Álex Gárgolas

{{Short description|Puerto Rican record producer (born 1971)}}

{{Family name hatnote|Quiles|Hernández|lang=Spanish}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Álex Gárgolas

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Rafael Alexis Quiles Hernández

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|4|24}}

| origin = Puerto Rico

| genre = Reggaeton

| occupation = Record producer

| years_active = 1995–present

| associated_acts = Héctor & Tito, Nicky Jam, Zion & Lennox, Jowell & Randy, Franco el Gorila, Glory, Gotay, Arcángel, Eliel, Farruko, Guelo Star, Daddy Yankee, J King & Maximan

| label = {{Hlist|VI|Machete|Rimas|Sonar}}

| website =

}}

Rafael Alexis Quiles Hernández, known professionally as Álex Gárgolas, is a reggaeton producer best known for the Gárgolas series which has been five albums so far.{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9SYEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Alex+Gargolas%22&pg=PA158 |title=Vibe |author=Celia San Miquel |date=November 2006 |accessdate=14 May 2011}}

His 2006 installation of the series managed to debut at number 181 on the Billboard 200, reaching number 6 on both the Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts.

Musical career

In 1995, using his savings of $300, he produced music by a few fledgling artists, two who became the well-known, chart-topping reggaeton artists known as Wisin & Yandel.{{cite web | title=Álex Gárgolas, detrás del éxito del reguetón | website=El Mundo | url=https://www.elmundo.com/portal/vida/entretenimiento/alex_gargolas_detras_del_exito_del_regueton.php#.Y-u3I3bMLIV | language=es | access-date=February 14, 2023 | date=February 25, 2015 | last1=Restrepo Guzmán | first1=Wendy Margarita | archive-date=February 14, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214164458/http://www.elmundo.com/portal/vida/entretenimiento/alex_gargolas_detras_del_exito_del_regueton.php#.Y-u3I3bMLIV | url-status=live }}

In 2019, Gárgolas produced "Mi Llamada" (remix), a collaboration with emerging artists from Argentina and Puerto Rico.{{cite magazine | last=Roiz | first=Jessica | title=Latin Remix of the Week: "Mi Llamada RMX" With Rauw Alejandro, Lyanno, Álex Rose, Lenny Tavárez, Lunay, Cazzu & Eladio Carrión | magazine=Billboard | date=May 28, 2019 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/latin-remix-week-mi-llamada-rmx-watch-8513285/ | access-date=March 7, 2023 | archive-date=March 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306200319/https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/latin-remix-week-mi-llamada-rmx-watch-8513285/ | url-status=live }}

In 2020, Gárgolas spearheaded the production of "Del Barrio a la Ciudad", a song that mixes traditional Mexican corridos with Farruko's urban sound.{{cite magazine | last=Flores | first=Griselda | title=T3R Elemento & Farruko Drop Urban-Regional Collab "Del Barrio a la Ciudad": Exclusive Premiere | magazine=Billboard | date=April 17, 2020 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/t3r-elemento-farruko-del-barrio-a-la-ciudad-exclusive-premiere-9360600/ | access-date=March 7, 2023 | archive-date=March 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306200321/https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/t3r-elemento-farruko-del-barrio-a-la-ciudad-exclusive-premiere-9360600/ | url-status=live }}

In 2022, Gárgolas visited Chile claiming to want to produce a Chilean reggaeton album, but instead offended the urban musical artists of Chile, and left the country without producing any,{{cite web | last1=Escobar | first1=Salvador | title=Persona no grata: la vertiginosa caída en desgracia de Álex Gárgolas | website=La Cuarta | date=August 7, 2022 | url=https://www.lacuarta.com/urbana/noticia/persona-no-grata-la-vertiginosa-caida-en-desgracia-de-alex-gargolas/ESLZFXSJV5G7PAF5YTR5SOBOZQ/ | language=es | access-date=February 14, 2023 | archive-date=February 14, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214175254/https://www.lacuarta.com/urbana/noticia/persona-no-grata-la-vertiginosa-caida-en-desgracia-de-alex-gargolas/ESLZFXSJV5G7PAF5YTR5SOBOZQ/ | url-status=live }} telling them to "stay in your country".{{cite web | last=Calderón | first=Consuelo | title="Quédense en su país": Álex Gárgolas canceló disco de reggaetón chileno tras polémica con artistas nacionales | website=La Cuarta | date=August 6, 2022 | url=https://www.lacuarta.com/espectaculos/noticia/quedense-en-su-pais-alex-gargolas-cancelo-disco-de-reggaeton-chileno-tras-polemica-con-artistas-nacionales/423NAP6FXRDA3HCSOWBYJAN7QM/ | language=es | access-date=February 14, 2023 | archive-date=February 14, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214175254/https://www.lacuarta.com/espectaculos/noticia/quedense-en-su-pais-alex-gargolas-cancelo-disco-de-reggaeton-chileno-tras-polemica-con-artistas-nacionales/423NAP6FXRDA3HCSOWBYJAN7QM/ | url-status=live }}

Discography

class="wikitable"
rowspan="2"| Year

!rowspan="2"| Title

!colspan="4"| US chart positions

style="width:4em;font-size:90%"| Billboard 200

!style="width:4em;font-size:90%"| Latin Albums

!style="width:4em;font-size:90%"| Latin Rhythm Albums

1998

| Gárgolas, Vol. 1 - El Comando Ataca

  • Release date: June 8, 1998

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1999

| Gárgolas 2 - El Nuevo Comando, Segundo Ataque

  • Release date: June 3, 1999

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2000

| Las 9 Plagas

  • Release date: June 3, 2000

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2001

| Gárgolas 3

  • Release date: July 13, 2001

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rowspan="2"| 2003

| Las 9 Plagas 2

  • Release date: 2003

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Gárgolas, Vol. 4

  • Release date: December 9, 2003

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2006

| Gárgolas 5: The Next Generation

  • Release date: 2006

|align="center"| 181{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3A0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=gargolas+various+artist&pg=PA71|date=September 2, 2006|title=Billboard 200: September 2, 2006|issue=35|volume=118|isbn=|page=71|accessdate=|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317220822/https://books.google.com/books?id=3A0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=gargolas+various+artist&pg=PA71|url-status=live}}

|align="center"| 6{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3A0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=gargolas+various+artist&pg=PA82|date=September 2, 2006|title=Top Latin Albums: September 2, 2006|issue=35|volume=118|isbn=|page=82|accessdate=|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317220822/https://books.google.com/books?id=3A0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=gargolas+various+artist&pg=PA82|url-status=live}}

|align="center"| 6{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uQ0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=g%C3%A1rgolas+various&pg=PA85|date=September 9, 2006|title=Latin Rhythm Albums: September 9, 2006|issue=36|volume=118|isbn=|page=85|accessdate=|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317220823/https://books.google.com/books?id=uQ0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=g%C3%A1rgolas+various&pg=PA85|url-status=live}}

2021

| Gárgolas Forever

  • Release date: August 27, 2021

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= Production discography =

References

{{Reflist}}