Qbanito

Havana-born Qbanito channeled elements of {hip-hop}, {French pop}, and { raditional} Middle Eastern music to create a uniquely multicultural interpretation of {contemporary Latin R&B}. Born Neiver Alberto Alvarez in 1979, he spent the majority of his adolescence in Cuba, as a teen becoming obsessed with American { ap}. At 17, he and his sister relocated to Montreal to reunite with their father, and the myriad new musical influences at his disposal profoundly shaped his burgeoning Cuban { ap} sensibilities. After a tenure with the group Cuban Convoy, in early 2005 Qbanito mounted a solo career, making plans to relocate to Miami before a Montreal producer passed his demo tape along to Universal Music France, which quickly extended a contract offer. Qbanito issued his debut LP, Partir, in early 2006. A Spanish-language release, Adivina Quien Llegó, arrived at U.S. retail later that year. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi