A mixture of R&B, Hip Hop and Latin are what gives you "Matai". His first album, which is also available earned him a nomination for "Independent R&B Album Of The Year" by the L.A. Music Awards in 2004! Now he brings you his best project yet! "Because Of You" You can't go wrong and we promise you that you'll love this album! Matai brings you a whole new style and sheds a new light on the music scene. ----------------- Matai's Biography The prodigy of a musically-oriented family, Vallejo resident Ruben Oriol-Rivera had much to live up to when deciding to take on the challenge of the music industry. His father was in a popular band in the 50's and 60's and his cousin recently went Platinum. Ruben (known as Matai: a childhood name given by a family friend meaning 'Chief') has been singing since he could talk. With styles in R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, and Reggaeton, this Bay Area pioneer in originality has created his own version of music called 'R & Bay' and 'Bayggaeton.' 'R & Bay' is Matai's version of R&B with a Bay Area twist and 'Bayggaeton' is his style of Reggaeton mixed with Bay beats. Before the days of 'Bayggaeton' and 'R and Bay' there were the days when his older brother and he started a group called "E-Dive", short for Ethnic Diversity. Their album was released in 1998 and they immediately received local recognition for their soulful sounds and toe-tapping tunes selling over 4,000 copies independently and still sell online and in local stores. With the success of this album, Matai continued to perform locally and eventually released his second album in 2002 entitled "Assemblage" (meaning 'composing into a unified whole') that sold over 5,000 copies independently as well. This album was even nominated for Independent R&B Album of the Year in 2003 from the Los Angeles Music Awards. This modest, hard-worker expected to come home empty handed, but the recognition alone still stands strong. During the time of his second album release is when the creation of his movement 'R & Bay' and 'Bayggaeton' came to the Bay Area forefront. Matai is not only the originator of this sound, style, and movement, but he is a pioneer and local icon in his community. Matai is none other than a chameleon when it comes to his music and talent. Always changing his style, his sound, and always growing as an artist, Matai never stops learning and never stops incorporating new techniques into his work. Not only is he a singer, but he is an aspiring actor who trains in one of Northern California's superior Actor’s Training Program through Solano Community College where he studies theatre, music, and dance. Not only is he training under industry professionals in theatre and classical/theatrical dance, but Matai recently took on Hip Hop and is now apart of a Vacaville-based Dance Company named BLISS. The company's choreographer also choreographs routines and performs background dances for Matai with other BLISS members. Matai has been seen on the main stage in two full-length dance productions this year. This year, Matai also released his third album entitled "Because of You" where musical growth is very apparent, talent is stronger, and creativity is unbelievable. Independently pushing these albums (literally) by himself, he has already sold thousands. But that's not it for Matai, being that this non-stop entrepreneur is already working on his fourth album called "Span-Glish" (A Spanish/English album) and another 'R & Bay' album called "The Man I Am." Matai does what he does simply for the joy it brings him and the love he has for music and people. He even recently attempted to audition for American Idol to see what Lady Luck would bring him and found out that he didn’t fit the look they were looking for although he advanced to the 2nd round of the auditions held in San Francisco, Ca. Within the years Matai has been in the business, he has collaborated with many artists and even opened for very popular groups such as Next, Naughty By Nature and the Bay Area legend E-40. He has associated with artists such as Queen Latifah, Keith Martin, Immature (IMX), and Smokey Robinson, to name a few. Matai has been heard on many compilations that have sold over 50,000 units worldwide and he has collaborated with already-established artist’s over-seas. 'R & Bay' and 'Bayggaeton' have become so popular that not only do people quickly jump on the bandwagon, but some are quick to represent it as if they created it. Matai has been pushing this movement for well over four years and just recently, many local Latino groups have put claim on what has been his for years. With constant echo's of negativity and untruthful claims, Matai has kept his head strong and his mind right. He, as well as his huge following, knows who is, and always will be the originator of this untouchable art form. This man, this amazing human being who's ahead of his time, artistic, creative, and always willing... is completely unstoppable. If you don’t know him now, you better get to know him. Matai, the original artist, and creator of 'R and Bay' and 'Bayggaeton'!