Arcángel vs. De La Ghetto
versus
wed 1/7/2009
| name | Austin Santos. | Rafael Castillo. |
| hometown | Born in New York. Raised in Puerto Rico. | Born in New York. Raised in Puerto Rico. |
| born on | December 23, 1986. | September 17, 1986. |
| Dominican roots | Dominican mother. | Dominican father. |
| nicknames | El Fenómeno and La Maravilla. | Mr. Versatility and De La Geezy. |
| the look | Long curly hair (often in cornrows) and sunglasses. | Short, trimmed hair and sunglasses. |
| primeros pasos | Partnered with De La Ghetto before going solo in 2007. | Partnered with Arcángel before going solo in 2007. |
| style | Tropical and electro-influenced romantic reggaetón. | Bachata and electro-influenced romantic reggaetón. |
| standout single as a duo | Ven Pégate. | Traficando. |
| killer collabos | Jadiel, Jowel y Randy, Yaga y Mackie, Luis Fonsi and Vakero. | Zion, Daddy Yankee, Héctor "El Father," Jowell & Randy, Ivy Queen y Tego Calderón. |
| tiraera (beef) | Jowell y Randy, Polaco, Yomo. | Franco "El Gorila," Yomo, Masacre. |
| words of wisdom | "A true artist does not get involved in tiraera. If I stay in a tiraera I won't go anywhere. You won't hear any more tiraera from Arcángel." - Arcángel. | "The schools in Puerto Rico are kind of bad, there is a lot of talent and nobody helps. We need to keep talking to the youth to follow their dreams." - De La Ghetto. |
| aspiring actor | Appears in the movie Muerte En El Paraíso. | Rumored to be working on a film called Ghettologia. |
| most recent release | El Fenómeno. | Masacre Musical. |
| the critics | Real Talk Reggaetón: "Arcángel tried to release an album and he cancelled it because it was quickly pirated. Millions of downloads. You know why? Because he's La Maravilla. This dude has pure talent and people like his stuff even if they diss it." | Real Talk Reggaetón: "If you are going to name an album Masacre you would expect it to feature some malianteo, perreo or something hard-hitting on the speakers, not 98 percent romantic music." |
| webprops | 127,736 friends on official MySpace. | 62,156 friends on official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Spending his days in jail thinking about his ex-girl in Por Amar A Ciegas. | Spending time at the beach with his girl in Es Difícil. |
Selena Gomez vs. Demi Lovato
versus
mon 12/29/2008
| name | Selena Marie Gomez. | Demetria Devonne Lovato. | |
| born in | Grand Prairie, Texas. | Dallas, Texas. | |
| birthdate | July 22, 1992. | August 20, 1992. | |
| parents | Mexican father and Italian-American mother. | Mexican father and Italian-Irish mother. | |
| started acting on | "Barney & Friends" at age seven. | "Barney & Friends" at age six. | |
| got it from mom? | Mandy Teefey, a former stage actress. | Diana Hart, a former Dallas Cowboy cheerleader and country singer. | |
| the look | Doll-faced brunette cutie. | Doll-faced brunette cutie. | |
| touted as the next | Miley Cyrus, according to the Los Angeles Times | Miley Cyrus, according to the Hollywood Gossip. | |
| what does Miley say? | Mocked both Selena and Demi in a YouTube video, but later apologized. | Told TV reporters "I don’t think there could be a next Miley. I think they should be the next Selena, the next Demi ... [and] make their own way.” | |
| catty quote | "I'm not interested in being anybody but myself, and I'm not here to replace anyone." - Selena Gomez. | "I really don't know Miley that well… It was just like, OK, cool, Hannah Montana knows who I am!" - Demi Lovato. | |
| breakthrough TV movie | Another Cinderella Story. | Camp Rock. | |
| now seen on | Wizards of Waverly Place and Brain Zapped. | Prison Break and As The Bell Rings. | |
| coming soon | Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie and Princess Protection Program. | TV show Sonny With A Chance and Camp Rock 2. | |
| don't stop the music | Recording an album for Summer '09. | Debut album Don't Forget. | |
| killer collab | New Classic with Drew Seeley. | This Is Me with Joe Jonas. | |
| the critics | ABC: "But perhaps the most important factor minting Gomez's break-out status is the fact that she's dating teen heartthrob du jour Nick Jonas, of the uber-hot Jonas Brothers." | The Washington Post: "While it's great that she's made it – her face will probably end up on a backpack this fall … Lovato is on a roller coaster that can take her very high, or stop and then plummet at a moment's notice." | |
| webprops | 202,601 friends on official MySpace and a YouTube channel with 5.5 million views. | 292,564 friends on official MySpace and a YouTube channel with nearly 9 million views. | |
| best video moment | Freeing herself from a Cinderella life in Tell Me Something I Don't Know. | Fighting to be herself in La La Land. |
Lil Rob vs. Omar Cruz
versus
mon 12/22/2008
| name | Roberto Flores. | Omar Cruz. |
| hometown | San Diego, California. | Los Angeles, California. |
| age | 33. | 28. |
| style | Chicano rap. | Chicano rap. |
| also known as | Mr. 1218. | The Latin Lyrical Assassin. |
| homies | Fingazz and Mr. Criminal. | Estevan Oriol and Mr. Cartoon. |
| the look | Bald head and bandana. | Bald head and sunglasses. |
| first release | Crazy Life. | City Of Gods mix-tape. |
| killer Frankie J collab | Slow It Down. | To The Top. |
| underground banger | Neighborhood Music. | I Hang With My Dogz. |
| as seen on | Party Animalz. | Pimpeando. |
| the critics | Teen Ink Magazine: "[W]hile a lot of rappers talk about cars they don't have, he raps about the ones he has. He says he is just a regular homeboy, and that is what he raps about!" | XXL: "Despite the fact that they compose nearly half of [Los Angeles’] population, Latino-Americans have never been given their proper due in regards to their importance in the city’s culture. But 27-year-old Omar Cruz is out to change that." |
| most recent release | 1218, Pt. 2. | Debut album The Sign Of The Cruz (2009). |
| usually rocks | A San Diego Chargers jersey. | A Los Angeles Dodgers cap. |
| in their own words | "I just pretty much stay true to what I'm about. Neighborhood pride. We drink on our driveway, typical things we do, it stays in our music. I don't change my slang, the way that I talk is the way that I talk." - Lil Rob. | "I’m an MC but I happen to be Latino [and] I’m not using it as a crutch. I think that’s where a lot of artists fail. At the end of the day, I'm just an artist who happens to be Latino, but the music speaks for itself." - Omar Cruz |
| webprops | 100,384 friends on official MySpace. | 23,639 friends on official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Looking classy while cruising with his girl in Summer Nights. | Marching through the streets of L.A. on May Day in The Movement. |
Los Pikadientes de Caborca vs. Huichol Musical
versus
mon 12/15/2008
| name | Los Pikadientes de Caborca. | Huichol Musical. |
| founded | 2006. | 2005. |
| birthplace | Caborca, Sonora. | Sta. Catarina Mezquitic, Jalisco. Now based in Fresnillo, Zacatecas. |
| style | Cumbia raza. | Cumbia Huichola. |
| the look | The Village People. | Huichol villagers. |
| breakthrough track | Cumbia Del Río. | Cumbia Cusinela. |
| signature line | "Vamonos a bailar bonito, moviendo bien el culito." | "Que cuerpo, que cara, que ojitos bonitos, ojitos que provocan el juego del amor." |
| instruments | Clarinet, saxophone, tuba and guitar. | Guitar, vigüela, double bass and violin. |
| the dance | La cumbia del rio. | El pasito atrevido. |
| bragging rights | Nominated for a Grammy for Best Regional Music Album of 2008. |
Nominated for a Grammy for Best Regional Music Album of 2008. |
| in their own words | "We love that our songs have a lot of good humor. Our songs are for heavy drinkers…" - Pancho. |
"We sing and give respect to our women, who do a lot of hard work to make our clothes and food." - Huichol Musical. |
| most recent release | Vámonos Pa'l Río (Let's Go to the River). | Desde México... "Cumbia Cusinela". |
| the critics | iTunes: "Quick, catchy, and a little bit goofy. The nasal-toned Spanish vocals invite listeners to relax and dance by the river, while accompanying horns and a low wind instrument give Los Pikadientes de Caborca a jug-band aesthetic." | Epinions Fan Review: “This CD is historically significant – as much as if the Aztecs released a CD today, but it is a lot more than that. It is good music which comforts the soul and gives one a feeling of a real lift inside." |
| webprops | 1,997 friends on official MySpace. | 1,437 friends on official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Filming a gringo Mariachi while he dances to Cumbia Del Río. |
Admiring the women they love in Que Chulada De Mujer. |
Crash vs. Yasmin
versus
tue 12/9/2008
| name | Melissa Barrera. | Yasmin Deliz. |
| nickname | Crash. | Queenz. |
| hometown | Pomona, California. | Queens, New York. |
| born in | California. | Caracas, Venezuela. |
| zodiac sign | Leo. | Gemini. |
| age | 22. | 21. |
| roots | Mexican mother and Mexican-American father. | Colombian mother and Dominican father. |
| self-described look | Barbie doll thrown into a mosh pit. | Around the way couture chic with a splash of 'hood. |
| early start | VJ for local Los Angeles TV station. | Rapper and reggaetonera. |
| extra-curricular | DJ on Grita MX radio. | Appears in the New Kids on the Block video Single. |
| favorite music | Classic rock, metal, punk. | R&B, reggaetón, merengue and salsa. |
| favorite artists | Guns N' Roses, Queens of the Stone Age, Black Sabbath, Iggy Pop and Sublime. | Selena, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Lost Boyz, Gloria Estefan, Miles Davis and José José. |
| obsession | Author Chuck Palahniuk. | Bamboo earrings. |
| favorite movie/s | The Dark Crystal. | Napoleon Dynamite and Selena. | mode of transportation | Skateboard or bus. | My whip. |
| keepin' it real | Emancipated from parents at the age of 15. | Spoke only Spanish until 4th grade. | philosophy | "It happens to all of us, get over it." | "You have to dream it first." | As seen on | The Chicas Project. | The Chicas Project. |
| webprops | 3,116 friends on new Official MySpace. (Her previous one was hacked.) | 64,938 friends on Official MySpace. |
Ximena Sariñana vs. Eiza González "Lola"
versus
mon 12/1/2008
| name | Ximena Sariñana Rivera. | Eiza González Reyna. |
| hometown | Mexico City, México. | Mexico City, México. |
| born on | October 29, 1985. | January 30, 1990. |
| daughter of | Mexican film director Fernando Sariñana. | Mexican supermodel Glenda Reyna. |
| style | Pop influenced by the blues and jazz. | Pop rock. |
| sounds like | Natalia LaFourcade and Feist. | Belinda and RBD. |
| the look | Winona Ryder in the '90s movie Reality Bites. | Cyndi Lauper meets Punky Brewster. |
| breakthrough single | Vidas Paralelas. | Si Me Besas. | killer collab | La Tina remix by Metronomy. | Amor Letra Por Letra with Flex. |
| could be the next | Julieta Venegas. | Miley Cyrus. |
| I'm an actress | Telenovela Luz Clarita and Mexican movies Todo El Poder, Amar Te Duele and Niñas Mal. | The star of the popular tween Mexican telenovela Lola... Érase Una Vez. |
| most recent release | Mediocre. | Érase Una Vez. |
| the critics | Rolling Stone: "[T]his Mexican actress-turned-singer belts out jazz- and blues-influenced songs with poetic lyrics and imaginative production… There's sultry torch songs, folky ballads, smart rock — and not a bum track among them." | Billboard En Español: "The popularity of this Mexican girl grows day by day in the U.S.… and even though she is a new artist with no singles in the Hot Latin Songs chart, her album is selling like hotcakes." |
| webprops | 42,494 friends on official MySpace. | 27,171 friends on official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Becoming one with nature in No Vuelvo Más. | Suffering for love in Masoquismo. |
Spanish Harlem vs Washington Heights
versus
mon 11/24/2008
| name | Spanish Harlem. | Washington Heights. |
| aka | El Barrio. | Dominican Heights. |
| epicenter | 96th street to 116th street. | 145th street to 200th street. |
| predominantly | Puerto Rican. | Dominican. |
| historical landmark | East Harlem Firehouse. | The Cloisters. |
| where to chill | Corner bodega. | Fort Washington Park. |
| homegrown politician | Congressman Charles B. Rangel. | NYC Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Guillermo Linares. |
| how to get there | Take the 6 train. | Take the A or C or the 1 and 9 trains. |
| hometown music heroes | Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Tito Puente and Ray Barreto. | Juelz Santana, Proyecto Uno and Kat DeLuna. |
| as heard on | Ben E. King's Spanish Harlem and Santana's Maria Maria, featuring Wyclef. | KRS-One's Washington Heights. |
| gringos like to visit | Museum of the City of New York. | The Cloisters. |
| where to eat? | La Fonda Boricua. | Caridad Restaurant. |
| what to order | Arroz con pollo. | Sancocho. |
| cultura | El Museo Del Barrio. | The Hispanic Society of America. |
| as seen on | Movies Carlito's Way and Honey. | Washington Heights The Movie and Broadway musical In The Heights. |
| school | J.H.S. 117, the Tito Puente Education Complex. | P.S. 132, Juan Pablo Duarte School. |
| saying | ¡A fuego! | ¿Que lo que? |
Christina Aguilera vs. Lady GaGa
versus
mon 11/17/2008
| name | Christina María Aguilera. | Stefani Germanotta. |
| hometown | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.. | Yonkers, New York. |
| born | December 18, 1980. | May 20, 1986. |
| early start | Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club. | Pop art performer from New York's Lower East Side. |
| the look | Platinum blonde hair and racy outfits. | Platinum blonde hair and racy outfits. |
| influences | Etta James, Madonna, Whitney Houston and Nina Simone. | David Bowie, Blondie, Madonna and Queen. |
| breakthrough track | Genie In a Bottle. | Just Dance. |
| killer collabo | Lady Marmalade with Pink, Lil Kim, Missy Elliott and Mya. | Starstruck featuring Flo Rida. |
| backed by | Manager Steve Kurtz. | Singer-rapper Akon. |
| produced by | Linda Perry, Mark Ronson and Scott Storch. | RedOne, Rob Fusari and Martin Kierszenbaum. |
| in their own words | "This person [Lady Gaga] was just brought to my attention not too long ago. I’m not quite sure who this person is, to be honest. I don’t know if it is a man or a woman."- Christina Aguilera. | "A lot of people have been saying that [Aguilera] is copying my style with her new song. I guess it bears somewhat of a resemblance, but I wouldn't say she is copying me." - Lady GaGa. |
| Something to brag about | Won Grammys for Best New Artist in 2000 and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2004. | Wrote tracks for Britney Spears, Pussycat Dolls and New Kids on the Block. |
| most recent release | Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits. | The Fame. |
| the critics | Allmusic: "After Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera was the most popular female singer of the late-'90s teen pop revival. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Aguilera was a technically skilled singer with a genuinely powerful voice, belting out her uptempo dance numbers and ballads with a diva's panache." | The New York Post: "Lady Gaga is the future of pop… [T]he 22-year-old hometown girl is out to prove that she deserves to inherit Britney Spears' pop princess crown. While it might seem like Gaga popped up out of nowhere, she's anything but an overnight sensation." |
| webprops | 504,390 friends on official MySpace. | 64,938 friends on official MySpace. |
| best video moment | Bumping and grinding in Dirrty. | Bumping and grinding in Poker Face. |
Rock Band vs. Guitar Hero
versus
mon 11/10/2008
| name | Rock Band. | Guitar Hero. |
| release date | November 20, 2007. | November 8, 2005. |
| debuted on | Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Playstation 2. | Playstation 2. |
| originally developed by | Harmonix Music Systems. | Harmonix Music Systems/Red Octane. |
| designers | Greg LoPiccolo, Chris Canfield, Rob Kay and Dan Teasdale. | Mary Magdilen, Ryan Lesser, Rob Kay and Josh Randall. |
| genre | Music and rhythm game. | Music and rhythm game. |
| inspiration | Guitar Hero, DrumMania and karaoke. | Konami arcade game Guitar Freaks and Gitaroo Man. |
| gameplay | Pressing and hitting buttons and pads in game controllers in order to sync musical notes and complete songs without too many mistakes. | Pressing buttons on a game controller in order to synch musical notes and complete songs without too many mistakes. |
| game controls and peripherals | Plastic controllers that look like guitar, drums plus a microphone. | Plastic controller that looks like a guitar. World Tour now includes drums and a microphone. |
| the kids love | Paramore's crushcrushcrush, Fall Out Boy's Dead on Arrival and Coheed and Cambria's Welcome Home. | Tokio Hotel's Monsoon, Rise Against's Re-Education (Through Labor) and Bullet For My Valentine's Scream Aim Fire. |
| old folks love | Metallica's Enter Sandman, Blue Oyster Cult's (Don't Fear) The Reaper and David Bowie's Suffragette City. | Black Sabbath's Iron Man, Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water and The Ramone's I Wanna Be Sedated. |
| revived the careers of | Guns N' Roses. | Metallica. |
| the critics | Gamespot: "Rock Band is every wannabe musician's dream. [It's] a guaranteed good time for any music lover, and one of the best party games you'll ever play." | The Onion AV Club: "An epic rock masterpiece that may be the most purely fun game out there. Every single minute is great." |
| how to play it better | Teamwork and practice. | Time and practice. |
| sequels | Rock Band 2. | Guitar Hero 2 and Guitar Hero 3, World Tour, Rocks The 80's, etc. |
| juice | A Beatles-themed version of the game is in the works. | World Tour ads feature celebrities like Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, Alex Rodriguez and Tony Hawk. |
| as seen on | Rock Band TV Show. | South Park. |
| awards | Best Music Game by IGN and The Academy of Interactive Ats & Sciences' Family Game of the Year. | Best Music Game by IGN in 2005 and Excellence in Audio and Game Innovation by The Game Developer's Choice Awards. |
| sales | 600 million dollars in retail sales. | 1.6 billion dollars combined in retail sales. |
Tejanos vs. Chicanos
versus
mon 11/3/2008
| name | Tejanos. | Chicanos. |
| epicenter | Río Grande Valley. | East L.A. |
| aka | The Lone Star State. | Aztlán. |
| historical landmark | The Alamo. | The California Missions. |
| the border | A river. | A fence. |
| homegrown politician | Henry Cisneros. Former mayor of San Antonio. | Antonio Villaraigosa. Current mayor of Los Angeles. |
| 4 out of 5 homies support | Los Dallas Cowboys. | Los Oakland Raiders. |
| hometown heroes | Lee Trevino, Jesse James Leija and Robert Quiroga. | Oscar De La Hoya, Nomar Garciaparra, Paul Rodriguez, Jr. and Anthony Muñoz. |
| rock and roller | Freddy Fender. | Ritchie Valens. |
| norteño royalty | Intocable. | Los Tigres del Norte. |
| gringos like to visit | The San Antonio River Walk. | Olvera Street (La Placita Olvera). |
| weekend getaway | Ciudad Juarez. | Tijuana. |
| Saturday breakfast | Barbacoa. | Birria. |
| tortillas? | Flour, por favor. | De maíz, please. |
| must-see movie | Selena starring Jennifer Lopez. | Born in East L.A. starring Cheech Marin. |
| hollywood heavyweight | Robert Rodriguez. | Edward James Olmos. |
| natural disasters | Tornadoes. | Earthquakes. |
| saying | Y’all. | Qiuibole? |
