OBA Frank Lords -born Francisco Martin 5/24/64 in Havana, Cuba came to the U.S.A. at age 5. Since the age of 7 he was introduced to percussions by an old Santero that lived in his neighborhood in little Havana that people called "El Congo" due to the fact he could barely speak Spanish and English, (he spoke in African dialect). "El Congo" was very old and full of knowledge about religion and African rhythms. Since his parents were slaves brought from Africa. OBA as a little boy would be mesmerized by his collection of drums and would come over daily to visit him. One day the man gave him his first taste of the percussion drum (which was basically a piece of wood ), since then OBA has not stopped playing percussive drums. OBA believes "El Congo's" spirit lives within him and performs through him when he plays.
At the age of 10 OBA met his lifetime idol Desi Arnaz (Ricky Ricardo) at
a theater in Little Havana (Miami, Fl), at a tribute to Cuba's greatest
singers. Being introduced to Desi was one of the highlights of the day,
his godfather who knew the choreographer of the show told Desi that the
young OBA imitated him singing his trademark song "Babalu" so
Desi asked him to join him on stage, since then OBA has had a great passion
for performing in front of an audience.
OBA played with many garage bands throughout his adolescent years and worked
as a stock boy at Miami's T.K. Records for Henry Stone; there he witnessed
what a recording studio was all about being around the sessions of such
greats as K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Jimmy BoHorne, Celi Bee, Beth Wright
and many more, this fueled OBA'S desire to record and produce his early
work. One day due to an accident a session percussionist suffered the producer
at the studio as a joke asked OBA if he would play percussion on a track
they were recording OBA said yes and the performance was kept, the song
was a #1 Disco hit called "Miami Heat Wave".
In 1980 OBA was initiated into the African religion of Santeria (Lucumi
Religion) and as he grew in the religion he was inducted as a drummer (Batalero)
and later as a singer (Akpwon), of the African Yoruba dialect, this further
enhanced OBA'S musical knowledge as he was now learning and using techniques
that were as old as time itself, handed down from generation to generation.
In the mid 80's OBA had his first commercial success with his group "Secret Society" songs like "Why Did U Runaway", "Find Yourself".,But it was the #1 hit "We Belong Together" that brought OBA's name to the forefront of Dance Music where he was hailed as one of the creators of "Miami Freestyle Scene". since then he has worked with many Artists as a Producer, Remixer, Composer, and Percussionist.
Their first single "Descarga" which he co-wrote and co-produced
with his close friend Producer-Remixer Giuseppe D, hit the top of the Billboard
Dance Charts, and launched LatinXpress
into the scene. Together they wrote and produced LatinXpress biggest
hit to date "Chango" featuring the legendary Gina Martin's on
vocals. This track has become a "Anthem" and will definitely become
a "Club Classic", and has caused an imprint and sound unlike any
other style of Dance Music throughout the world.
Oba plans to let you hear more of OBADAM'S
work in the near future and wishes everyone much joy and health always,
or as is said in the Yoruba (LUCUMI) language.
In 1996 after Secret Society disbanded, OBA was part of the group "Dogma
and the Afro-Cuban Rhythms" spanning the Billboard Dance Hits "Mas
Suave" and "Ritmo Cubano, Sabor Africano" and then formed
LatinXpress, this was his lifelong dream being able to blend Afro-Cuban
traditional music with Dance music.
2 years later a very close friend Alex Carmenates of Salsamania productions,
directed him towards his current manager Joe Granda of
Granda Entertainment, Inc., were he teamed up with Joe's brother
and present partner Albert "Adam" Camara, it was a match made
up in heaven.