User:The Rui Pina

Who recorded the first Cape Verdean Zouk?

Several artists dating from the 1970s and 1980s were cited to perform zouk. However, several sources considered that the first Cape Verdean Zouk to be recorded is "Sheila", which was recorded in 1990 by Rui Pina.

Rui Pina Biography

Music Producer, Musician, Singer (1962–)

QUICK FACTS

NAME

Rui César Pina

OCCUPATION

Music Producer, Musician, Singer

BIRTH DATE

July 7, 1962 (age 54)

DID YOU KNOW?

As of 2017, Rui Pina has won awards in a range of categories that include Music Producer, Musician, Entrepreneurship, Community Leadership and Activist.

PLACE OF BIRTH

São Filipe, Fogo

ZODIAC SIGN

Cancer

Rui Pina is best known for his work as a Zouk/pop/koladera musician and producer, as well as for the huge No. 1 hit "Tchica."

Synopsis

Born in 1962 in São Filipe, Rui Pina started performing as a teen. He joined forces with his friends Jose Brito and Antonio Teixeira and they became known as in-demand production team the Tabanka Djazz, working with such artists as Lutxinha, Tony Cabral and Danny Carvalho. Returning to performing, Rui helped form the group ICE which released albums like Nase pa Vive, and Irresistible. In 1990, he hit the pop charts in a major way, going to No. 1 with his solo effort "Shiela" as well as helping to craft hits with Norberto Tavares. He established the popular recording studios SoundDesign in September 1992 as a Music Producer.

Early Life and Career

Born on July 7, 1962, in São Filipe, Fogo, Rui Pina has become a leading force in popular music as a performer, songwriter and producer. He first got into music at a young age. "As a kid, I used to sit in front of the “tamborerus” and play drums," Rui explained to Cabo Video Television. One of the first albums he bought was by hip-hop group Earth Wind and Fire.

The only son of four children, Rui started out by playing drum rhythms on pots and pans. He attended Madison Park Technical High School where he felt home. As he told the Caminho de Cabo Verde radio, "I lived in Boston, MA. USA and I was just an average kid." Rui eventually teamed up with friend Jose Brito. The pair started performing together and later became the acclaimed producers of single “Shiela”. Another one of Rui' early breaks came thanks to producer Norberto Tavares, who contribute to "Arrendatario Sen Fiansa" the funana political party MPD embraced to campaign in the early 1990s.

Major Success as Producer

As the Kola Records, Rui and Mark G first broke through as a producing duo for such Zouk artists as Tatiana and Sandro. They then branched out into pop music, working with the likes of Julinho and Bardot. Rui also started performing, making guest vocal appearances on such songs as "Gosin" by Tatiana. In 1999, Rui made his first solo effort with the song “Senpri na nha pensamentu”. Rui also picked up his first Music Awards—for his work on Tatiana's 2000 “Imajen” album and for Producer of the Year, Non-Cape Verdean Classical.

With Duda “Bulimundo” and Manny Baptista, Rui found success with the Kolazouk act “Provas di bu Amor” (which translate Evidence of your love). The group put out several well-received concerts, including Sinplismenti RUI (2008). Rui also released his first solo album, 2001's Irresistible, and branched out into music production in 2002 by producing songs for the single hit “Imagen”.

Other Projects

Besides music, Rui is also passionate about graphics arts design. He founded two graphics arts labels—Kaza Muderna and Conexão. Working with Adilson Monteiro, Rui has also designed a line of t-shirts. In addition to graphics arts, Rui has sought out different types of entertainment projects and non-profit programs. He launched as creative director for Rhythm Africa, also investing in this effort to produce programming for young singers-forward and R&B-oriented musicias across different platforms, including the web.

In September 2011, Rui joined Carl Shack and fellow rookie producer Mark G (whom he worked with on No. 1 hit "Like Air") on the single compilation “Lights Out, vol#6. Rui continued as a coach to Rochelle during the following years. Then in early October 2015, Rui released a “Children's of Cabo Verde Christmas Toys Drive”, inspired by his church. The program success inspired Rui to establish “Project Muxila (backpack)”, “Pés Nus (naked feet)” “The CV Prodigy”, “Adopt-A-Street” and “RuiPina Escola de Belas Artes, Música, Teatro e Artes Visuais (School of Fine Arts, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts)” and in March 2017 “Cabo Verde Tem Talentu (Cabo Verde’s Got Talent)”.

Personal Life

Rui was married and has been divorced since 2008. Rui has four children, son Rui, Jr daughters Rochelle, Jullien, Patricia, grandchildren Cherish, Charm, Change and Faith. Profile photo of Rui by Samuel DePina.