Ivy Queen

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• Genre: Reggaeton
• Hometown: Anasco

About

Reggaeton's resident rude girl, Ivy Queen (aka Maria Ivelisse Pesante) was born on March 4, 1972, in Anasco, Puerto Rico, and grew up in New York City. A gifted singer, Pesante actually got her start as a songwriter; at the age of 18 she moved back to Puerto Rico, where she began working with local star DJ Negro and ultimately joined the group Noise. She quickly started penning hits for Noise, and in 1997 she released her solo debut, En Mi Imperio, which spawned hits like "Como Mujer" and established Pesante as a voice to be reckoned with in the male-dominated reggaeton world. A 1999 collaboration with Wyclef Jean on "In the Zone" helped bring her to the attention of American audiences, but her career really took off when reggaeton rode the coattails of Daddy Yankee's mega-hit "Gasolina" into the international limelight. A string of excellent albums cemented her place as the diva to be reckoned with, with songs like "Yo Quiero Bailar" and "Que Lloren" becoming essential spins for any dancefloor.

- Sarah Bardeen