{{BLP sources|date=January 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{redirect|Björn Franken|the German politician|Björn Franken (politician)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Vato Gonzalez | image = VatoGonzalez1.jpg | origin = Spijkenisse, Netherlands | genre = {{flatlist| *Electro house *Dutch house *Future house *Bass House}} | associated_acts = Foreign Beggars, Diplo, Lethal Bizzle, Donae'o | label = Levels Recordings, Crowd Control, Ministry of Sound, Spinnin' Records, DOORN Records | website = [http://www.vatogonzalez.com www.vatogonzalez.com] }}
'''Vato Gonzalez''' (born 6 June 1983 as '''Björn Franken''') is a Dutch record producer, songwriter, artist, DJ, who is signed to Spinnin' Records and DOORN Records. Best known for his single Badman Riddim (Jump) (featuring Foreign Beggars), which reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart after a release on 19 June 2011.<ref name="theofficialcharts.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20110626/7501/|title=2011-07-02 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive – Official Charts|website=OfficialCharts.com|access-date=23 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/onthecharts/a/Uk-Pop-Music-Charts-June-26-2011.htm|title=UK Pop Music Charts June 26, 2011|author=Bill Lamb|work=About|access-date=23 September 2014|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235655/http://top40.about.com/od/onthecharts/a/Uk-Pop-Music-Charts-June-26-2011.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Biography==
===Early life=== Franken was born in Spijkenisse, Netherlands. As a teenager he developed an interest in graphic design before he started to focus on making music.
===2007–2009: Dirty House=== Between 2007 and 2009 Franken released 5 mixtapes in the 'Dirty House' series, It was around the time of this release he and this song started to gain mainstream attention.
===2010–present: Badman Riddim=== Badman Riddim, in addition to a vocal version which featured UK hip-hop/grime/dubstep group Foreign Beggars and was given the new title Badman Riddim, began to start gaining airplay from some BBC Radio 1 DJs in the UK in late 2010. As attention for the single started to grow Franken was signed to Ministry of Sound and a music video was made for the song. The single was released in the UK on 19 June 2011 and entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 7,<ref name="theofficialcharts.com"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/469770/bon-iver-debuts-at-no-4-on-uk-charts-derulo-has-top-single|title=Bon Iver|date=27 June 2011|magazine=Billboard|access-date=23 September 2014}}</ref> the first hit in the country for both acts involved.
On 7 January 2013, Not a Saint was released. It features Lethal Bizzle and Donae'o. It is a remix of the same song by Bizzle and Donae'o. The remix featured positive feedback and was released as a collaborative single. It peaked at number 20 in the UK Singles Chart.
Since late 2013, Franken signed to DOORN Records. He released his first song under the label, "Triplets Riddim" on 30 December 2013. There is a scheduled upcoming single "Bio Riddim" of which the release date will soon be announced.
==Discography==
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Single ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NL<br /><ref name=NL>{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Vato+Gonzalez|title=Vato Gonzalez – Dutch Charts|publisher=dutchcharts.nl/ Hung Medien}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK<br /><ref name=UK>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/vato%20gonzales%20featuring%20foreign%20beggars/|title=Vato Gonzalez – UK Charts|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SCO<br/><ref name=SCO>Peak positions for singles in Scotland: "Badman Riddim (Jump)": {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20110626/41/|title=Chart Archive > July 2, 2011|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=2 July 2011}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "Take This Higher" | 2010 | — || — || — | | rowspan="11" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |- ! scope="row"| "Badman Riddim (Jump)"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Foreign Beggars)</span> | 2011 | 74 || 7 || 9 | * BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI">{{cite certification |region=United Kingdom |artist=Vato Gonzalez | access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "Not a Saint"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Vato Gonzalez vs. Lethal Bizzle & Donae'o)</span> | rowspan="4" | 2013 | — || 20 || 22 | |- ! scope="row"| "$100 Infinite Kung Fu Vixens"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Sinden)</span> | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Sushi Riddim" | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Triplets Riddim" | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Volfied Riddim" | rowspan="4" | 2014 | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Bio Riddim" | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "B52 Riddim" | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Monkey Riddim"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Tjen)</span> | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Violet Nights"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Mucky)</span> | 2015 | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Push Riddim" | rowspan="4" | 2016 | — || — || — | | ''Heldeep DJ Tools EP - Part 2'' |- ! scope="row"| "2 Step"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Doctor)</span> | — || — || — | | rowspan="3" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |- ! scope="row"| "Hyper Riddim"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Sebastian Bronk)</span> | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Sonic Boom"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Kris Kiss)</span> | — || — || — | |- ! scope="row"| "Bassline Riddim" | rowspan="2" | 2017 | — || — || — | | ''Heldeep DJ Tools EP - Part 4'' |- ! scope="row"| "X-Ray Vision"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Kris Kiss)</span> | — || — || — | | rowspan="2" {{N/A|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row"| "Bump & Grind (Bassline Riddim)"<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Scrufizzer)</span> | 2018 | — || — || — | |- | colspan="15" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released. |- |}
===Remixes=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Artist ! Title ! Label |- |rowspan="3"|2011 |Sway |"Still Speedin'" |3 Beat Records |- |DJ Zinc ft. Ms. Dynamite |"Wile Out" |Zinc Music |- |RD |"Burning" |Polydor |- |rowspan="5"|2012 |Skepta |"Hold On" |3 Beat Records |- |Taio Cruz |"Troublemaker" |Island Records |- |The 2 Bears |"Take a Look Around" |Southern Fried Records |- |Rizzle Kicks |"Mama Do the hump" |Island Records |- |Major Lazer |"Jah No Partial (ft. Flux Pavilion)" |Mad Decent |}
===Remix EPs=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left;" |- ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Details ! scope="col"| Tracklist |- ! scope="row" | $100 Infinite Kung Fu Vixens (with Sinden) | * Released: April 19, 2013 * Label: Sweat It Out Music * Formats: Digital download | * $100 Infinite Kung Fu Vixens (with Sinden) * $100 Infinite Kung Fu Vixens (with Sinden) (Go Freek Remix) * $100 Infinite Kung Fu Vixens (with Sinden) (Indian Summer Remix) |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.vatogonzalez.com Official Website] * [https://www.spinninrecords.com/profile/vato-gonzalez Profile at Spinnin Records]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Vato}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Dutch club DJs Category:Dutch dance musicians Category:Dutch remixers Category:Robbins Entertainment artists Category:People from Spijkenisse