Frankie J | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr. |
Born | December 7, 1975 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
Origin | San Diego, California, United States |
Genres | R&B, Pop, Latin |
Occupations | Singer-songwriter, Record producer |
Instruments | Vocals, Piano |
Years active | 1997–present |
Labels | EMI (1999-2003) Columbia (2003-2008) Soul Sick/Upstairs (2008-Present) |
Associated acts | Baby Bash, Kumbia Kings |
Website | http://www.frankiejonline.com |
Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr. (born December 7, 1975),[1] better known by his stage name Frankie J, is a Mexican singer and former member of the musical group Kumbia Kings.
Born in Tijuana, he grew up in San Diego and became a freestyle artist under the stage name Frankie Boy in the late 1990s. After his debut freestyle album was shelved, he joined Kumbia Kings. Frankie J's solo debut album, What's a Man to Do, was released in 2003, followed by some more English and Spanish language albums.
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Bautista was born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in San Diego, California from the age of 2, after his uncle brought him and his siblings to the United States.[2] He grew up listening to both traditional Latin music as well as American urban music.[3] He attended Southwest Senior High School in San Diego.[2] He later began to develop more interest in singing, with the encouragement of his family. At high school age, he began participating in talent shows and performing at school functions.[4]
In 1997, Bautista signed with the now defunct Hola Recordings, the brainchild of dance music legend and producer Jellybean Benitez. At the time he was a freestyle artist known as Frankie Boy and his music was released on 3 Maximum Freestyle compilations but his solo CD was shelved before release.[3]
In 1999 he became a member of the Kumbia Kings created by A.B. Quintanilla III, brother of Selena. He performed under the name Cisco. Members included A.B. Quintanilla (bass, background vocals), DJ Kane (born Jason Cano; lead vocals), Frankie J/Cisko (born Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr; vocals), Baby Drew (born Andrew Maes; vocals), Cruz Martínez (keyboards), Alex Ramírez (keyboards), Roy "Slim" Ramírez (percussion, background vocals), Frankie Aranda (percussion), Jorge Peña (percussion), Jesse "O'Jay" Martínez (drums), and Robert Del Moral (drums). They released their debut album Amor, Familia Y Respeto in 1999. The album included hit singles like "Azúcar", "Fuiste Mala", "Reggae Kumbia", "Te Quiero A Ti" and "Se Fue Mi Amor". In 2001 they released their second album Shhh! which included the singles "Shhh!", "Boom Boom" and "Desde Que No Estás Aquí". In 2002 the group released their third album called All Mixed Up: Los Remixes which included the single "La Cucaracha". Cisko then started perform under the name Frankie J. In 2003 they released their fourth album called 4 which included the hit singles "No Tengo Dinero", "Insomnio" and "Mi Gente". They also released the albums Presents Kumbia Kings repackaged English-language highlights from the group's back catalog and La Historia repackaged Spanish-language ones. Later in 2003, Frankie J was one of the original Kumbia Kings members to leave the band along with lead singer DJ Kane and other members of the band. Andrew "Baby Drew" Maes, Alex Ramírez, Roy "Slim" Ramírez, and Frankie Aranda formed their own band called K1 while DJ Kane and Frankie J went on to become solo singers.
As Frankie J, Bautista signed as a solo artist with Columbia Records and released his first album What's A Man To Do on May 23, 2003. His self-titled first Spanish-language album Frankie J was also released later in the same year.[5] The album's lead single "Don't Wanna Try" peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, while "Ya No Es Igual" went Top 10 on the World Latin charts.[6] Later that year, he was featured in the Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Suga Suga" by rapper Baby Bash.[7]
His second album The One was released on March 22, 2005.[8] It was led by the #3 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Obsession (No Es Amor)" featuring rapper Baby Bash, and followed by the Top40 singles "How To Deal" and "More Than Words". To coincide with the release of "More Than Words", the album was re-released on the DualDisc format in October.[9] By January 2006, The One was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipping over a million copies.[10] His second Spanish-language album Un Nuevo Dia was released on June 13, 2006 and featured the single "Pensado En Ti."[6]
Frankie's third English-language CD, Priceless, was released on October 17, 2006. It debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200.[11] The lead single "That Girl" featured Chamillionaire and Mannie Fresh and peaked at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second single "Daddy's Little Girl" charted at #23 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Following his departure from Columbia Records, Frankie J released a few singles ("Pictures" "If You Were My Girlfriend" "Crush" "That's Wussup" w/Baby Bash) between 2008 and 2011, as well as started his own label Soulsick Records.[12]
He released his fourth English-language studio album Courage on December 7, 2011. The lead single "How Beautiful You Are" was released to digital retailers on October 24, 2011.[13] The music video was directed by Mike Ho and premiered on YouTube on September 11, 2011.[14] The video for the album's second single "And I Had You There" premiered on Frankie's YouTube channel on November 26, 2011.
Frankie appeared as a celebrity guest at the 16th birthday party of Marissa Mishelle on MTV's My Super Sweet 16.[15]
In 2011, he joined the mun2 television series RPM Miami as mechanic Ramon.[16] The series was quickly renewed for a second season.[17]
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | RIAA certifications[18] | |
---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. | U.S. Latin | |||
2003 | What's a Man to Do
|
53 | — | |
Frankie Ja
|
57 | — | ||
2005 | The One
|
3 | — |
Platinum |
2006 | Un Nuevo Diaa
|
198 | 9 | — |
Priceless
|
30 | — | — | |
2011 | Courage
|
40 | — | — |
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | RIAA certification[18] | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US[6] | US Rhythmic[6] | US Latin[6] | ||||
2003 | "Don't Wanna Try" | 19 | 8 | — | — | What's a Man to Do? |
"We Still" | — | 22 | — | — | ||
"Ya No Es Igual" | — | — | 11 | — | Frankie J | |
2005 | "Obsession (No Es Amor)" (featuring Baby Bash) | 3 | 2 | 3 | Platinum | The One |
"How to Deal" | 39 | 6 | — | Gold | ||
"More Than Words" | 25 | 17 | 40 | Gold | ||
2006 | "Pensando En Ti" | — | — | 13 | — | Un Nuevo Dia |
"That Girl" (featuring Mannie Fresh and Chamillionaire) | 43 | — | — | — | Priceless | |
"Daddy's Little Girl" | 123 | 18 | — | — | ||
2009 | "If You Were My Girlfriend" | — | — | — | — | non-album track |
"Crush" | — | — | — | — | non-album track | |
2011 | "How Beautiful You Are" | — | — | — | — | Courage |
"And I Had You There" | — | — | — | — |
Year | Title | Artist | Album |
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2003 | "Suga Suga" [featuring Frankie J] | Baby Bash | Tha Smokin' Nephew |
"Menage a Trois" [featuring Frankie J & Powda] | |||
2004 | "Menage a Trois" [featuring Shadow, Don Cisco & Frankie J] | Menage a Trois | |
"Hot Zone" [featuring Frost, Nino Brown & Frankie J] | |||
2005 | "Are You Still Alone" [featuring Frankie J] | Play-N-Skillz | The Process |
2006 | "Los Infieles (Remix)" [featuring Frankie J] | Aventura | |
"Run Away" [featuring Frankie J] | Bubba Sparxxx | The Charm | |
2007 | "Lifted" [featuring Frankie J & Malik] | Latino Velvet | The Camp Is Back |
"Perfect Girl" [featuring Frankie J & Damon Reel] | Los Super Reyes | El Regreso De Los Reyes | |
"Tell Me (Remix)" [featuring Frankie J & Ken-Y] | Pitbull | The Boatlift | |
"Be Gone" [featuring Frankie J] | First Class Fiction | Overdue | |
2008 | "Slow It Down" [featuring Frankie J] | Lil Rob | Twelve Eighteen, Pt. 2 |
"To The Top" [featuring Frankie J] | Omar Cruz | Sign Of The Cruz | |
2009 | "Eres" [featuring Frankie J] | Los Super Reyes | |
2010 | "Night & Day" [featuring Frankie J] | Cuete Yeska | Love Stories 2: The Notebook CD |
"You Deserve Better" [featuring Frankie J] | |||
"Rebound" [featuring Frankie J] | Jump Smokers | Kings of The Dancefloor | |
2011 | "El Reloj No Perdona" [featuring Frankie J] | Syko 'El Terror | Sykology (The Mixtape) |
"Number 1" [featuring Frankie J] | Royalty | Number 1 - Single | |
"La Nave Del Olvido (Remix)" [featuring Frankie J] | Cristian Castro | ||
"Inevitable" [featuring Frankie J] | Gemini | ||
"I'm Not Coming Home" [featuring Frankie J] | Play-N-Skillz | Red October |
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