Word: cuban
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...envision the fusion of Latin and disco music with English lyrics--or, as he likes to call it, "a cross between rice, beans and hamburger"--that came to be known as the Miami Sound. Undeterred by industry executives who said, "Dump the timbales" or "It will never sell," the Cuban immigrant put together a local band called the Miami Sound Machine in the early '80s. The lead singer was his then girlfriend Gloria. The group's 1985 smash hit Conga transformed Gloria Estefan into the first Latin female crossover superstar...
While Gloria went on to sell 70 million albums worldwide, Emilio began exploring songwriting and producing. In 1995 he formed the Crescent Moon label and started signing acts such as Cuban bassist Cachao, known as the Father of Mambo, whom major labels had ignored. A string of Grammy nominations eventually followed; so did non-Latino artists like Madonna and Will Smith, seeking to add some tropical flavor to their songs. "Emilio's ears and vision are absolutely incredible," says Tommy Mottola, CEO of Sony Music, which distributes the Crescent Moon label. "He's in front of the curve...
...head of a $200 million empire that includes interests in music publishing and real estate. He and Gloria--who were recently ranked No. 31 on the Forbes list of the world's richest entertainers--live in an opulent oceanfront mansion where Picassos hang next to paintings by Cuban artists. But Estefan isn't slowing down. His latest venture is a deal with Studio U.S.A. to produce sitcoms and made-for-TV movies. Says Studio U.S.A. president Ken Solomon: "Emilio is really one of the leaders in the world in bringing Latin performers to the mainstream...
...More Cubans could play here, of course, if the U.S. relaxed its embargo. Demonstrating outside Camden Yards, Ernest Mailhot, of the small Miami Coalition to End the Embargo, hoped that "through the players, Americans can see the Cuban people instead of Fidel...
Mailhot was outnumbered, though, by Cuban Americans who oppose any talk of easing sanctions against an oppressive government that they say stole their property. An anti-Castro militant from Miami charged onto the field Monday, but was quickly body-slammed by a hotheaded Cuban national umpire...