Kid Frost: The Grandfather of Latin Music
Kid Frost is a Mexican-American rapper and one of the pioneers of Latin rap. He’s also considered the grandfather of Latin music. In this blog post, we explore his life and work.
Early Life and Career
Kid Frost was born in East Los Angeles on August 5, 1963. Frost’s father was a singer, and his grandfather was a mariachi musician. Frost’s mother died when he was only eight years old, and he was raised by his father and grandmother. Frost’s first exposure to music was through his father’s collection of records. He began to DJ in high school, and after graduation, he started working at a local record store.
Born in Mexico
Frost was born in Mexico but moved to California when he was seven years old. His first musical experience was singing in his elementary school choir, and he later learned to play the drums. When he was a teenager, Frost began performing with local bands and writing his own songs. In the early 1980s, he released his first album, The Latinbomb.
Moved to East L.A.
In 1973, when he was 14 years old, Frost moved with his mother to East Los Angeles. It was there that he was first exposed to the tough urban reality of life in the barrio. While attending Benjamin Franklin High School, he began to develop his skills as a graffiti artist and rapper. He also began to write songs and perform with local Chicano bands.
Began rap career in the 1980s
K Frost began his rap career in the early 1980s, after he was inspired by the work of artists like Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash. He quickly gained a following in the Los Angeles hip hop scene, and released his first album, “Street Sounds,” in 1988. The album was a critical and commercial success, and helped to solidify Frost’s place as one of the premier rap artists of the 1980s and 1990s.
Musical Style and Influence
Kid Frost is considered the grandfather of Latin music and he has been highly influential in the Latin music scene. His musical style is a mix of hip hop, rap, and R&B. He is also considered one of the pioneers of West Coast rap. Kid Frost has been credited for helping to bring Latin music to the mainstream.
One of the first Chicano rappers
Sprinkled throughout his songs are Spanish words and phrases, a device that would become known as Spanglish and would be used by many Chicano rappers who followed in his footsteps. In an interview with NPR, Frost recounted how he would often incorporate Spanish into his songs as a way to connect with his Chicano roots: “It was a proud moment for me, you know, being able to speak to my people in a language that they best understood.”
Frost’s ability to connect with both English- and Spanish-speaking audiences broadened the appeal of hip-hop beyond its traditional African-American base. His use of Spanglish also helped legitimize rap as a genre of music within the Latino community. In the years since Frost first burst onto the scene, numerous other Chicano rappers have followed in his footsteps, further solidifying hip-hop’s place in Latino culture.
Helped popularize West Coast rap
With his single “La Raza,” Kid Frost helped popularize West Coast rap and Latin hip hop in the early 1990s. He was born in South Central Los Angeles and raised in the Hispanic neighborhood of Pacoima. His musical style is a mix of rap, reggae, and Latin music. He is credited as being one of the first Latino rappers and one of the pioneers of West Coast rap.Kid Frost’s album East Side Story was the first rap album to be certified gold by the RIAA. It sold over 500,000 copies and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Sampled extensively from Latin music
From the very beginning, Kid Frost embraced his Mexican roots, which can be heard throughout his music. He is one of the earliest rappers to sample extensively from Latin music, and he has been credited as a pioneer in the Latin rap genre. Frost’s 1992 album East Side Story was the first album by a Latino rapper to go platinum, and it remains one of the best-selling Latin rap albums of all time. In addition to his solo work, Frost has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, and Ice Cube.
Later Career and Legacy
After the success of his debut album, Kid Frost continued to release new music throughout the 1990s. He also began to tour more, playing shows across the United States and Latin America. In the 2000s, he continued to release new music and tour, but he also started to focus more on his legacy. He began to be more involved in the Latin music community and started to mentor younger artists.
Released several albums in the 1990s
Frost’s albums in the early 1990s were not as successful as his past releases, but he remained active in the music industry. In 1991, he was featured on Latino rap pioneer Mellow Man Ace’s album Escape from Havana with the track “No Me Olvides”. The following year, he collaborated with fellow Chicano rapper Cypress Hill on the track “Throw Your Set in the Air” from their album Black Sunday. In 1993, Frost served as executive producer for his son’s debut album Smile Now Die Later. In 1995, Frost worked with several artists on his album East Side Story, which included collaborations with Lil Rob, Mr. Shadow, and B-Real of Cypress Hill. In 1996, he released The Art of War.
Frost continued to tour and release music throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2002, he released his ninth studio album When Hell Azees 2: Last Man Standing. The following year, he appeared on Cypress Hill’s album Skull & Bones with the track “Latin Lingo (Cypress Hill Remix)”. In 2004, Frost collaborated with hip hop artist Layzie Bone on the track “Southside” from Layzie Bone’s album Thugs Refugee. In 2006, Frost released his tenth studio album The Originator.
In recent years, Frost has been working on a documentary about his life and career. He has also been working on a book called All I Need to Get by which is set to be released in 2019.
Retired from music in the early 2000s
In the early 2000s, Kid Frost retired from music and wanted to focus more on his personal life. He had been touring and recording for over 20 years and felt it was time for a change. He continued to make occasional appearances, but his days of being a full-time musician were behind him.
Frost’s retirement coincided with the rise of a new generation of Latino rappers, many of whom cited him as an influence. His impact on Latin music was significant, and he is considered one of the forefathers of the genre. His retirement from the music scene did not last long, however, and he made a triumphant return in 2008 with the release of his album “The Devil’s Playground.”
Considered a pioneer of Latin rap
Kid Frost is considered a pioneer of Latin rap and is often credited as the first Latino rapper to cross over into the mainstream. He has released five studio albums and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. His album, East Side Story, was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Frost began his career in the early 1980s as a member of the hip hop group Low Profile. He later embarked on a solo career and released his debut album, Hispanic Causing Panic, in 1990. The album peaked at number fifty-nine on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned the hit single “La Raza”.
Frost’s second album, East Side Story, was released in 1992 and reached number thirteen on the Billboard 200 chart. The album featured the single “No Sunshin”, which became Frost’s biggest hit, reaching number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. East Side Story was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1993.
In 1995, Frost released his third album, The Circle Game. The album peaked at number ninety-four on the Billboard 200 chart and featured the single “Reggae Nights”.
Frost’s fourth album, When Hell Freezes Over, was released in 1997 and reached number thirty-seven on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album featured the single “You Can’t See Me”, which peaked at number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.
Frost’s fifth and most recent studio album, Till Death Do Us Part, was released in 2006.
