Miami Freestyle: 13 Best Acts of All Time

Jacob Katel September 11, 2013 9:00AM

Freestyle music got its name from a Miami group called Freestyle Express. Someone left out half the name on the group's most popular record, and when "Don't Stop the Rock" became a national hit, the label just read "Freestyle" and that word came to define the sound.

Miami Freestyle is also the music that built Power96. The station fully embraced local artists and helped launch them into national record deals with labels like Atlantic.

Freestyle superfan Marlin Alvarez remembers: "On the radio, all you heard was freestyle. They would play it between Madonna and Michael Jackson. So to me, the acts were superstars, except I got to see them everywhere, not just big arenas."

I support

Local

Community

Journalism

Support the independent voice of Miami and help keep the future of New Times free.

Support Us

FIU radio DJ Mamey Disco is still playing those songs. Here's what both guys call the 13 best Miami Freestyle acts.

KEEP MIAMI NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started Miami New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.

Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1.

Jacob Katel

Contact: Jacob Katel