Freestyle Dance Party

TKA

TKA: From a Sweet Sixteen Party to the Kings of Freestyle?

Who was TKA?
TKA was a Latin Freestyle trio that was active in the 1980s and early 1990s. They started in 1984 and lasted until 2005.

Where were they from?
While every member of TKA were of Puerto Rican descent, they lived and performed in New York City and Miami.

Who were the members of TKA?
TKA was comprised of Tony Ortiz, Louis “Kayel” Sharpe, and Ralph “Aby” Cruz, who was later replaced by Angel “Love” Vasquez.

Is that all?
Not really. At times, other performers were members of TKA, including India, at the outset of the group.

What does TKA mean?
The group name “TKA” represents the collective first initials of Tony, Kayel, and Aby. However, the group members used to tell interviewers that the acronym stood for “Total Knowledge in Action,” as well.

How were TKA discovered?
In 1984, they were singing at a sweet sixteen party in a church in East Harlem. Fortunately, also in attendance was Joey Gardner, a record producer and manager. The trio impressed Joey Gardner so much that he helped them get signed to Tommy Boy Records.

What happened to them?
After numerous hits, the popularity of Freestyle music was surpassed by other formats of music, causing Tommy Boy records to drop TKA (among other groups) from the label. The band, well, disbanded, but that was not the end of the careers of each member.

Why? What did they do next?
After splitting up, the members of TKA each pursued independent interests. Kayel recorded under the name K7 and had a hit hip-hop album called “Swing, Batta, Swing”, which had the hit singles “Come, Baby, Come” and the Cab Calloway-influenced “Hi De Ho.” Kayel also performs TKA songs at his K7 concerts. He’s also a radio personality on New York’s beloved dance station 103.5 KTU. Tony established a New York-based production company in New York, while Angel joined the R&B group Goodfellas.

What has the 21st century been like for TKA?
In 2001, TKA reunited to record the album Forever. Sadly, only one of its 12 songs was released as a single, the smooth house-influenced track “Feel the Music.”

Why did Forever not last forever?
The album’s financial failure was mostly because Tommy Boy was having a bad relationship with Warner Bros. Records. Angel quit the group and was replaced by popular freestyle singer George Lamond. After making an album called “TKA Featuring George Lamond,” the group disbanded and went their separate ways. The album was never commercially released, and today it’s only available as demos that were shopped to a few record companies.

What were their songs?

• “Come Get My Love” – the group’s first single
• “One Way Love” – a major hit in the Latin club communities of New York and Miami
• “Scars of Love”
• “Tears May Fall” – After its release, Aby was replaced by Alejandro “Angel” Vasquez.
• “Don’t Be Afraid”
• “X-Ray Vision”
• “You Are the One” – featured on the soundtrack of the motion picture “Lean on Me.”
• “I Won’t Give Up on You” – a slick R&B/Hip-Hop groove; a major stylistic departure from their earlier material.
• “Crash (Have Some Fun)” – a house-music hit with a rap by Seduction’s Michelle Visage
• “Give Your Love to Me”
• “Louder than Love” – Soon after Tommy Boy released this song, the label dropped the group because Freestyle was struggling to compete with other new types of music. Then the trio broke up.
• “Maria” – released in 1992 on a greatest hits compilation
• “Feel the Music”
• “Diamond Girl”

So, are they the kings of Freestyle?
While many Freestyle fans think so, Kayel modestly denied it, having stated, “There are no kings in Freestyle.”

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