Real (Ivy Queen Album)
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''Real'' is the fourth
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by Puerto Rican
reggaetón Reggaeton (, ) is a modern style of popular and electronic music that originated in Panama during the late 1980s, and which rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s through a plethora of Puerto Rican musicians. It has evolved fr ...
recording artist
Ivy Queen Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez (born March 4, 1972), known professionally as Ivy Queen, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and actress. She is considered one of the pioneers of the reggaeton genre, commonly referred to as the Queen of Reggae ...
, released on November 21, 2004, by
Universal Music Latino Universal Music Latin Entertainment, a division of Universal Music Group, is a record company specialized in producing and distributing Latin music in Mexico, the United States, and Puerto Rico. UMLE includes famous Latin music labels such as Uni ...
. Initially to be Queen's debut full-length English-language studio album, it featured collaborations with
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
and fellow Latino artists Hector El Father,
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...
, Getto & Gastam, La India, Gran Omar and Mickey Perfecto. The album was primarily produced by Rafi Mercenario, and included guest production by American producer
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ in 1994. At the age ...
, Puerto Rican producers Ecko, Noriega, Monserrate and DJ Nelson. The executive producers were Goguito "Willy" Guadalupe, Gran Omar and Ivy Queen. ''Real'' is Queen's only record with a Parental Advisory label. The album departs from her uniquely personal lyrical content and musical style which was, until this album, mainly all about detailing hood life in Puerto Rico, heartbreak, and love. It alternates musically between reggaetón and hip hop, experimenting with electronica, funk, dancehall, pop, R&B, and acoustic ballads. The wide range of styles and musical exploration earned ''Real'' mainly positive reviews from critics. Many praised Queen's raspy vocals and production quality, whilst others criticized the lack of instrumentation. Spawning four singles (" Chika Ideal", "Rociarlos", " Dile", and "Angel Caído"), ''Real'' peaked at number twenty-five on the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, number four on the ''Billboard'' Top Reggae Albums chart and number six on the ''Billboard'' Tropical Albums chart. "Chika Ideal" and "Rociarlos" failed to attain chart success, although the former reached the top ten of
Terra Networks Terra was a Spanish Internet multinational company owned by Telefónica. It was headquartered in Spain and had offices in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United States and Peru. Part of the Telefónica Group (the former Spanish public tele ...
' music-video countdown. "Dile" peaked at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Tropical Songs chart, earning Ivy Queen three ''Billboard'' Latin Music Award nominations (including one for Tropical Airplay Track of the Year, Female). Several other tracks, including "Tócame" and "Baila Así", received airplay on both Anglophone and Hispanophone radio stations in the United States. ''Real'' is regarded as a factor in 2004's reggaetón exposure to mainstream English-speaking markets, along with Ivy Queen's previous album (2003's '' Diva''), as well as albums by
Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (; born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee (), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to worldwide prominence in 2004 with the song "Gasolina". Dubbed the "Honorific ...
and Tego Calderón. It became one of the best-selling albums of 2005, along with her fifth studio album, '' Flashback'', with sales of both reportedly going "through the roof". Ivy Queen then embarked on concert tours of Latin America and the United States; she also promoted the album with a network television-news segment, detailing her career (and struggle for respect) in reggaetón, as well as by performing "Chika Ideal" on '' Don Francisco Presenta''. The album was re-released on September 25, 2007, by Machete Music, but failed to impact the charts.


Background

After the failure of Ivy Queen's first two studio albums, '' En Mi Imperio'' (1997) and '' The Original Rude Girl'' (1998),
Sony Music Latin Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC (often referred to as Sony Music Latin) is an American record label owned by Sony Music. The label focuses on artists of Latin music. Sony Latin was also a division of the Sony Discos label. History In ...
released Queen from her musical contract and she took a hiatus from her musical career in 1999. The 1999 hip-hop single " In The Zone", a duet with
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
an singer
Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in Haiti, Jean emigrated to the Northeastern United States, United States as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a Ne ...
, was moderately successful in the United States. However, the album "fizzled". Over the next few years, Queen appeared on reggaetón compilation albums, spawning hits (including " Quiero Bailar") and collaborations with artists on Tommy Boy and
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
. In 2003, Queen released her third studio recording, '' Diva'', which was highly anticipated and acclaimed. It was a factor in reggaetón's mainstream exposure in 2004 (with
Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (; born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee (), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to worldwide prominence in 2004 with the song "Gasolina". Dubbed the "Honorific ...
's '' Barrio Fino'' and Tego Calderon's '' El Enemy de los Guasíbiri''), and was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. In early 2004, after a string of compilation appearances, Queen appeared on the compilation album '' 12 Discípulos'' by Eddie Dee with " Los 12 Discípulos", " Quítate Tu Pa' Ponerme" and "Que Es La Que Hay". "Los 12 Discípulos" managed to reach number eight of the ''Billboard'' Tropical Songs chart, becoming a top ten hit. It received a nomination for "Tropical Airplay Track of the Year, New Artist" at the 2005 ''Billboard'' Latin Music Award. The song featured eleven other reggaeton musicians, who were among the most requested in the genre at the time. These included Dee along with Queen,
Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (; born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee (), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to worldwide prominence in 2004 with the song "Gasolina". Dubbed the "Honorific ...
, Tego Calderón, Voltio, Vico C,
Zion Zion (; ) is a placename in the Tanakh, often used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole. The name is found in 2 Samuel (), one of the books of the Tanakh dated to approximately the mid-6th century BCE. It o ...
, Lennox,
Nicky Jam Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer. He is best known for hits such as " X", " Travesuras", " El Perdón", " Hasta el Amanecer", and " El Amante"; the latter three are from his 20 ...
,
Johnny Prez Johnny Prez (or J Prez as he often calls himself) (Born December 4, 1978) is a reggaetón music artist from Las Piedras, Puerto Rico. Career He used to belong to the group "Kid Power Posse" and the duo "Déificos," meaning "belong to God." rec ...
, Gallego, and Wiso G. The song brought all twelve artist together as one to show that "unity is needed for the genre reggaetón to evolve and survive". That year, Queen released a platinum edition of the album which included new songs, such as " Papi Te Quiero" and " Tu No Puedes", and began recording her next album. Queen's fourth studio album was planned to be her debut full-length English-language album after she received record-contract offers from a number of labels, including Sony. She said it was a good opportunity to reach the competitive Anglo
hip hop music Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music Music genre, genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African Americans, African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide r ...
market after her success in Latin American countries. Queen received an offer to record an English-language album after Sony notified her that her Sony albums from six years earlier were being played in cities such as
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
because of ''Diva''s success. Despite her concerns about her English pronunciation, she continued with the project. Queen recorded songs with some of hip hop's most popular MCs, including American rapper
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...
(who appeared on her debut English album). His song later became "Quítate Two", and was included on ''Real''; American hip-hop producer
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ in 1994. At the age ...
produced "Soldados", showcasing her crossover appeal.


Recording and production

After the success of ''Diva: Platinum Edition'', Ivy Queen began recording her fourth studio album in March 2004; it wrapped up in September at Marroneo Studios in
Bayamón, Puerto Rico Bayamón (, ) is a Bayamón barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico. Located on the northeastern coastal plain, it is bounded by Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Guaynabo to the east, Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Toa A ...
. The album was mastered and arranged by Esteban Piñero; Dennis Nieves did the mixing and served as engineer. Production was divided among several hip-hop and reggaetón producers.
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ in 1994. At the age ...
produced "Soldados"; longtime collaborator DJ Nelson reappeared with " Dile" (the lead single) and "Acércate". Grammy Award-winning Latin music producers
Echo In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the lis ...
and Diesel, Hyde, Gran Omar, Noriega, Monserrate, Dennis Nieves, DJ Blass and DJ David Montañez also aided in production and Rafi Mercenario produced seven of the album's nineteen tracks. Queen and Omar were executive producers. Collaborations include "Matando", "Rociarlos" (also featuring Hector El Father) and "Baila Así" with Queen's then-husband, Gran Omar; a hip-hop track, "Quítate Two", with
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of Hip-hop, hip hop group D.I.T.C., Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992, and pursued a sol ...
; "Acércate" with Mikey Perfecto, "Tócame" with salsa singer La India and "Vas A Morir" with Puerto Rican duo Getto & Gastam. "Soldados" and "Dee Jay" were co-written with Kasseem Dean and Omar Navarro, respectively. "People thought we were going to make a salsa track", Queen said about the
collaboration Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. The ...
with La India, noting that the song was a
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...
track (not salsa or reggaetón). She added that India was "original" and she worked well with people who are genuine, explaining the other collaborations. According to Navarro and Queen in a 2004 interview on mun2 ''The Roof'', the album was expected to feature a duet with Puerto Rican singer
Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1979), known professionally as Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is also known as the " King of Reggaeton" by music critics and fans alike. The ...
. '' Spin'' saw Queen's collaboration with Fat Joe as a trend in reggaetón to have American rappers "team up with its stars".


Music and lyrics

According to ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'', the album contains "raspy braggadocio and sexy rhymes" which complement Queen's raspy vocals. It alternates between reggaetón and hip hop as Queen experiments with Caribbean music, R&B, pop, electronica, funk, dancehall and acoustic ballads: "I really think this album is for people to really just sit down and listen to it". She explained that "there are times that the songs will make you want to dance", but their lyrics are more meaningful. Although Queen said the album has its share of "battles against men", she wants it to demonstrate that she is a well–rounded artist. Describing the songs, she said " heyare always going to be real because they are feelings that people have...The hits that I have now, the girls love them because they are real. If I am feeling hurt and need to curse to express that, then I will. I am going to be real all the way because that's what made Ivy Queen". The introduction to the album features Queen lyrically blessing and thanking her audience for the support. " Chika Ideal" ("Ideal Girl") assures the protagonist's lover that she wants to be with him and fulfill his dreams. "Soldados" ("Soldiers"), a hip-hop track influenced by electronic music, was produced by Swizz Beatz. "Matando" ("Killing"), a duet with Gran Omar, explores dancing in a club. The song, in a minor key, features the synthetic instrumentation of techno music. "Dale Volumen" ("Add Volume"), in a minor key, is characterized by simple harmonic progressions, synthesizers and stick-drum percussion and influenced by
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
and Afro-Latin music. It features a techno-influenced beat. "Dile" ("Tell Her") features lilting rhythms from
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
(including
cumbia Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Africans during colonial times. Cumbia is said to have com ...
), combining Latin
vallenato Vallenato () is a popular folk music genre from Colombia. It primarily comes from its Caribbean region. ''Vallenato'' literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the ''Sierra Nevada de Santa Mar ...
with reggaetón. Queen noted that she sang the song without rapping to prove she is a complete musician and not just a rapper. "Mi Barrio" ("My Hood") criticizes "the problems present in Añasco, Puerto Rico". Queen compared the song to "Corazones" by Daddy Yankee from his album, ''Barrio Fino''. "Dee Jay" is a reggaetón number which "recognizes the DJs" of reggaetón. In it, Queen mentions DJ Nelson, Noriega, DJ Adam, DJ Negro, DJ Baby, Rafi Mercenario,
Luny Tunes Luny Tunes is an American reggaeton production duo consisting of Francisco Saldaña (Luny) and Víctor Cabrera (Tunes) who have been known for creating unique musical rhythms for some of the most popular reggaeton artists since the early 2000s ...
, Monserrate & DJ Urba and others. "Quítate Two" ("Remove Yourself"), with Fat Joe, combines hip-hop and funk music. The
acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
"Ángel Caído" ("Fallen Angel") and its acoustic version are the fourteenth and nineteenth tracks on the album, respectively. "Tócame" "("Touch Me"), a dancehall track, features La India. In a minor key, "Rebulera", another minor-key song, has Queen asserting that she is "queen" in the genre of reggaetón. The track features synthesizers and strings, and is influenced by reggae and Afro-Latin music. "Baila Así" ("Dance Like That"), produced by Gran Omar, has a Punjabi–influenced hip-hop beat.


Release and promotion

''Real'' was released on November 16, 2004, after originally being scheduled for release in September and on November 26. The album was also released in a censored version. In March 2005, an LP entitled ''Real Streets'' was released. Its track listing included "Dile", "Soldados", Quitate Two", "Matando", "Baila Asi", "Chika Ideal", "Rebulera", and "Mi Barrio". ''Real'' was later re-issued on September 25, 2007, by Machete Music, after having been announced in July 2007 as a fourth-quarter release. This was a result of Ivy Queen's success with her seventh studio album, ''Sentimiento'', which sold 9,000 copies in its first week and was certified platinum within two months of release. Ivy Queen appeared on ''Don Francisco Presenta'', where she performed "Chika Ideal" (the first single from ''Real'') to promote the album. "Rociarlos" was released as the second single, and "Dile" was released as the third (and final) single later in 2004 after the album's release. Music videos for both singles were also released, along with music videos for "Dale Volumen" and "Matando". Queen performed on the Reggaeton Tour 2004, also featuring Aldo Ranks and La Factoria, in a number of South American countries (including
Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
); she sang "Papi Te Quiero" and "Tu No Puedes", promoting ''Diva'' and ''Real''. This was her first tour in South America, following shows in Atlanta and New York City (where she was "designated as the Puerto Rico Youth God Mother of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade" in June 2004). At the end of June 2004 Queen appeared on a network-television-news segment, detailing her career and struggle for respect in reggaetón, during recording sessions for the album. In February 2005 Queen appeared at the Festival of Puerto Rican Stars—an historic achievement for reggaetón, since no other performer from the genre was invited. In June 2005 Queen appeared on the ''Invasion Del Reggaetón Tour'' with
Daddy Yankee Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (; born February 3, 1976), known professionally as Daddy Yankee (), is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to worldwide prominence in 2004 with the song "Gasolina". Dubbed the "Honorific ...
, which grossed $817,220 for the week of June 18. She also attended (and performed at) the Billboard Bash the night before the 2005 ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards. Unlike Queen's previous albums, the artwork for ''Real'' features provocative photography; her middle and thighs are emphasized to create a sexy image.Tirado, Frances. (November 15, 2004). "Ivy Queen al fin comprará la casa que siempre quiso". ''Primera Hora''. Retrieved February 5, 2013. Queen said her breasts were enlarged from a B to a C cup, adding that the packaging described the style of music on the album. The album cover also features Queen's signature long nails, which she sports in a variety of colors. Incorporating graffiti, the album has "street cred" in the U.S.-centered hip-hop world. The change in image for Queen is attributed to Universal Latino's feeling that ''Real'' had crossover potential for U.S. mainstream audiences. The album's title suggests this; it means "real" in English and Spanish and "royal" in Spanish, hinting at Queen's status as the Queen of Reggaetón. It is also Queen's response to Puerto Rican criticism for looking like a tomboy, wearing baggy pants and large shirts (which she addresses in her autobiography, ''Detrás Del Glamour'' 'Behind the Glamour''. She accepted responsibility for her change in image, attributing it to a "new growth in person" and admitting that the makeover stemmed from a "crisis" and "female vanity". To change her figure, Queen used a Colombian plastic surgeon.


Commercial performance

The album was moderately commercially successful. On the ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart, ''Real'' debuted at number twenty-nine and peaked at number twenty-five, one position lower than ''Diva''s peak at twenty-four. It ended its chart run at number sixty-nine on February 26, 2005. On the Reggae Albums chart the album debuted at number four, sharing its peak with ''Diva'' and spending seventeen consecutive weeks on the chart. On the ''Billboard'' Tropical Albums chart, the album debuted (and peaked) at number six, failing to match ''Diva''s peak position at the top. It fell off the chart after being number eighteen for the week of April 9, 2005. At the time ''Diva'' was still on the countdown at number twenty, to be displaced two weeks later by
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
's 2004 '' Valio La Pena''. In 2005, the album managed to peak at number nineteen on the ''Billboard'' Latin Rhythm Albums chart. Sales were boosted by "distribution by Universal Music & Video Distribution, coupled with strong airplay at English- and Spanish-language stations". Queen did not enter the ''Billboard'' 200 until 2007, when her sixth studio album ('' Sentimiento'') reached number 105 on the chart. " Dile" was the only commercially successful of the four singles, reaching number eight on the ''Billboard'' Tropical Songs chart. After the reggaetón "explosion" on the west coast of the United States, ''Real'' helped Ivy Queen enter "Bay Area mainstream hip hop dials" with "Dile", "Tócame" and "Baila Así" "staples" on Hispanic radio stations.


Critical reception

''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' gave ''Real'' three out of five stars, complimenting the "combo of raspy braggadocio and sexy rhymes" and noting the "pop-savvy" nature of the LP. According to Patricia Meschino of ''Miami New Times'', the album features a "wide range of styles, including the lilting Haitian
compas Compas (; ; ), also known as konpa or kompa, is a modern méringue dance music genre of Haiti. The genre was created by Nemours Jean-Baptiste following the creation of Ensemble Aux Callebasses in 1955, which became Ensemble Nemours Jean-Bapti ...
rhythms of 'Dile' ('Tell Her'), the bhangra–flavored 'Baila Asi' ('Dance Like This'), the acoustic guitar ballad 'Ángel Caído' ('Fallen Angel') and 'Tocame' ('Caress Me'), all of which are adapted to Ivy Queen's 'confident, raspy vocals'". The latter track was labeled "spicy". Meschino also noted the exploration of hip-hop and dancehall rhythms set to "rough and rugged fast-paced raps". She ended her review by saying that it was "the audacious musical explorations that make ''Real'' a surprisingly nuanced and ultimately satisfying release". Music journalist Rafer Guzman of ''
Newsday ''Newsday'' is a daily newspaper in the United States primarily serving Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI" ...
'' complimented the "electro-crunch of 'Soldados'" and "snaky funk of 'Quítate Tu'". Leila Cobo of ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' said the album was "highly anticipated" after the release of ''Diva: Platinum Edition'' several months earlier, with over 100,000 copies sold. The album was considered a factor in reggaetón's mainstream exposure to American and global audiences. Agustin Gurza of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' criticized the album, claiming " tlacks real instruments," calling it bawdy and indecent. An editor for ''Bulb Magazine'' selected the album as one of reggaetón's most classic albums in 2007. The music magazine ''XLR8R'' put the album at number two on its "Five Important Reggaetón Albums" list behind
Don Omar William Omar Landrón Rivera (born February 10, 1979), known professionally as Don Omar, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is also known as the " King of Reggaeton" by music critics and fans alike. The ...
's '' The Last Don'' (2003) and before Tego Calderon's ''El Abayarde'' (2003),
Nicky Jam Nick Rivera Caminero (born March 17, 1981), known professionally as Nicky Jam, is an American singer. He is best known for hits such as " X", " Travesuras", " El Perdón", " Hasta el Amanecer", and " El Amante"; the latter three are from his 20 ...
's '' Vida Escante'' (2002) and Zion & Lennox's '' Motivando a la Yal'' (2004). While reviewing the reggaetón compilation album ''Jamz TV Hits, Vol. 3'', an editor for
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
listed "Chika Ideal" as an "Allmusic Pick". The song was selected as a hit from "The Golden Era of Reggaetón" (2003–2007) by Jesus Trivino of '' Latina'' magazine.
Terra Networks Terra was a Spanish Internet multinational company owned by Telefónica. It was headquartered in Spain and had offices in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United States and Peru. Part of the Telefónica Group (the former Spanish public tele ...
called the music video for "Chika Ideal" one of the hottest of the summer, saying the song showed "why she is the queen of reggaetón". The video reached the Top 10 for four consecutive weeks on Terra Networks' Top Music Video countdown. "Dile" received a ''Billboard'' Latin Music Award nomination for Tropical Airplay Track of the Year, Female at the 2005 ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, where Queen was also nominated for Reggaeton Album of the Year and Tropical Airplay Track of the Year, New Artist. Echo and Diesel received a
Latin Grammy Award The Latin Grammy Awards (stylized as Latin GRAMMYs) are awards presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The Latin Grammy honors works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from any ...
for their production work on ''Real''. At
Telemundo Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. It provides content ...
's El Premio De La Gente Latin Music Awards of 2005, the album was nominated for Urban or Duranguense Album of the Year — Male or Female, where Queen was also nominated for Urban or Duranguense Artist of the Year — Male or Female.


Track listing

;Standard edition


Notes

*"Acércate" is twenty-five seconds longer on the 2007 reissue of the album. *"Quítate Two" samples " In Da Club" by
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
.


Personnel

Adapted from liner notes:


Track credits

"Intro" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Armando Rosario — lyrics *Paul Irizarry — lyrics *Diesel — musical producer *Hyde — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Lab Studio — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer *DJ David Montañez — guitar, scratching "Chika Ideal" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Rafi Mercenario — musical producer, mixing engineer, recording engineer *Marroneo Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Soldados" (BMI) *Ivy Queen —lyrics *Swizz Beatz — musical producer *Dennis Nieves — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Omar Navarro — producer "Matando" (featuring Gran Omar) (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Rafi Mercenario — musical producer, mixing engineer, recording engineer *Marroneo Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer, lyrics "Dale Volumen" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Armando Rosario — lyrics *Paul Irizarry — lyrics *Ecko — musical producer *Hyde — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Lab Studio — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Rociarlos" (featuring Hector "El Father" and Gran Omar) (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Hector "El Father" — lyrics *Rafi Mercenario — musical producer, mixing engineer, recording engineer *Marroneo Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer, lyrics "Dile" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *DJ Nelson — musical producer, mixing engineer, recording engineer *Flow Music Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Mi Barrio" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Ecko — musical producer *Hyde — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Lab Studio — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Entiende" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *DJ Blass — musical producer *Omar Navarro — producer "Dee Jay" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Rafi Mercenario — musical producer, mixing engineer, recording engineer *Marroneo Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer, lyrics "Quítate Two" (featuring Fat Joe) (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Armando Rosario — lyrics *Paul Irizarry — lyrics *Fat Joe — lyrics, featured artist *Diesel — musical producer *Ecko — musical producer *Hyde — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Lab Studio — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Mi Situación" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Rafi Mercenario — musical producer, mixing engineer, recording engineer *Marroneo Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Acércate" (featuring Mickey Perfecto) (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Mickey Perfecto — lyrics *DJ Nelson — musical producer *Santana — musical producer *Noriega — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Flow Music Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Ángel Caído" (BMI) *Ivy Queen —lyrics *Swizz Beatz — musical producer *Dennis Nieves — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Omar Navarro — producer "Tócame" (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *La India — lyrics, featured artist *Diesel — musical producer *Ecko — musical producer *Hyde — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Lab Studio — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer, lyrics *Abrante — drums "Baila Así" (featuring Gran Omar) (BMI) *Ivy Queen —lyrics *Omar Navarro — producer, lyrics "Vas A Morir" (featuring Getto & Gastam) (BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Armando Rosario — lyrics *Paul Irizarry — lyrics *Getto & Gastam — lyrics, featured artist *Diesel — musical producer *Hyde — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Lab Studio — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer "Ángel Caído" (Acoustic Version) (BMI) *Ivy Queen —lyrics *Swizz Beatz — musical producer *Dennis Nieves — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Omar Navarro — producer *DJ David Montañez — guitar, scratching "Acércate" — 2007 Version (featuring Mickey Perfecto) (IQ Publishing/BMI) *Ivy Queen — lyrics *Mickey Perfecto — lyrics *DJ Nelson — musical producer *Santana — musical producer *Noriega — mixing engineer, recording engineer *Flow Music Studios — recording location *Omar Navarro — producer


Guest credits

*Gran Omar is featured courtesy of Perfect Image Records. *Swizz Beatz is courtesy of Atlantic Records. *Hector "El Bambino" is featured courtesy of Gold Star Music. *Fat Joe is featured courtesy of Atlantic Records. *Mickey Perfecto is featured courtesy of Sony BMG. *La India is featured courtesy of Univision Records. *Getto & Gastam are featured courtesy of Sony BMG.


Technical credits

*Executive Production – Goguito "Willy" Guadalupe, Omar Navarro *Co-Executive Production – "La Diva" Ivy Queen *Audio Production – Rafi Mercenario, Swizz Beatz, Noriega, DJ Nelson *Musical Production – Rafi Mercenario, Ecko, DJ Nelson, Noriega, Swizz Beatz, Santana, Dennis Nieves, Diesel, DJ Blass, DJ David Montañez, Gran Omar *Mastering – Esteban Piñero *Mixing – Dennis Nieves *Engineer – Dennis Nieves *Arranging – Dennis Nieves *Scratching – DJ David Montañez *Guest Artist – Hector "El Father", Gran Omar, Fat Joe, Mikey Perfecto, La India, Getto & Gastam *Vocals – Ivy Queen (all tracks), Noriega (tracks 7, 18) *Recording – Marroneo Studios in
Bayamón, Puerto Rico Bayamón (, ) is a Bayamón barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico. Located on the northeastern coastal plain, it is bounded by Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Guaynabo to the east, Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Toa A ...
*Record Label – Universal Music Latino *Representation – Goguito "Willy" Guadalupe *Publishing – Perfect Image Music Publishing/EMI 2004 *Photography – Dr. Mannix Guillaera *Footwear – Steve Madden, Ltd. from Plaza Las Américas in
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
*Graphic Art – MusicDesign


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Release history


References

{{Authority control 2004 albums 2007 albums Ivy Queen albums Albums produced by Swizz Beatz Albums produced by Noriega Albums produced by Ivy Queen Albums produced by Rafy Mercenario Universal Music Latino albums Machete Music albums 2000s Spanish-language albums