Pika_Guerita wrote:
well, lets see, aren't like 1/2 the group or something doing life in prison? Or am I wrong, I could be wrong, if I am....MY BAD....
You couldn't be MORE wrong. Maybe you have La Mafia confused with Mazz. (although as far as I know there is only ONE former Mazz member in prison and it isn't for life) . If any member of La Mafia has ever had as much as a parking ticket, it never made the news.
La Mafia is one of the most down to earth bands you'd ever want to meet, and a band that should instill pride in every Tejano. I know they make me proud to be a Texan. They were THE band who decided (back in the 80s) to give their MTV generation ROCK STYLE shows, complete with pyrotetitcs, which led the way for other bands like La Fiebre, and La Sombra etc to follow suit. In the 90s THEY are the ones who catipulted Tejano Music into the national and international spotlight. They accomplished this by first going into Mexico, starting out in parking lots, and gradually working their way up to playing in sold out stadiums all over Mexico, opening the door for Selena and everyone who has been down there since. Their 1991 "Estas Tocando Fuego" album was the first album in Tejano history to sell over a million units (at a time when most of the biggest hits were selling 50,000, and on rare occaisions up to 100,000 units), followed up by "Ahora y Siempre" which sold a million and a half. They were THE band who helped Selena get her start by taking her on the road with them from the age of 12, helping her get the kind of exposure that led to her winning TTMA awards (which led to her being "discovered" by Jose Behar of EMI Latin). La Mafia and Selena were the only Tejano artists who were listed in Billboards "Top 10 Latin ARtists of the 90s (with the majority of Selena's sales coming after her tragic death).
They are ambasadors of La Onda, they have taken Tejano Music all over the US, Mexico , Central and South America, to places where no Tejano has gone before, as well as Europe on their USO tours.
They have won numerous awards like 2 grammys, 2 Latin Grammys, 6 Premio Lo Nuestro awards, 12 TTMA awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award and many others and have been inducted into the Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame.
When they make the news its for the good stuff they do, for the Red Cross and many other charities they are involved in, their USO tours, the awards they win etc, unlike other Tejanos who make the news for child molesttion, drugs, wife-beating, money laundering , drunk driving, failure to pay child support etc.
They are very active and visible in their community. They do a lot for the City of Houston, like public service announcements, special events, and were even instrumental in helping the City of Houston get the contract for the Latin Grammys coming to Houston this year. They have been inducted into the Houston Hall of Fame alongside other famous Houstonians , like astronauts, politicians, actors etc. They have a star on the Houston Hardrock Walk of Fame and 2 of Oscar's Grammys are displayed inside.
The video below is La Mafia's "My Houston" ad, to promote their city, there is also a "My Houston" print ad featuring Oscar that has been in publications all over the country , including the "Wall Street Journal".
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujkv5jrweE8[/youtube]
The video below talks about a special show that La mafia put on for the children at Shriner's Hospital in Houston. I had the opportunity to attend that show, and the video doesn't really tell the story. It was so moving, the way they interacted with those kids, that I had to fight back the tears.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVGonBSi1gU&feature=related[/youtube]
Pika, I'm not picking on you, because obviously you are out of the loop as to what has been going on with La Mafia, I just want to make sure that whoever may be tuning in knows that La Mafia is a CLASS ACT.