Kinto Sol

Kinto Sol is a Chicano rap group formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1990. Its lineup consists of brothers DJ Payback Garcia (Javier Garcia), El Chivo (Eduardo Garcia), and Skribe (Manuel Garcia). Their music, primarily rapped in Spanish, combines traditional Mexican music with hardcore hip-hop and gangsta rap. Born in Iramuco, Guanajuato, Mexico, the Garcia brothers and their family relocated to the United States at an early age in search of better opportunities. Skribe initiated his music career as a DJ in 1990, and together, they formed Kinto Sol, a name derived from the Aztec legend of the "quinto sol" or fifth sun, symbolizing the group's deep roots and cultural heritage. Released via their own label Virus Enterprises LLC, their eponymous studio debut came out in 2000, followed by Del Norte al Sur in 2001. Subsequent albums such as Hecho en México (2003) and La Sangre Nunca Muere (2005) earned the group enough critical acclaim to land a record deal with Univision Records, which released Los Hijos del Maíz in 2007. The LP peaked at number 6 on the Latin Rhythm Albums chart and was hailed as one of the best Latin hip-hop releases of the year, recognized for both its lyrical depth and impressive sales. Kinto Sol followed this success with Cárcel de Sueños (2009), their debut release for Machete Music. Their sixth studio album, El Último Suspiro, released on October 19, 2010, soared to the number 1 spot on the Latin Billboard Charts for Latin Rhythm, cementing Kinto Sol's place in the pantheon of Latin hip-hop legends. In 2012, the group returned with their first and only major-label album for Sony Music Latin, Familia, Fe y Patria (2012), which reached the Top 10 in the United States. Starting with La Tumba del Alma in 2013, Kinto Sol began releasing music independently again through their Virus Enterprises LLC label, including LPs like Protegiendo el Penacho (2015), Lo Ke No Se Olvida (2016), Somos Once (2017), Lengua Universal (2018), Oxlajuj (2020), La Flecha (2022), and Mexicanos Bravos (2023). In 2024, the group dropped the studio album La Esquina, a 12-track LP featuring Dharius on the song "Broche de Oro." Maldito Amor, its follow-up, arrived in 2025.