DON DINERO

Latin Rap Pioneer, Entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker

The first major American-born, Spanish-rapping hip-hop artist to make the major-label jump and find widespread commercial acceptance, Don Dinero was one of a kind -- for a moment, that is, before a legion of followers like Pitbull followed in his footsteps and likewise found an eager market for stateside Spanish-language rap. Granted, stateside Latino rappers such as Cypress Hill, Lil Rob, Nore, and Big Punisher had preceded Dinero by years, and south of the border there had long been plenty of Spanish-language rap, for instance, the Mexican hardcore rap of Control Machete or the massive reggaeton movement. But Dinero was different: he was an American who rapped in en español for Spanish-speaking Americans, which set him apart from his aforementioned predecessors and made him a unique presence in the hip-hop world.
Born Jose Manuel Guitian in the rough Washington Heights section of Manhattan, Dinero found much inspiration amid New York's thriving hip-hop scene. In 2002 he and his older brother, Oscar Guitian, started their own label, and Dinero decided to move his family to Miami, where he believed there was ample opportunity amid the city's huge Latino population. He immediately began work on what would become Que Bola! He released the album by the end of the year, on Cuban Connection Records, and Miami's Salsa 98.3 began playing the single "Pana Pana." This in itself was landmark, as the predominantly tropical station rarely, if ever, played so-called urban music, but the best was yet to come, when Universal Latino offered to pick up Que Bola! for distribution, reissuing it in 2003 in an enhanced edition. Universal also green-lighted a group album, Don Dinero & the Revolu All Stars, and a DVD, Su Vida y la Calle -- both of which furthered the quickly mounting buzz surrounding Dinero. Such was the buzz that Dinero and Dinero alone was chosen to collaborate with Celia Cruz on a remix of her "Son de la Loma" single, released in 2004. Currently Don Dinero is the Latin President of ADDVENTURES MUSIC and continues to Educate & Empower Independent artist to own operate & Monetize there music.

Request an Appearance

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Don Dinero is currently accepting a limited number of speaking engagements. If you are looking to challenge the status quo and provide your attendees with an unforgettable experience, we want to hear from you. Drop the details below, and let's build something worth watching.

Request an Appearance

H5 Heading

Don Dinero is currently accepting a limited number of speaking engagements. If you are looking to challenge the status quo and provide your attendees with an unforgettable experience, we want to hear from you. Drop the details below, and let's build something worth watching.