Noriega

Noriega was one of the primary reggaeton producers during the style's rise to popularity and commercial significance. Born Norgie Noriega, he began earning high-profile production credits in 2002 (<a href="spotify:artist:65PHKFCs7HHGUXdOlqHwvK">Las Guanabanas</a>, Guillaera; <a href="spotify:artist:5aB4SpKYteOJ8pAleoKkg7">Hector & Tito</a>, La Reconquista; <a href="spotify:artist:5hhclzZsaNfmBh0eQI44JQ">Magnate & Valentino</a>, Rompiendo el Hielo). His breakout came the following year, when he produced tracks for <a href="spotify:artist:3SUT1jjM5hzZj9TLfLZGIP">Tego Calderón</a> (El Abayarde) and <a href="spotify:artist:0GutRVONcyyBj1WduodFc6">Vico C</a> (En Honor a la Verdad), who were among the most respected artists in Puerto Rico at the time. Also in 2003, Noriega was co-billed with <a href="spotify:artist:5pZE9tgrhmIGWAsJZ7YxNK">Luny Tunes</a> on Mas Flow, a groundbreaking mixtape for <a href="spotify:artist:2ydZrTy8U3kOMOzx20s3dg">DJ Nelson</a>'s Flow Music label. While <a href="spotify:artist:5pZE9tgrhmIGWAsJZ7YxNK">Luny Tunes</a> continued on with the Mas Flow series, becoming reggaeton's undisputed top hitmakers in the process, Noriega proceeded to work on his first truly solo mixtape, Contra la Corriente (2004), which was again commissioned by <a href="spotify:artist:2ydZrTy8U3kOMOzx20s3dg">DJ Nelson</a> and released via Universal Latino. Also in 2004, Noriega was credited with an impressive list of production work (<a href="spotify:artist:7zLcnirfgw1VEHHshuGcDR">Eddie Dee</a>, 12 Discipulos; <a href="spotify:artist:65PHKFCs7HHGUXdOlqHwvK">Guanabanas</a>, Collection Two; <a href="spotify:artist:3SUT1jjM5hzZj9TLfLZGIP">Tego Calderón</a>, Enemy de los Guasíbiri; <a href="spotify:artist:3bKO0XquAb4xa4cPCMFu7A">Mikie Perfecto</a>, Evolucion Arrestada; <a href="spotify:artist:21451j1KhjAiaYKflxBjr1">Zion & Lennox</a>, Motivando a la Yal; <a href="spotify:artist:3IEvQoAohcGX7CdrbtIle7">Baby Rasta & Gringo</a>, Sentenciados). In the following years, his career underwent some upheaval; most notably, he left the Flow Music camp and resurfaced in 2006 under the Univision banner for his second solo release, Sin Control (2006). He also set up Noriega Music Publishing in his apparent attempt to gain a firmer control of his own fortune. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi