Wisin y Yandel's Juan Luis Morera Luna
Photo: MTV News

Reggaeton duo Wisin y Yandel weren't just content to team up with 50 Cent for "Mujeres in the Club" and Spanish crooner Enrique Iglesias for "Gracias a Tí." For "Imagínate," the first single from their La Revolución re-release, La Evolución, they felt it was only logical to recruit one of the most popular collaborators in the biz, T-Pain.

"After doing the song with 50 Cent, I thought this [collaboration] needed to happen," Wisin explained to MTV News on the set of their video for "Imagínate," which premieres on Monday (November 2). "T-Pain is an artist who's been going at it hard for a while now, and when he does something, he leaves his mark."

"T-Pain is one of our favorite artists, and we support him in everything he does," Yandel agreed. "So here we are, and I think this video is going to be a success."

With this latest single, Wisin y Yandel aren't just breaking down language barriers with the accompanying video — which features their Spanish verses and Pain's English hooks — they're also taking a step into more mournful territory than their popular tracks like "Abusadora." The video for the sexy, slow song features the three singers attending a funeral in the rain — which, on a sunny day in Los Angeles, definitely required some special effects. Given the lyrics about imagining two lovers in bed on a rainy day, one can guess that the woman they loved is in the coffin.

"The people deserve a great video, and that's what's going to happen," Yandel asserted. "Wisin y Yandel y T-Pain, the leaders."

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Wisin Y Yandel on the red carpet of Los Premios MTV
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

When Wisin y Yandel teamed up with 50 Cent on a track for their La Revolución album, it seemed to be an odd pairing. But "Mujeres in the Club" shot to the top of the Latin charts and is nominated for Best Urban Song at next month's Latin Grammys.

The reggaetón giants say that kind of validation only paves the way for more hip-hop and Latin collaborations. (They also got some from validation at Thursday's Los Premios MTV, where they took home two of the night's biggest awards.)

"That nomination confirms what I've said all along, which is that these collaborations are necessary," Wisin told MTV News. "50 Cent was never nominated for a Latin Grammy. Then he works with Wisin y Yandel, and he scores a nomination. And there's a good chance that he'll win, because that song is an international hit."

The unlikely pairing came about when the multiplatinum duo released a Spanish remix of G-Unit's "Rider Pt. 2," which became a surprise dance hit. 50 later performed the song live at one of the group's sold-out concerts, thrilling their fans and planting the seed for them to work together on an original track.

Not content to stop there, Wisin y Yandel continue to break boundaries on their upcoming La Evolución re-release, working with big-name artists like Akon and Auto-Tune king T-Pain, who appears on their latest single, "Imaginate."

"After working with 50 Cent, I think this collaboration was inevitable," Wisin said. "T-Pain is an artist that's been around for a while, and he puts out hits. So we really needed to work together, I think, for him to break into the Latin market. ... We're both leaders, and we're trying to do big things."

"They wanted to do something with me, and I wanted to do something with them," added T-Pain, who recently shot the music video with the group in L.A. "It's going to put them in my world and help put me in their world."

And Wisin y Yandel's musical revolución seems to be catching on, as a growing number of urban acts are crossing over into the Latin market. Akon, 50 Cent, T-Pain, Ludacris, Rihanna, Wyclef Jean and Alicia Keys, who currently has a top 10 hit with Latin pop singer Alejandro Sanz, can all boast appearances on Spanish-language songs. And if 50 Cent and Wisin y Yandel were to win a Latin Grammy next month, there's no question that number would increase.

The duo are currently on the last leg of their first major U.S. tour, which has featured numerous guest appearances: Akon in Atlanta, T-Pain in Miami and 50 Cent in New York.

"We saw 50 in NY, and, as you can imagine, he's super happy about the nomination," Yandel said. "He's also had the opportunity to come to our shows and feel that energy from the Latin crowd. And he's sincere in his desire to work in the Latin market. So I think Latino audiences will continue to support him."

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Wisin y Yandel and 50 Cent perform at Los Premios on Thursday
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic

LOS ANGELES — Wisin y Yandel scored big at Los Premios MTV on Thursday night in Los Angeles, taking home two of the night's big awards, which they generously shared with their pal 50 Cent.

The reggaeton duo led the awards show with six nominations and ultimately walked away with Video of the Year for "Abusadora" and Artist of the Year. They thanked 50 for both awards and even dedicated the latter to him for his unwavering support of their breakthrough LP, La Revolución. Wisin y Yandel also took the stage with the hip-hop giant to perform their collaboration "Mujeres in the Club" before busting out their mega-hit "Abusadora."

"This is exciting — when they win, I'm gonna finally win my trophy!" 50 Cent told MTV News of his Latin Grammy nomination with the duo. "[Working the Latin market] is an opportunity for me to work with artists that I respect. You know, I had the opportunity to go to Chile, Medellin, Colombia, to Venezuela, to Brazil. And basic collaborations that we did, 'Rider Part 2 Remix,' 'Mujeres in the Club,' these songs are great records out there, and it just encourages me to work with them more often."

Another performance highlight was Cobra Starship and the night's Best Solo Artist winner, Paulina Rubio, who paired up to sing the band's hit, "Good Girls Gone Bad." Frontman Gabe Saporta then traded verses with the Latin pop diva on her new song, "Ni Rosas Ni Jugetes," in Spanish.

Nelly Furtado opened the show, performing "Manos al Aire" from her new Spanish-language CD. The singer also hosted alongside rapper Residente from the Grammy-winning duo Calle 13, who voiced his politics on a series of T-shirts and kept censors busy by delivering a steady stream of Spanish expletives throughout the live telecast.

Calle 13 picked up a Lengua statuette for Best Urban Artist. The night's other big winners included Mexican alt-rockers Panda, who walked away with three awards including Best Group or Duo and Best Alternative Artist. Best New Tr3s Artist went to Da' Zoo, and Lady Gaga won Best New Artist International and Song of the Year for "Poker Face."

Other featured performers included Shakira, who took the stage in Bogota, Ashley Tisdale and Fall Out Boy, who closed the show with a mini-concert that also marked the last time the band would perform their Michael Jackson "Beat It" cover live.

• Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Calle 13, More At Los Premios MTV

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Wisin y Yandel
Photo: John Parra/WireImage

After cracking the top 10 on the U.S. albums charts with La Revolución, scoring their first-ever VMA nom and collaborating with hip-hop giants like 50 Cent and Akon, Wisin y Yandel are set to release another album. And the reggaetón hitmakers remain steadfast in their quest to stretch the boundaries of Latin music , this time recruiting T-Pain for the first single, "Imaginate."

"It's a very different song, and once again, we're breaking down the language barrier," Wisin told MTV News from the video set. "His verses are in English, and we sing in Spanish, repping for all the Latinos. And [T-Pain is] repping the American market."

"I don't think I could've rapped in Spanish anyway," Pain joked. "I'm just doing the hook. You know, classic T-Pain: I make great hooks. They wanted to do something with me, and I wanted to do something with them. And I think it worked out great."

The video, which also features actors Wilmer Valderamma and Amaury Nolasco, tells the dramatic tale of a love triangle that ends in tragedy. It includes a grim funeral scene complete with fake rain that was shot at a cemetery on the outskirts of L.A.

"My role in the video, I'm just supporting them with their friend being dead and whatnot. That's why we're in the cemetery," said T-Pain, who flew from Africa to Atlanta the night before and arrived in L.A. an hour before the Sunday morning shoot. "It's not really spooking me out. I actually own a hearse. I just don't like walking on people's graves. It's hard not to, they're so close together. It's crazy."

The single "Imaginate" will be featured on the Grammy-winning duo's forthcoming album La Evolución, a re-release of La Revolución that includes five new tracks along with remixes from the double-platinum LP.

"This new track with T-Pain will be on there," Wisin said. "We also have a new track with Enrique Iglesias called 'Gracias a Ti' and a remix with Akon of 'All Up to You.' It's gonna be a hot album."

"There's also some reggaetón songs on there that I think the fans have been waiting to hear from us. So I think they're really going to like it," Yandel added.

Meanwhile, La Revolución continues to dominate. Wisin y Yandel are up for three Latin Grammys next month, including "Best Latin Urban Song" with 50 Cent for their "Mujeres en el Club" collaboration. And the duo, who are currently playing to sold-out crowds on their world tour, also scored an American Music Award nod and six nominations from Premios MTV (Latin American VMAs).

Wisin y Yandel are scheduled to perform with 50 Cent at Premios MTV, which airs Thursday (October 15) at 10 p.m. on MTV Tr3s.

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Wisin y Yandel
Photo: Johnny Nunez / WireImage

The MTV Video Music Awards celebrate the best of the best in music, but this year brings a major first: Latin duo Wisin y Yandel scored a Best Pop Video nomination for their video for "Abusadora," from their recent LP La Revolución. What's the big deal? The Puerto Rican duo are the first Latinos in the 26-year history of the Video Music Awards to score a nomination with a song written completely in Spanish. They're up against some stiff competition in the category: Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Cobra Starship (featuring Leighton Meester) and Lady Gaga.

The duo, phoning in from Argentina, told MTV News, "To be the first [Spanish-language song] to be nominated is truly a blessing," Yandel said. (Note: This interview was conducted in Spanish.) "We were recently sitting down, taking a quick break, and I turned to Wisin and we look at each other with amazement because we still can't believe all of the good blessings that have come our way. It's truly a blessing."

It's also become a reason for the pair to take English lessons.

"Never, never would we have thought this was going to happen," Yandel continued. "I told Wisin, 'Yo, we need to learn to speak speak English!' We are actually in talks of getting a tutor who will travel with us to start learning, because I always said that English is a language you really need to know, especially now."

When asked how Wisin y Yandel plan to handle the red carpet at the big show, Yandel said, "Our manager, Edgar Andino, and our bodyguard, Ray, are fluent in English so I'm sure they will have our backs. Regardless, I think the people want to hear our own language. But I also have to say that when we perform in New York everybody who attends our concerts is from every ethnicity and they sing to our songs — so if they put in the effort to learn our songs in Spanish, why can't we return the favor, right? But I truly believe that we will learn. We are troopers and we can do anything."

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Additional celebrity presenters and performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV.

• Wisin Y Yandel Come Face To Face With Their Fans

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Wisin y Yandel and fans
Photo: MTV News

Wisin y Yandel set the lofty goal of revolutionizing Latin music with their groundbreaking new album — and they did just that when their aptly titled La Revolución sold over 35,000 copies in its first week, garnering the #1 spot on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and #7 on the Top 200, the highest debut of a Latin album in two years.

Sales for the much-hyped CD were no doubt buoyed by the duo's music video for the single "Mujeres en el Club," featuring 50 Cent.

The reggaetón giants also supported the release with in-store record signings held in Los Angeles, New York and Puerto Rico. Thousands of screaming fans waited in line for hours for a chance to meet their idols and get a signed copy of their new CD. For many female fans, professing their undying love and proposing marriage seemed the top priority.

"We're super happy to see the fan reaction," Yandel told MTV News at the L.A. signing. "Thousands have come out just to buy our CD and to meet us. It's really incredible what's happening here."

"We're dedicated," one female fan said. "We'll be here rain, shine, whatever — ditch work, school. Anywhere in the U.S., we'll be there."

"I'm a big Wisin y Yandel fan because they represent Latinos all over the world," a male fan added. "And they've been putting it down for a long time, putting out nothing but hot CDs."

"I'm a Wisin y Yandel fan 'cause I love their music," another fan said. "They came out with one club banger and just kept it going. If you're not, a fan go out and get the CD. Trust me, they will keep you entertained."

Wisin y Yandel credit the fans for their massive success — especially their large Latino fanbase for their unwavering support throughout their 10-year career.

"The most important thing to us is our fans," Wisin said. "All the Latino fans who have followed us and supported us throughout our career. Definitely in places like L.A., Mexico and also people in the Bronx, Puerto Rico and Dominicans. There are so many Latinos who support our music. We want to say thanks for all the love and support you've shown us over the years."

And the Grammy-winning duo will be thanking all their fans personally when they hit the road in September for a 15-city U.S. tour. While they've previously sold out New York's Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles' Staples Center, this marks the first time they'll embark on a coast-to-coast North American tour.

"This is just the beginning of La Revolución," said Wisin. "We'll be visiting cities everywhere to meet all our fans. You'll be hearing a lot more from us this year. So to all the fans out there and to our MTV family, thanks. We love you guys."

Tickets for the La Revolución tour go on sale June 5.

• Wisin Y Yandel Come Face To Face With Their Fans

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