Thug Life Army

El Draft 2005 is the week’s “Greatest Gainer,” soaring back into the Top 5 in its sixth consecutive week on the Top 10 Latin Album Charts. It seems there’s no evading the draft – El Draft 2005, that is. The unexpected CD sensation that has sturdily climbed back up to the # 5 position on Billboard’s Top Latin Album Charts, marking its phenomenal sixth consecutive week riding high in the Top 10. The 23-track Reggaeton compilation CD also achieved status as the week’s “Greatest Gainer.” Reggaeton blends dancehall and hip hop with additional influences from other genres.

At the same time, another hot new Reggaeton release, Latin hip-hop superstar Bimbo’s debut effort in the genre, Bimbo Presenta: Reggaeton 100x35, skyrocketed to the # 30 spot among the Top Latin Albums and becoming this week’s designated “Pace Setter” (indicating the Chart’s greatest percentage growth of the week), climbing a remarkable 24 notches in the past seven days.

Bimbo’s sizzling new CD has also experienced a new surge of energy, re-entering three other Billboard Charts: Top Heatseakers, Top Independent Albums and Top New Artists Albums (Middle Atlantic). In addition, fueled by his internationally red-hot single, “Fill Up My Gas Tank” (“Fuleteame El Tanque”), Bimbo’s new album rose back into the Top 10 Latin Rhythm Album Charts, firmly securing the # 7 slot. The El Draft 2005 CD has already made music history, becoming the first Reggaeton CD to ever ship Latin Platinum. The disc’s lead single, Rakim y Ken Y’s “Tu No Estas,” recently cracked the Top 10 on the Latin Radio Charts and the CD’s second single, Cheka’s “Activo,” is already set to burn up the charts. Both singles were chosen by fan votes.

El Draft 2005 and Bimbo distributor Urban Box Office (UBO)’s Executive Vice President Bruce Henderson comments, “The success of El Draft has been phenomenal and we’re releasing the second single from El Draft 2005 hot on the heels of the first. Not only will we build momentum for the album, the two completely different songs really showcase the diversity found in this album. The way it’s continuing to sell, it’s clearly serving as an excellent introduction to those new to the world of Reggaeton, as well as a primer for hardcore fans of the genre on its next big superstars.”

Many of the genre’s current superstars emerged from UBO’s biggest success to date, the Chosen Few: El Documental CD/DVD combo, already Billboard’s # 4 Top Selling Latin Album of the Year, this week leaping back into the Top 10 Latin Albums after 48 incredible weeks on the Charts. The landmark project has been widely credited with having brought the Reggaeton movement into the mainstream. With the renewed success of Bimbo’s first album in the genre and the continued success of El Draft 2005, Reggaeton is clearly here to stay.

About Urban Box Office [UBO]:

Urban Box Office (UBO), a subsidiary of Contemporary Holdings and Equities Inc., is an innovative entertainment marketing and distribution company that directly supplies media products to its core target consumers through its proprietary FREEDOM MODEL. Through this business format, artists keep as much revenue as possible from each recording, while consumers purchase music when, where, and how they want it, at a value price. The company is headquartered in New York City. For more information about UBO products, visit www.ubo.com.