Roberto Tapia and Banda Rafaga

Before Tapia was born, his parents migrated to the United States and settled in San Diego for a few years. Not long afterwards Tapia’s family relocated back to Sinaloa, Mexico where Tapia spent a majority of his childhood. Tapia showed interest and skill as a musician at a young age. By the time he was 9 years old he was admitted in to the highly respected Difocur School of music in Culiacan. During his attendance at the school, Tapia specialized in the clarinet, but expanded his musical horizons, becoming proficient as a guitarist and percussionist.

Tapia got his start with live performance by playing alongside acts like the Symphony of Sinaloa. Though he was initially hesitant to perform as a solo act he refined his trait, performing at local venues, dance halls and receptions. Tapia played his first professional gig when he was 17 years old. The performance took place in Tijuana, Mexico and was in support for another Sinaloense artist, El Lobito de Sinaloa.

Tapia gradually started picking up a buzz and caught the attention of Sonny International who put out his self-titled debut in 2002. The record featured an integration of traditional Latin style with modern sounds of electronica and hip-hop.

Tapia’s album “Los Amigos del M” came out 6 years later. The album was released through(Machete Music) and was largely seen as an attempt to reach a new demographic. “El Nino De la Tuna” followed a year later and just a year after that he released his fourth album “La Batalla”. In 2011 Tapia issued both a studio album “El Corrido del nino” and a live release simply entitled “Live”.

Tapia issued his biggest album to date with 2012’s “El Muchacho”., which sailed to the top of the Latin Billboard Charts and also earned him artist of the year through Los Premios de la Radio.