The south may be known for the dirty and cruck sound, but there are a few artists from that region determined to change your mind about stereotypical southern hip hop/R&B. Monica Delgado is one of the few artists that has stepped into the music scene with a new multicultural influenced hip hop/soul/pop/latin sound that's invading the city of Tampa, FL. 

Alongside hip hop artist/producer Jinx, Monica Delgado collaborated on the track "U" that has been getting the attention of hip hop DJs not only in the south, but worldwide. 

Monica Delgado was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Not long after, her family relocated to their native island of Puerto Rico. Music has always been an immense part of Monica's life. Her family consists of some incredibly talented individuals with an extensive musical history. "I grew up picking out musical scores for my late uncle Oscar who played the trumpet. He would also let me choose which record from his selection of LPs I wanted to listen to. He had a ton of records and multiple crates in his closet. It was heaven on earth to me. Anything from Motown to Hector Lavoe, you name it. Off the Wall (Michael Jackson) was my personal favorite." Her passion for music had her recording herself singing by the age of 3 and composing her first musical piece by the tender age of 7.

By the time Monica turned 10, her family had decided to relocate once more. This time to the great city of Tampa, Florida. "I love this city. My heart is in Puerto Rico, but my roots are planted here." By 1994, her parents started a company named Imagen Latina. They opened a music store & office with the same name and for years organized some of the most memorable latin events the city has ever seen. This allowed Monica to grow up among some of the greatest artists in the latin industry. Marc Anthony, El Gran Combo, Olga Tañon, Brenda K. Starr, Grupo Niche, DLG, Victor Manuelle, Enrique Iglesias, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Tito Nieves, just to name a few. "It was surreal. These are artists that some would give an arm and a leg to meet. I was able to get to know them, hang out, talk, eat, just chill with them. It was something I was used to, almost second nature, but thinking back on it now, I was incredibly lucky. I learned a lot about the industry from early on." 

By the time Monica was a teenager, she was an experienced percussionist. She was asked to arrange music for the percussion section in high school. That year, the marching band earned their 22nd straight superior rating in competition. "It was an amazing experience. I think that's when it hit me. When I realized that making music was what I wanted to do with my life."

Now in her 20s, Monica is more focused than ever. "It's now or never and I'm ready!" She is currently working on new projects along with performing at different venues and collaborating with different artists. She's focusing on writing and getting new material together for her fans to enjoy. "I can't wait to see what the future has in store for me."


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