Frankie J
Background information
Birth name	Francisco Javier Bautista Jr.
Also known as	Frankie J, Cisko
Born	December 7, 1978 (1978-12-07) (age 30) Tijuana, Mexico
Origin	San Diego, California, United States
Genre(s)	Latin, R&B, Pop, Reggaeton, Hip-Hop
Occupation(s)	Singer, Songwriter, Composer, Record Producer, Pianist, Dancer, Actor
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Piano
Years active	1999-2003 (Kumbia Kings) 2003–Present (Solo)
Label(s)	Sony BMG Music (2003-Present)
Associated acts	Kumbia Kings, Abraham Quintanilla III, Cruz Martínez, DJ Kane, Kumbia All Starz, Los Super Reyes, Baby Bash
Website	http://www.frankiejonline.com

Frankie J (born Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr. on December 7, 1978) is a Mexican American Latin pop and adult contemporary singer.¹ A native speaker of the Spanish language, he has had several hits in the United States, including "Don't Wanna Try" in 2003 and "Obsession" in 2006.² His album The One debuted at #3 on the Billboard album charts in April 2005 & later was classified platinum by RIAA.³ For some time, he had also been a member of the musical group Kumbia Kings.⁴

Biography

Early Career

He was born Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr. in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in San Diego, California, from the age of 2, after his uncle brought him and his siblings in the United States, but never returned to Mexico again.⁵ His father being the lead singer of a traditional band and his grandfather Feliciano Bautista being a violinist, Frankie J grew up listening to both traditional Latin music as well as American urban music.⁶ He attended Southwest Senior High School in San Diego.⁵ 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.¹

In 1997, Frankie J signed with the now defunct Hola Recordings, the brainchild of dance music legend and producer Jellybean Benitez. He, in 1999, became a member of the Kumbia Kings.⁶ The group toured all throughout Latin America.

Personal Life

Frankie J is married but he and his wife have split up many times. Frankie's son is Frankie J III and his daughter is Emily Sade. When he was asked in an interview what the tattoos on his hands meant he said, "I did it for my children, to remind me that they will always be part of me, even if far away from me. On the right hand, I have my son’s initials, and on the left, my little girl’s"

Kumbia Kings (1999-2003)

In 1999 he became a member of the Kumbia Kings created by A.B. Quintanilla III, brother of Selena. He performed under the name Cisko. 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 Ramirez (keyboards), Roy "Slim" Ramirez (percussion, background vocals), Frankie Aranda (percussion), Jorge Peña (percussion), Jesse Martinez (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 because they weren't happy with their pay. Frankie J and DJ Kane went on to become solo singers while Andrew "Baby Drew" Maes, Alex Ramirez, Roy "Slim" Ramirez, and Frankie Aranda formed their own band called K1.

Solo Career (2003-Present)

Frankie J signed as a solo artist with Columbia Records and released his first album What's A Man To Do in 2003. His self-titled first Spanish-language album Frankie J was released later in the same year.⁷ The single "Don't Wanna Try" peaked in the top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart, while "Ya No Es Igual" was top 10 on the World Latin charts .²

He was featured in the single "Suga Suga" by rapper Baby Bash.⁸ Frankie J worked with a number of well known producers on his next album The One including Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. on the title track, as well as Bryan-Michael Cox and Mario Winans. The album was released in March 2005.⁹ Its hit singles included "Obsession (No Es Amor)" featuring rapper Baby Bash ( a copy of the 3rd Wish European version which was produced by Mintman) , originally composed and recorded by latin bachata group Aventura, followed by the solo singles "How To Deal" and "More Than Words", a cover song of a 1990 hit by the band Extreme. Frankie J's cover of "More Than Words" was released on the DualDisc bonus track version of The One in October 2005.¹⁰ By April 2005, the album had sold 300,000 copies.¹¹ His second Spanish-language album Un Nuevo Dia was released on June 13, 2006. It spawned the single "Pensado En Ti".²

Frankie's third English-language CD, Priceless, was released in stores and online on October 17, 2006. It debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200.¹² The video for "That Girl" was shot in Miami in July featured Chamillionaire and Mannie Fresh.

Columbia quickly released the second single "Daddy's Little Girl" to radio in early November 2006. The album's third single "If He Can't Be" was released in February 2007.

On February 2007, Frankie J together with Latino celebrities, including Don Omar, Paola Turbay, Edgar Lopez, Miguel Varoni, Leti Coo, and Mary GamarraTazón played in the National Football League (NFL) Latino I/Latin Bowl I.¹³ Frankie J appeared a celebrity guest in the third season of MTV's reality game show Yo Momma in 2007.¹⁴

On a recent episode of the MTV Tr3s show Karlifornia that aired in early 2008, which Frankie J guest starred in, he admitted that he was working on a new studio album and that is collaborating with multiple producers like Three 6 Mafia.

In a radio station interview with San Diego, CA based station Channel 93.3 on December 7, 2007, he announced that his fourth English studio album is titled "Time" and will be released either Q1 or Q2 of 2008. He's has been working heavily with the Avlia Brothers (with whom he has said he just "clicked with"), as well as writing songs with late-90s R&B singer Sam Salter.[1] On June 5 2008 a video single was released on YouTube entitled "Pictures."

He also appeared as a celebrity guest at the 16th birthday party of Marissa Mishelle on MTV's My Super Sweet 16. ¹⁵

Discography

Albums

Spanish Albums

Other Appearances

• Dime/Tell Me (Remix) (Pitbull feat. Frankie J& Ken-Y)
• Run Away (Bubba Sparxxx feat. Frankie J)
• Los Infieles Remix (Aventura feat. Frankie J)
• Suga Suga and Menage A Trois (Baby Bash feat. Frankie J)
• Are You Still Alone (Play N Skillz feat. Frankie J)
• Be Gone (First Class Fiction feat. Frankie J)
• I Love Her (Louis James feat. Frankie J)
• Perfect Girl (Los Super Reyes feat. Frankie J and Damon Reel)
• To The Top (Omar Cruz feat. Frankie J)
• Slow It Down (Lil Rob feat. Frankie J)

Charts

• "Don't Wanna Try" - #19 Hot 100
• "Ya No Es Igual" - #11 Hot Latin
• "We Still"
• "Suga Suga" (with Baby Bash)) - #7 Hot 100
• "Obsession (No Es Amor)" - #3 Hot 100
• "How to Deal" - #39 Hot 100
• "More Than Words" - #25 Hot 100
• "Pensando En Ti" - #13 Hot Latin
• "That Girl" - #43 Hot 100
• "Daddy's Little Girl" - #123 Hot 100
• "If He Can't Be"
• "Never Let U Down"
• "Dime (Tell Me)" - #29 Rhythmic Top 40
• "Pictures"
• "runaway"-#23 hot 100 middle east charts western music(mewm)

Upcoming Work

Time is the fourth English-language solo album by Frankie J, set to be released in 2008. The first single is "Pictures", of which the video premiered on YouTube in June 2008. Also slated to appear on the album are "Diamonds", "Doctor Doctor", and a duet with Christina Milian titled "The One".

References

External links

• Official Website
• Official MySpace
• Frankie J at the Internet Movie Database
• FRANKIE-J.NET