Xpensive Taste (Benny Frank & The President)

Artist Information

Biography

Xpensive Taste (Benny Frank & The President) are an American Hip-Hop/Pop duo formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, consisting of Ben "Benny Frank" Gallegos, a songwriter, vocalist, and producer and Abe "The President" Gallegos, a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. The duo started out as only Benny Frank as a solo artist then became the production duo and independent group, during their years in Las Vegas. Their music is considered to be a mixture of genres including Hip Hop, Dance, Rock and Pop. There high energy performance and very unique and appealing sound has got them to open for artists like Ice Cube, Big Sean, Lil Jon, Omarion, Jon B., The Cataracs, Panic! At the Disco and many more.

With a strong musical background stemming from generations of musicians, Xpensive Taste is a music duo of brothers that write and produce 100% of their material. Hailing originally from Denver, CO they moved to Las Vegas, NV where their love for creating music cultivated into the fresh sound that is now Xpensive Taste.

In 2010, their ambition and passion for their craft brought them from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the rolling hills of Hollywood, CA. In the summer of 2010 based on there high energy and entertaining performance, Xpensive Taste landed a residency at The Key Club on the Sunset Strip where they immediately gained many followers. After there first performance at the Key Club the duo received a voice mail from a new fan dubbing them “The Future of Latino Hip-Hop”. The fall and winter of 2010 was the start of Xpensive Taste’s the Buzz Tour which was a concert tour made up of many different genres of music that toured through the United States southwest region. The highlight of the tour was a sold out show in Las Vegas, NV at the Area 702. Xpensive Taste plans to continue this tour in the future.

The beginning of 2011 was rocky for the duo. Shadowed by a family crisis that caused the group to postpone their plans still did not stop Xpensive Taste from coming out with a bang. The spring of 2011 marks the start of their Striver movement to “Strive for the best, never settle for less.” Based on their successful tour in the prior year, Xpensive Taste was invited to perform on the Lowrider Magazine Super Show tour which traveled to major cities such as Phoenix, Denver, and Las Vegas. These shows featured various head liners such as Ice Cube, Warren G and Too Short. Along with the Lowrider tour, Xpensive Taste also joined up with P.A.C.E.(Promoting Academics through creative Expression) to tour the parks of Los Angeles County under Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Summer Night Lights program. Artists Jasmine Villegas (Sony Music), The Rangers (Universal Music) & Lil Niqo (Def Jam) are a few artists who have been apart of the tour as well. Joining this tour gave the duo an honorable platform to spread their positive message to the community. Gaining so much notoriety within the Latino scene, Xpensive Taste was invited to attend the 2011 Latin Grammy’s. Attending the Latin Grammy’s inspired Xpensive Taste to use their growing celebrity and continue giving back to the community. Immediately following, the group joined many charity events for the holiday such as Toys for Tots and other toy drives alike.

Xpensive Taste is still currently apart of the P.A.C.E. show tour which is now traveling to elementary, middle and high school’s through out the Los Angeles county School district. The basis of the tour is to promote the importance of education and anti-bullying to students. In January of 2012 the duo started there own web series titled Xpensive Taste XTRA TIME. The web show gives there followers (a.k.a. Strivers) a detailed look inside the lives and interests of Xpensive Taste.This coming year Xpensive Taste is looking forward to another successful tour. Touring with Lowrider Magazine and the P.A.C.E show spreading there positive message and providing new music for there growing fanbase. Xpensive Taste is a new

Instrumentation

Benny Frank - Vocalist, Songwriter, Producer
The President - Vocalist, Songwriter, Producer

Discography

'Room At The Top' Released January 2010 (Myspace.com, Reverbnation.com)
'Newest 138' Released March 2010 (Myspace.com, Reverbnation.com)
'Drop It Low' Released March 2010 (Myspace.com, Reverbnation.com)
Xpensive Taste X Control The Chaos The Collaboration 'Frenz' June 2010 (Distributed on iTunes, Amazon, and Napster)
'Turn The Bass Loud' Released October 2010 (Myspace.com, Reverbnation.com)
Currently Recording There Self Titled Debut EP Set to release 2013

Official Website

http://www.xpensivetaste.net

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter
• Youtube
• Reverbnation

Audio

• Xpensive Taste - Turn The Bass Loud
  Listen   Download
• Drop It Low
  Listen   Download
• Room At The Top
  Listen   Download
• Xpensive Taste - Newest 138
  Listen   Download

Video

Xpensive Taste on Tour 2011

Xpensive Taste (Benny Frank & The President) Q&A

Photo Gallery

Press

• Positivity pays for Xpensive Taste [+ Show ]
  

  The first thing that Abe “The President” Gallegos said to the crowd at Pisco Sour Restaurant and Lou...The first thing that Abe “The President” Gallegos said to the crowd at Pisco Sour Restaurant and Lounge this past February was, ““Free Patrón shots for everyone who’s drinking tonight.”
  
  Joined by his brother, Ben “Benny Frank,” Xpensive Taste proceeded to bring the energy of Los Angeles and Las Vegas to Denver, the place they once called home.
  
  Although the nightlife of Las Vegas inspires the duo’s rich beats, the Latino culture of Los Angeles keeps the brothers’ music prideful. In many ways, the brothers’ music marks the future of Latino hip-hop with an infectious hip-hop and hard dub sound.
  
  “For the most part, I write the lyrics and he does the beats, so it’s 50-50,” Ben said, “[It’s] all original music, we don’t sample anything at all, we just try to make the best-sounding music, that uplifts people and gets people going.”
  
  Because the duo has performed in plenty of places, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego, the brothers are well-known from the West Coast all the way to the Southwest.
  
  According to Ben, musicians need a wide range of exposure. “We represent America and hip-hop in general, but since we are Latinos we are also trying to bring the Latino hip-hop to another level,” Ben said.
  
  So far, Xpensive Taste has gained more than 2,000 online followers and, with all of the duo’s fandom, Low Rider Magazine has invited them to be a part of the March 31, 2012 Low Rider Supershow in Mesa, Arizona.
  
  Xpensive Taste has also been gaining a more lasting profile elsewhere in the Latino scene. For instance, both brothers were lucky enough to attend the November 2011 Latin Grammys in Las Vegas.
  
  After attending the award ceremony, the brothers are considerable trendsetters and both of them want to utilize their growing fame to encourage youths to make positive choices. The brothers are co-founders and key spokesmen for P.A.C.E. and its “Striver Movement,” an anti-bullying campaign started by the brothers in Los Angeles.
  
  P.A.C.E. stands for Promoting Academics through Creative Expression. “This year’s tour was about anti-bullying and we traveled around to schools, to talk to kids,” Abe said. “Bullying is a big problem in the U.S. right now, especially with the Internet and cyber-bullying.”
  
  While the message of anti-bullying will stick with youths, the brothers also want kids to be “strivers.”
  
  “Our motto is ‘strive for the best and never settle for less,’” Ben said. “It doesn’t mean ‘success and nothing less,’ it means try to follow your dreams and conquer your goals in life.”
  
  While Xpensive Taste is definitely moving toward the top of Latino music charts, P.A.C.E., as well as the “Striver Movement,” help the brothers consistently broadcast a positive message to anyone. It’s not some expensive, overly economic proposition, it’s just in good taste.

• Indie Focus Xpensive Taste – Turn The Bass Loud [+ Show ]
  

  Exclusive Interview Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today. We we...Exclusive Interview
  Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today.
  We were born in Denver, Colorado. We Moved to LA in the early 90’s, our sister was a child actress she was in a Michael Jackson Video, McDonald’s Commercial and played a few reoccurring roles in some TV network sitcoms, Hanging around the industry at such a young age gave us the desire to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Being so young our parents felt it would be fair for us to move back toDenver and have a normal child hood, rather then pursuing an entertainment career so young. Living in Denver gave us a chance to grow close and learn more about both sides of our family. We get all of our musical talents from our dad’s side, our grandmother was in a band with her siblings back in the 50’s and 60’s and continued to sing and play the guitar all around Colorado, even throughout our own childhood. We get our drive for success and ambition in life as well as business from our mother’s side. Our Grandfather was a very successful real estate entrepreneur in Denver. He is the definition of “from rags to riches”. Growing up The President always had a natural ability when it came to rhythm with music, sports and dance. Inspired by the great Michael Jackson and having the ability to re-enact his dance moves he would be requested and sometimes demanded by everyone at family gatherings to perform “Billie Jean” Benny Frank had always been deeply inspired to rap. As a child in Denver he would record freestyles on his brother The Presidents voice recorder while listening to artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Notorious B.I.G. and 2 Pac. We then moved to Las Vegas in the early 2000’s were we spent our teen years growing up and developing our true identities. In Las Vegas Benny continued his love for rap in part taking in rap ciphers with his friends when they would hang out after school or on the weekends. All through out High School The President was apart of his schools choir. The President was introduced to a beat making program Fruity Loops by a mutual friend. The President was always inspired to try and play any type of musical instrument, by being introduced to this program he immediately new he was capable to produce musical arrangements. One day it came to our mother’s attention while watching a Spanish-language television show Don Francisco’s Sabado Gigante she seen a young talented duo performing and thought we should pursue a music career. We then began to master our craft and sound for a few years in Las Vegas then once we got to the point when we were ready to showcase our talents to the world we decided to move back to Los Angeles to pursue a professional career in music. Since living in LA we have been performing all over from Pasadena to The Sunset Strip in Hollywood to the Inland Empire in Riverside. We have also been able to perform out of state in Denver, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. While performing in all these areas we have also had the pleasure to produce our own concert events consisting of Indie Artists of all genres of music. Without all these traits and experiences there is no Benny Frank and The President (Xpensive Taste).
  
  What are you currently working on and what can we expect to see?
  We are currently touring with Lowrider Magazine this summer. The Tour is a 3 City Tour where we will travel and perform in Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas. We are working on new music and collaborations as well as producing other Indie Artists. We are also working on continuing our Indie Artist concert tour “The Buzz Tour” this fall.
  
  Tell us about one of the hardest challenges you had to face in the industry?
  Dealing with scam artists promising a career and exposure for exchange of our money upfront and not seeing a return has been one of the hardest challenges. In this business everyone is bound to get scammed at least once and we are no exception to that rule. We’ve learned through these experiences to not fall dependent on others to get the job done of furthering our career.
  
  What was one of the biggest set backs in your career and how did you bounce back?
  The beginning of this year our Uncle was a victim of an assault and hospitalized fighting for his life for an entire month. With no immediate family such as wife or kids, being his nephews we were the next to step in and help with his road to recovery. Benny Frank stood at his beckon call at bedside the entire time and months after to help our uncle recover from this life threatening incident. This set us back from releasing any new music, performing and continuing our indie tour. We managed to bounce back by returning even more driven and inspired. Having a new outlook on life seeing how fragile ones life can be we understand any of our life’s can be taken and changed in a blink of an eye.
  
  What are some things artists need to be careful of?
  There own self confidence, only they can stop themselves from pursuing there dreams and being successful in this industry.
  
  What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself?
  Be yourself and embrace who you are because that’s what makes you unique as an artist.
  
  What are the best ways to sell your products as an artist?
  Online of course it’s worldwide, but most importantly selling your products in public. Whether it’s at your shows, in stores, setting up your own booth at festivals or swap meets.
  
  What is one of your favorite ways to promote yourself and your music?
  Performing. Letting people hear us live. Feeling the crowd connection and energy is one of the best feelings in the world.
  
  Where can people visit you?
  At any of our shows in cities near them, also Online at www.xpensivetaste.net they can check out all our music. Check out our blog with weekly updates on new music, videos, show dates, and more.
  

• Xpensive Taste performance
  

  "Nice perfomance, a lot of love shown in the crowd! good job…"

• "..Future of Latino Hip Hop..Benny Frank & The President Xpensive Taste!" [+ Show ]
  

  "EY MAN I GOT YOUR CARD AT THE SHOW I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW YOU GUYS KILLED THAT S@#$ MAN....YOU..."EY MAN I GOT YOUR CARD AT THE SHOW I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW YOU GUYS KILLED THAT S@#$ MAN....YOU GUYS REALLY STEPPED IT UP YOU GUYS MIGHT BE THE FUTURE OF LATINO HIP HOP.....IM EXPECTING TO HEAR YOU GUYS ON 96.3 "
  

Setlist

10-15 minute Set with Dancers

Introduction

-Turn The Bass Loud

-Room At The Top

-Drop It Low
-
Newest 138

25-35 Minute Set with Dancers

Introduction

-Turn The Bass Loud
-
Room At The Top

-Paper Stacks

-I Want You

-Drop It Low

-Newest 138

All songs performed are originals produced and written by Xpensive Taste (Benny Frank & The President) - with full performance and distribution rights

Basic Requirements

Calendar