Ivy Queen
When Ivy was 18, she moved to San Juan and met rapper and producer, DJ Negro.  DJ Negro helped her and introduced her to a group called "Noise".  With "Noise" she wrote and performed her first song "Somos Rapperos Pero No Delincuentes" (We're Rappers, Not Delincuents).  Soon, DJ Negro convinced Ivy to go "solo" and in 1997, she made her debut with the recording of the album "En Mi Imperio" (In My Empire) for the Sony International Records label which sold over 100,000 copies.  In the same year, Ivy traveled to Panama where she represented Puerto Rico in "The Battle of Rap".  She also did some presentations in the Dominican Republic, which were all "sold out" and later that year, she participated in "The First National Festival of Rap and Reggae".  There, Ivy was proclaimed the "Rap Singer of the Year".  Also, in 1997, Ivy was awarded the "Artista '97" award, naming her "The Peoples Favorite Rap Singer", by Artista magazine.