His music videos have surpassed 35 million views on YouTube and he's on the verge of reaching two million followers in Twitter and Facebook.

Balvin gained notice Latin America when he was given the highest industry awards in Colombia. He got 3 SAYCO Awards (Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de Colombia) for the song Sin Compromiso in the categories of National Songwriter, Urban Song and Most Voted. He also got several Shock Awards and this year is nominated in the most prestigious categories: Artist or Group of the Year, Best Song on Radio and Best Urban Artist or Group. A Shock Award represents the highest level of recognition an artist can receive in Colombia.

A couple of weeks ago Balvin got a Gold Record for the sales on his album REAL. Balvin is the first Colombian Urban Artist to ever get this honor! So at the top of his game, Tr3s had a one on one with Balvin and here is what he had to say:

Tr3s:  You just signed a contract with Capitol/EMI, that's a pretty big deal! How are you taking this in?

JBalvin: I’m very happy with this honor. There's a lot of responsibility with this title of Ambassador of the Latin Urban Movement. But I'm excited about what's to come. The idea we had was to globalize the JBalvin image and after several meetings at different record labels, I can say like my song, "EMI me cautivó". I saw that we had the same vision  as to the direction I want to take my career.

I see a lot of work ahead of us with this alliance. I have been 9 years as an independent artist with a lot of discipline and now I am part of the EMI roster,  I am very happy to be part of this family.

Tr3s: What do you plan to achieve through this deal both in the U.S. and in the rest of the world?

JBalvin: I want to be part of the new school of great artists of the Urban Genre!

Tr3s: Starting your career you were compared to Daddy Yankee and recently you mentioned that you wanted to be the Jay Z of Latin Urban Music. What’s this all about?

JBalvin: Every artist has his Muse, and I have always been a fan of Daddy Yankee and also have always admired Jay Z. These artists show strong character and a lot of discipline and I like that, I like for people to see that in myself as well, I think these characteristics make strong artists.

Tr3s: Which other artists would you like to do collaborations with?

JBalvin: Whew.. We'd probably be here all afternoon if I told you all of them, but just to name a few, I'd love to work with Drake, Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Daddy Yankee and Bruno Mars.

Balvin's new production will show his versatility as he dares to mix up rhythms like reggae, salsa, rap, bachata and electronica without losing his essence nor abandoning the genre that put him on the map. He did give the scoop that he will be doing a duet with Don Omar and a collaboration with Zion y Lennox.

Check out JBalvin as our featured artists on this month's Descubre & Download!

Tags Alicia Keys, Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Bruno Mars, Capitol Latin/EMI Music, Daddy Yankee, Descubre & Download, Don Omar, drake, JayZ, jBalvin, SAYCO Awards, zion y lennox

By Michael Lopez

Perhaps Prince Royce rubbed off a bit on his former duet partner, Daddy Yankee. Just a few day after Royce debuted his crossover English single "Addicted," El Big Boss went ahead and Americanized his massive Spanish hit, "Ven Conmigo!"

Now as we all know, Royce was a big part of "Conmigo" too and you can still hear him on the English version. But Yankee has also added Adrienne Bailon to throw in English lyrics and we have to admit, they're pretty darn catchy.

Co-written by Ne-Yo (who's fresh off Pitbull’s smash "Give Me Everything"), the new version goes by the title "Come With Me" and is full of the same thumping bass, autotune, and tropical rhythms you remember. DY also tossed out some interesting rhyme translations to keep things interesting.

"Ven Conmigo" has cracked the Top 10 on Billboard’s Tropical, Rhythm, and Latin Pop categories and we're feeling pretty confident that "Come With Me" may do the same for the English charts. Hopefully Big Boss and Prince can create another colorful video to go along with it!

What’s your favorite Daddy Yankee song? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Adrienne Bailon, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Come With Me, Daddy Yankee, Hot Stuff, Música, Prince Royce, Ven Conmigo

By Ikam Acosta

Calle 13 scored a record 10 Latin Grammy nominations this Wednesday, including Record and Album of the year. Other top nominees were Franco de Vita with five, Marco Antonio Solís with four and Shakira with three.

The 12th annual Latin Grammy Awards will be airing live from Sin City on November 10, 2011. The event will be held at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Events Center and will be broadcasted on Univision, from 8pm to 11 pm, for the rest of the world to watch.

The Latin Grammys recognize the best of the best in Latin music and have been watched by not just Spanish speakers, but viewers form all over the world.

Nominees for this year's awards were announced at a press conference today from the Avalon in Hollywood, California. A live broadcast could be found on the official Latin Grammy website.

Calle 13 announced the nominees for Best Pop Album in both the female and male categories. Nominees for Mejor Album Vocal Pop Femenino include:
Manuscrito, Claudia Brant
Seducción, Myriam Hernandez
Guerra Fria, Malu
Acordes de mi Diario, Merche
Sale el Sol, Shakira

Nominees for Mejor Album Vocal Pop Masculino include:
Pablo Alboran, Pablo Alboran
Bien Acompañado, Reyli Barba
Viva el Principe, Chris Castro
En Primera Fila, Franco de Vita
En Total Plentitud, Marco Antonio Solis

Mejor Canción Alternativa nominees included:
"Calma Pueblo" - Calle 13
"Salgamos De Aquí" - Pascual Reyes
"Somos" - Doctor Krápula
"Te Robaste Mi Corazón" - DJ Blass & Fidel
"Tengo Tu Love" - Sie7e

Los Tucanes de Tijuana announced the nominees for Canción del Año, which included:
"A Donde Vamos a Parár" - Marco Antonio Solis
"Latinoamérica" - Calle 13
"Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú" - Ricky Martin
"Que El Soneto Nos Tome Por Sorpresa" - Jorge Drexler
"Solamente Tú" - Pablo Alboran

Merche announced the nominees for Grabación del Año as well as Best Rock Song.
Nominees for Grabación del Año include:
Latinoamérica, Calle 13
Tan Solo Tú, Franco de Vita
Gritar, Luis Fonsi
Golpes en el Corazón, Los Tigres del Norte
Lo Mejor de Mi Vida Eres Tú, Ricky Martin

Nominees for Mejor Canción de Rock are:
"Ácido" - Marcelo Corvalan
"Chau" - Emiliano Brancciari
"Labios Rotos" - Zoé
"Poder" - Gustavo Napoli
"Radio Capital" - La Vida Bohéme

Desmond Child announced the nominees for Mejor Álbum de Música Alternativa:
Corazon Bombea/ Vivo by Doctor Krapula
Forever Together, Fidel
Mientras Tu Dormias, Carla Morrison
Soundtrack, Mr. Pauer
Música De Fondo: MTV Unplugged, Zoé

Desmond Child continued with the nominees for Mejor Álbum de Música Norteña:
Intocable 2011, Intocable
Soy Mexicano, Los Huracanes del Norte
Pura Calidad, Reyes de Arranque
Los Tigres del Norte and Friends MTV Unplugged, Tigres del Norte
El Árbol, Los Tucanes de Tijuana
Desde La Cantina Vol.II, Grupo Pesado

Pepe Agular listed the nominees for Best Urban Album and Best Urban Song. Nominees for Mejor Álbum de Música Urbana were:
Entren Los Que Quieran, Calle 13
Don Omar Presents Meet the Orphans, Don Omar
Armando, Pitbull
Drama Queen, Ivy Queen
Los Vaqueros: EL Regreso, Wisin y Yandel

Nominees for Mejor Canción Urbana were:
"Baile De Los Pobres" - Rafa Arcaute & Calle 13
"Bon Bon" - Pitbull
"Danza Kuduro" - Don Omar & Lucenzo
"Estoy Enamorado" - Wisin & Yandel
"Ven Conmigo" - Daddy Yankee & Prince Royce

Sounds like a great line-up. It's going to be un tremendo show! The rest of the nominees in other categories can be found at the Latin Grammy Website, where you can see all of the other Nominados.

Before the nominees were announced, Latin Grammy President Gabriel Abaroa and Univision's Giselle Blondet revealed this year's artwork, created by New York-born urban realist Miguel Paredes. Artists were available for interviews and photographs following the announcement.

Will you be tuning in to watch the 12th Annual Latin Grammys this year?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Calle 13, Carla Morrison, Chris Castro, Claudia Brant, Daddy Yankee, Desmond Child, DJ Blass, Doctor Krapula, Don Omar, Emiliano Brancciari, Fidel, Franco de Vita, Grammy Awards, Grupo Pesado, Gustavo Napoli, Intocable, Ivy Queen, Jorge Drexler, La Vida Bohème, Latin Grammy Awards, Los Huracanes del Norte, Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Luis Fonsi, Malu, Marcelo Corvalan, Marco Antonio Solis, Música, Merche, Mr. Pauer, Myriam Hernandez, Pablo Alboran, Pascual Reyes, Pitbull, Prince Royce, Reyes de Arranque, Reyli Barba, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Sie7e, tigres del norte, Wisin y Yandel, Zoe

By Michael Lopez

Obviously the release of the Watch The Throne album is reason enough to celebrate. The legendary collaboration between Jay-Z and Kanye West has attracted a huge amount of attention. And for the kickoff, Hova threw a massive party in Miami.

Held at the city's popular Club Liv, the Throne fiesta seemed to spare no expense. To help usher in the festivities, Jay-Z popped open a $250,000 bottle of champagne, setting a record for the club's biggest bar tab.

Kanye was unfortunately traveling overseas, but that didn't stop the onslaught of other local celebs from getting their party on. Tr3s faves Alex Rodriguez and Daddy Yankee were spotted in the crowd, as were Flo Rida and DJ Clue.

Of course the true star of the night was the $250k bottle of Ace Of Spades champagne. Broken down into sheer numbers, it wound up costing several thousand dollars a glass! But by the huge smiles seen on the Throne guests' faces, it was well worth it.

What's the biggest bar tab you've ever seen? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags alex Rodriguez, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Daddy Yankee, Hot Stuff, Jay Z, Kanye West, Música, Watch the Throne

By Michael Lopez

We all remember Daddy Yankee's #1 smash "Rompe." Lifted from his Barrio Fino en Directo album, it dominated Billboard's Rap, Latin, and Tropical charts. But now, nearly six years after it was released, a Mexican musician is claiming that El Big Boss stole the music portion of the track.

Songwriter David Moser filed a lawsuit against Yankee last week in Illinois, seeking over $150,000 in damages from the success of "Rompe." And if he wins, he could be in for an ongoing stream of revenue. Not only was "Rompe" a hit on the charts, it also has been featured on shows like Entourage and in the video game, True Crime: New York. So that means big royalties for years to come. But does Moser's suit have any merit?

That's the tricky part. Moser claims that his 1998 song "Anoche" has elements that are virtually identical to "Rompe." His paperwork lists melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic similarities between the two songs. But unlike the copyright suit that Shakira is going through, it appears as though Moser and Yankee have never actually worked together, which may make the case harder to prove.

We've also got to wonder what took Moser so long to file the suit? Yankee has released three more albums since "Rompe" stormed the charts. But nevertheless, it will be an interesting story to follow, especially when you imagine a courtroom blasting El Big Boss through the loudspeakers.

Do you think Daddy Yankee ripped off “Rompe?” Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Anoche, Chisme, Daddy Yankee, David Moser, Lawsuits, Música, Rompe

By Michael Lopez

Within his 30-year career, it’s clear Draco Rosa’s music has touched millions. And now several famous fans are tweeting messages of love for the Puerto Rican rocker as he prepares to battle the cancerous tumor discovered near his abdomen.

Celebs like Roselyn Sanchez, Daddy Yankee, Carlos Ponce, and more have started a massive chain of online well wishes. And even though Draco is currently confined to a bed in a Houston hospital, we’re sure he’s aware of the ongoing support.

Ricky Martin, a former Menudo bandmate and Draco collaborator for over 25 years, posted,

"Usted es un guerrero hermano!

Adamari López, who herself is a cancer survivor, sent out blessings as well,

“Ten fe, mucha fortaleza, luz, bendiciones... Estás en mis oraciones".

"Mis mejores energías para mi amigo Draco. Sé que te vas a mejorar hermano," came from Calle 13’s Twitter account.

And El Big Boss made sure all of his fans were aware of his love for Draco,

“Fortaleza mental, espiritual y el corazón optimista. Adelante varón que para Dios no hay nada imposible!!!".

Other celebrities who posted shout outs include Tego Calderón and Tommy Torres. And that’s not even including the everyday tweeters who have been sending an onslaught of virtual “get wells”. We’re certain that this massive outpouring of love will help keep Draco upbeat during this very difficult time.

Have you sent out get well tweets to Draco? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Adamari Lopez, Calle 13, Cancer, Carlos Ponce, Celebrities, Daddy Yankee, Draco, Ricky Martin, Robi Rosa, Roselyn Sanchez, Tego Calderon, twitter, Well Wishes

By Michael Lopez

Talk about a match made in bachata heaven. This week Tr3s faves Daddy Yankee and Prince Royce gave fans a taste of their long-awaited duet “Ven Conmigo.” Capitalizing on both of their musical strengths, it’s got some harder edges for Royce’s sweet voice and a nice bouncy vibe to connect El Big Boss with the younger crowd.

Featuring Caribbean beats, rapid-fire Yankee rhymes, and a nice sampling of auto tune, “Ven Conmigo” is a perfect early summer anthem. The song is set to be included on Daddy’s upcoming Prestige album and has already gotten tens of thousands of hits on YouTube.

It's clear from Royce's Twitter page that he couldn't be happier about the positive fan reaction. He’s been retweeting Big Boss posts all week and was not short on praise when speaking about his new collaborator.

"Grabar esta canción con Daddy Yankee ha sido increíble, he admirado a Yankee por años así que trabajar con él es un honor,” Prince recently said.

Yankee seems to be just as excited about “Ven Conmigo,” tweeting,

“Ya empezó el conteo regresivo. Faltan 5 dias para #venconmigo @dynation @PlanetRoyce ! We are readyyyyyyy”

And by the buzz that’s already been building on the web, it’s clear that both Royce and Yankee fans are ready to shoot this single straight to the #1 slot!

What do you think about the Yankee/Royce collaboration? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Daddy Yankee, Hot Stuff, Música, Prestige, Prince Royce, Ven Conmigo

By Sugey Palomares

If you have raw musical talent and lots of love to give, you may want to submit your musical message of love for a chance to win some cold, hard cash.

Daddy Yankee teamed up with Western Union to launch the "Love in Any Language" campaign last week, encouraging consumers to create and upload original music videos expressing their love to family and friends. "All you have to do is post the video! Easy like that," Daddy Yankee said during the launch. The submission deadline is April 18. The lucky winner will receive $10,000 and a chance to appear at the 2011 Billboard Latin Music Conference in Miami on April 27.

Daddy Yankee took some time to talk with exclusively with Tr3s about the contest, his upcoming album Prestige and much more. Here's our Q&A with the Puerto Rican reggaeton artist.

“Love in Any Language” sounds like a great initiative to find new talent. What inspired you to be a part of this national campaign?

"What inspired me to be a part of this is that I am a part of the community. The ultimate winner has the opportunity to win $10,000 and also show their talent to the world. That is going to change someone’s future completely, and I’m happy to be a part of that."

You recently reached more than one million Twitter fans, congratulations. How do you feel about the huge following?

"It’s such a great honor! Just knowing that you are touching so many people out there with your music. I receive so many tweets from different countries, so it’s a global thing."

Are there any funny fan comments that stand out?

"There’s a lot, there’s a lot. Everyday I receive so many messages, and it’s hard because you want to respond to everyone. It’s especially hard when I receive Russian tweets. It’s a funny situation. I feel like I need a translator by my side. [Laughs]"

Your new album Prestige is slated to drop this summer. What is the difference between this album and your other hits?

"The difference between this album and my other albums is that I have gotten the chance to work with many different colleagues from other genres. Basically, it feels more like an independent album. I have so many collaborations in this album and my favorite right now is Prince Royce. Reggaeton and bachata! That’s a very interesting collaboration right there!"

That’s great. When can fans expect to see you on the big screen once again?

"I’ll probably be shooting the next movie by the end of November. That’s the reason I have dropped like 30 pounds because I’ll be playing a boxer. So you know if you are going to play a boxer you have to be in shape! [Laughs] I had to do a lot of cardio, dieting, and discipline, but I know the end result will be worth it."

What other projects are you working on?

"I’ll be on tour next month. First stop will be Honduras and then Chile. After that, we will be in Europe and then the States. There is always a lot going on!"

Are you looking forward to Daddy Yankee's new album? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Daddy Yankee, Latin Music, Love in Any Language, Musica Latina, Prestige, Reggaeton, Western Union