After 1992, he changed his style from freestyle to salsa and other Latin styles.Īnthony was initially reluctant to become a salsa musician and declined an offer to make a salsa album when Ralph Mercado, president of RMM Records, asked him. At the same time, he collaborated with music producer Little Louie Vega, who featured the singer on many freestyle-flavored club hits " Ride On The Rhythm" and the "When The Night Is Over" album, which featured the freestyle classic "Time." In 1992, Vega and Anthony opened for Latin bandleader Tito Puente at New York's Madison Square Garden. In 1992, still working with Todd Terry, he provided vocals for "Love Change", which is on the flip-side of a 12" vinyl released by Elan and The Powermachine titled "Here's Your Hat", production of Todd Terry. A year later in 1990, with Little Louie Vega and Todd Terry, Marc wrote a duet with Chrissy I-eece, called "You Should Know By Now". Then in 1989, he sang backup vocals for Ann-Marie on the freestyle club hit, "With or Without You" produced by Little Louie Vega and Todd Terry. That same year he wrote and produced "Boy I've Been Told" for fellow freestyle artist Sa-Fire. His first album was a freestyle music record, "Rebel", which debuted in 1988 on Bluedog Records. Unlike the more socially conscious New York salsa musicians of the 1960s and 1970s, or the highly produced "romantic" salsa artists of the 1980s, Anthony gained fame performing a salsa style that borrowed more heavily from the African American and urban genres that he listened to growing up, such as rhythm and blues and house. By the early 1990s, Anthony had sold more salsa records than any other performer on the planet, solidifying his position among the most important new salsa artists to emerge in the 1990s. After changing his name to avoid confusion with his namesake, Anthony worked as a songwriter and backing vocalist for pop acts Menudo and the Latin Rascals. Muñiz began his career as a session vocalist for freestyle music and underground New York house music acts.
According to Anthony, renowned Puerto Rican percussionist and bandleader Tito Puente in particular wielded a profound personal and professional influence throughout his life. As a child, Anthony listened to a variety of musical genres and performers, including rock, rhythm and blues, pop stars José Feliciano (Puerto Rico), Air Supply (Australia), as well as salsa legends Héctor Lavoe (Puerto Rico), Willie Colón (Puerto Rico), and Rubén Blades (Panama), among others. His musical education began at home, where he learned to sing in both Spanish and English under the guidance of his father, Felipe, himself a professional guitarist. Anthony grew up in East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem or El Barrio, and is the youngest of eight children. Īnthony's parents named him after Mexican singer Marco Antonio Muñiz. His father, Felipe Muñiz, was a hospital cafeteria worker and musician, and his mother, Guillermina Rivera, was a housewife.
Marco Antonio Muñiz was born in New York City, the son of Puerto Rican parents.