Que Bonita Bandera
Stretch & Bobbito + The M19s Band
Release Date: December 18, 2020
Celebrate the upcoming 125th Anniversary (December 22) of Puerto Rico's flag while raising awareness of the history and meaning behind it.
Piano: NEA "Jazz Master" award winner Eddie Palmieri
Vocals: Jeimy Osorio (Netflix "Celia Cruz" series), Latin Grammy Award winner Mireya Ramos, Grammy Award nominee Danny Rivera, Ismael Cruz Cordova (HBO “The Undoing”), Bomba singer Chamir Bonano, and newcomer Sabrina Cintrón
Cameos: Olympic medalist Laurie Hernandez, actors Rosario Dawson (Disney+ “The Mandalorian”), Lauren Luna Velez (Into the Spider-Verse), Oscar nominee Rosie Perez, Ramon Rodriguez (HBO "The Wire," Transformers II), Freddy Rodriguez (CBS "Bullet"), Justina Machado (CBS "One Day At A Time"), Modesto Lacen (Netflix "Celia Cruz" series), artist José Parlá, hip hop legends Crazy Legs and Tony Touch, former AND1 Mixtape star Tim “Headache” Gittens, and DJ Janzism de Puerto Rico
100% of the net profits will be given to Afro-Boricua grassroots programs based in PR via the non-profit La Borinqueña grants program.
Que Bonita Bandera 7" - Picture Disc + Comic Book
La Borinqueña comic book written by award winning graphic novelist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. Cover art by Gustavo Vázquez and Juan Fernández. Interior art by Will Rosado and Chris Sotomayor.
Freestyle EP 1
Stretch & Bobbito + The M19s Band
In FREESTYLE EP 1, Stretch and Bobbito pay homage to their past while simultaneously transcending to the present. Using cutting edge technology to create a cappella versions of iconic live performances from their legendary 1990s radio show, the duo has digitally remastered, as well as enhanced, the original recordings of freestyles by Biggie, Big L + Jay-Z, and Method Man + Ghostface Killah. Additionally, they took these isolated vocals and created remix versions by layering in new background instrumentals featuring original music played by their band the M19s Band, which Stretch then sampled and looped. Ultimately, both the original ‘90s versions as well as the remix versions reach unprecedented new ground in the merging of beats, rhymes, life and technology!
No Requests
Stretch & Bobbito + The M19S Band
Produced by Stretch and Bobbito, Stretch and Bobbito’s debut album No Requests explores the legendary club DJs’ vast musical knowledge with covers of songs directly from their record crates! Featuring the M19s Band of elite hand-picked musicians, the gatekeepers of ‘90s Hip Hop step outside their foundational genre base to produce Latin, Afro-beat, Samba, Jazz, Reggae, and Soul reinterpretations of dance floor bangers—ranging from popular to rare and obscure—which loosely depart expected structure and create new nuances to familiar tunes. The group also offers original compositions along the sonic journey. All tracks have one goal in mind: GROOVE!
The M19s Band: Drums by Camilo Molina / Percussion by Orlando Vega / Bass by Luques Curtis / Keys by Axel Tosca / Trombone by Corey Wallace / Trumpet by Jonathan Powell / Flute & Sax by Gabrielle Garo / Guitar by Bryan Vargas / Vocals by Edson Sean / Nekaybaw / ArinMaya
Featuring appearances by: Rich Medina / Maimouna Youssef / Mireya Ramos (vocals & violin) / Jose Parlá
Press
About Stretch and Bobbito
NYC native Stretch Armstrong is an internationally recognized DJ and cultural influencer with an incomparable career. After DJing in clubs in the late 80's as a teenager, Stretch soon became a household name via the "Stretch and Bobbito" radio show, through which the world was first introduced to future household names like Nas, Jay-Z, Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Lauryn Hill and The Notorious B.I.G. It's no uncommon to hear someone say the first time they heard an anthemic song or important artist was from Stretch. As a club DJ who has never been confined to one genre, Stretch, a progenitor of what would become known as "open-format" (incorporating a multitude of musical genres) has spun all over the world for nearly three decades, thriving in small and large venues alike.
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Stretch recently co-produced and music-supervised the widely heralded documentary "STRETCH AND BOBBTO: RADIO THAT CHANGED LIVES" (directed by Bobbito Garcia), a film that dives into the deep impact the duo had on the burgeoning culture of hip-hop. As a result of the popularity of the film, and the continued outcry from fans to return to the airwaves, Stretch and Bobbito did just that in 2017 via National Public Radio, in the form of an interview-based podcast, "What's Good with Stretch and Bobbito." Guests have included Erykah Badu, Lenny Kravitz, Dave Chappelle, Stevie Wonder, Chance the Rapper, Black Thought, Massimo Bottura, Rosie Perez, Regina King and many more.
In 2016, Stretch authored the book "NO SLEEP: NYC NIGHTLIFE FLYERS 1988-1999, a visual history of nightlife flyer art" (Powerhouse Books), which dives into the story of NYC clubs in their last golden age.
Stretch continues to DJ all over the world, for both music connoisseurs in intimate venues, as well as high profile brands. His unique perspective and breadth of musical knowledge, from the past to the present, across multiple genres, and his keen ability to understand his audience, have solidified his reputation as a DJ who has earned a reputation.
Photo by @TREVORPAULHUS
NYC native Bobbito García is a freelance creative who has put an indelible footprint on multiple urban movements. During the 1990s, the legendary air personality was one-half of the “Stretch and Bobbito” program on WKCR. The duo introduced the world to an unsigned Nas, Biggie, and Wu-Tang, as well as an unknown Jay-Z, Eminem, and the Fugees. The total record sales for all the artists that premiered on their platform exceed 300 million. In 1998, the Source Magazine voted them as “The Best Hip Hop Radio Show of All Time.“
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As the progenitor of sneaker journalism, García penned his landmark Source article “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict” in 1990, then in 2003 became the critically acclaimed author of Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 (Testify Books). In 2005, ESPN’s “It’s The Shoes” series, hosted by Bobbito, became the first show on the subject in broadcasting history.
A former professional basketball player in Puerto Rico, García performed in the ground breaking Nike “Freestyle” commercial. In 2007, the brand released seven co-designed Air Force 1 sneakers bearing his name. The voice of EA Sports’ popular NBA Street video game is also a world-renowned DJ, who has spun World, Soul and Jazz music at Lincoln Center, Central Park SummerStage, and the Smithsonian (DC).
As an award-winning filmmaker, García has directed Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC (PBS, Netflix), Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives (Showtime, Netflix), and NY Times“Critics’ Pick" Rock Rubber 45s (Smithsonian African American Film Festival 2018 official selection).
A founding member of the Kennedy Center’s Hip Hop Culture Council and a recent Wesleyan University “Distinguished Alumni Award” recipient, "Kool Bob Love” currently produces his b-ball tournament Full Court 21™ in four continents, co-produces Stretch & Bobbito + The M19s Band music, and is a DJ/Host on Apple Music Hits’ “Stretch and Bobbito Radio.
Music
Film
Apple Music Hits Radio / Podcasts
In the 1990s, DJs Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito García created an indelible global impact on music and culture via their NYC-based college radio program—premiering unknown (and often unsigned) artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, JAY-Z, Eminem, Big Pun, The Notorious B.I.G., and many more. On their Apple Music Hits show, the legendary duo pays tribute to their era as cultural "gatekeepers" with a mix of vintage freestyle moments plus underappreciated rare cuts while expanding the format to include their deep and diverse musical knowledge of all genres. Returning with the spontaneous on-air vibe they pioneered, Stretch and Bobbito bring their offbeat humor and insightful perspective with stories, jokes, and hilarious conversations with your favorite artists.
The Actual Stretch & Bobbito Show - Stretch and Bobbito are back with a new podcast series, The Actual Stretch and Bobbito Show, where the two iconic DJs discuss music, culture, sports, social justice issues and beyond.
What's Good with Stretch & Bobbito is your source for untold stories and uncovered truths. Hosts Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia interview cultural influencers, bringing their warmth, humor, and a fresh perspective. They're talking about art, music, politics, sports and what's good!
Press
Brooklyn Magazine “Do You Remember 90s East Coast Hip Hop Radio?”
NY Times “Review: ‘Rock Rubber 45s’ Looks in the Mirror to Tell a Life Story”
NY Times “What’s Streaming? Rock Rubber 45s”
Undefeated “Bobbito Gives Hip Hop Another Gift: The Truth About Sexual Trauma”
Complex “Bobbito Gets Personal in His New Autobiographical Documentary”