Ivy Queen

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pesante and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.

Ivy Queen
Ivy Queen in 2010
Born
Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez

(1972-03-04) March 4, 1972 (age 52)
Añasco, Puerto Rico
Other names
  • The Queen of Reggaeton
  • La Diva
  • La Caballota
  • La Potra
  • La Cocorota
  • La Mama de los Pollitos
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
  • actress
Years active1995–present
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1994; div. 2005)​
  • Xavier Sánchez
    ​
    (m. 2012)​
Musical career
Genres
Labels

Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez (born March 4, 1972), known professionally as Ivy Queen, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is considered one of the pioneers of the reggaeton genre, commonly referred to as the Queen of Reggaeton.

Ivy Queen began her career as a member of the otherwise all-male collective The Noise in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[1] There, she performed her first song "Somos Raperos Pero No Delincuentes" (We are Rappers, Not Delinquents). Ivy Queen went solo in 1996, and released her debut studio album En Mi Imperio (In My Empire) which was quickly picked up by Sony Discos for distribution in 1997.

She later released The Original Rude Girl, her second studio album for Sony label, which spawned the hit single "In the Zone". However, Ivy Queen did not rise to fame until she moved to an independent record label to release her third studio album, Diva in 2003. Ivy Queen's albums Diva, Flashback, and Sentimiento have all been awarded Gold and Platinum record status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her seventh studio album Drama Queen was released in 2010, and spawned a top ten single "La Vida es Así". It was followed by the Grammy Award-nominated Musa in 2012. Ivy Queen's recordings often include themes of female empowerment, socio-political issues, infidelity, and relationships.

Ivy Queen is one of the wealthiest reggaeton artists and had a net worth of $10 million in 2017.[2] She is also the host of the Spotify original podcast Loud, where she talks about the history of reggaeton and features prominent Latin artists.[3] The 10-episode podcast debuted August 4, 2021 on Spotify, with episodes released weekly on Wednesdays.[4]

  1. ^ "Throwback Thursdays: Wayne Marshall on 'The Noise 6' feat. Ivy Queen + Friends". LargeUp. January 5, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  2. ^ Gomez, Shirley (July 18, 2017). "Richest Reggaeton Artists: 15 Urban Music Singers with Fat Bank Accounts and Fit Bodies". Latin Times. Newsweek Media Group. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  3. ^ Herrera, Isabelia (August 11, 2021). "Reggaeton's History Is Complex. A New Podcast Helps Us Listen That Way". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  4. ^ "A Beat, a Queen, and a Lot of Gasoline: 'LOUD' Podcast Explores a Genre's Evolution". Spotify. August 4, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.