Born in Augusta, GA, but raised in Puerto Rico, Chezina started out by collaborating with the DJ Playero and appearing on the mixtape series Don Ricardo Garcia: Presents My Son Don Chezina and Sue Me Please...I Need the Publicity, which mixed Jennifer Lopez, Missy Elliot, Otis Redding, and other artists' tracks with Garcia and Chezina's vocals. Bien Guillao de Gangster from 1997 marked the beginning of Chezina's solo career and featured the massive Puerto Rican hits "Mi Historia" and "Bendicion de Dios" with special guest Rey Pirin. Hits and remix collections like 1998's Mi Trayectoria and 2004's Exitos followed, along with numerous singles and collaborations. With the reggaeton sound becoming popular in the U.S. and Europe at the end of 2004, Chezina was now catching the ear of hot rap producer Kanye West, who included a Tego Calderón-dissing freestyle from Chezina on his 50 Grand Mixtape. ~ David Jeffries