Kumbia Kings

The Kumbia Kings were a Mexican-American cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas, created by A. B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia (hence their name), hip hop, and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been Quintanilla and Cruz Martínez. Quintanilla is the brother of the late "Queen of Tejano", Selena. Quintanilla played bass guitar for the group, while Martínez, husband of international artist Alicia Villarreal, played keyboards. Both co-wrote songs for the Kumbia Kings. Though the group has gone through a revolving door of members in recent years amid controversy and finger-pointing, and the Kumbia Kings of today are vastly different from what originated in Corpus Christi over eight years ago, Quintanilla and Martínez were always the soul of the group. Gone are original members Frankie J and DJ Kane, both of whom have gone on to significant success as solo artists, as well as the group K1 (Kingz One), a collaboration of founding members of Kumbia Kings who have defected from the group for reason of "internal dissension". Quintanilla, Irvin "Pee Wee" Salinas, as well as Selena's widower Chris Pérez, also decided to leave the group due to that same "internal dissension" and joined Los Kumbia All Starz, formed by A.B. Quintanilla. Martínez kept what was left of Los Kumbia Kings and formed his own group Los Super Reyes with the remaining members. In October 2009, Quintanilla and Martínez solved their differences, and announced that the Kumbia Kings would reunite for a series of concerts lasting from late 2009 through early 2010.