TKA was a Latin Freestyle trio that was prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s, mainly in New York City and Miami, Florida. Its members were Tony Ortiz, Louis "Kayel" Sharpe, and Angel "Love" Vasquez, and the initials TKA represent their collective initials. All of TKA's members are of Puerto Rican descent. Many Freestyle fans consider them the kings of freestyle, although Kayel resents this label, saying that "There are no kings in freestyle."
The trio, hailing from New York City, were discovered when they sang at a Sweet Sixteen party in an East Harlem church in 1984. Record producer Joey Gardner, who was at the party, was impressed with the trio, and, with his help, the group signed with Tommy Boy Records. The group originally consisted of Tony, Kayel, and Ralph "Aby" Cruz, but eventually Aby was replaced by Alejandro "Raymond/Escoto" Vasquez (although not widely known, India was a member of the group in its earliest days). The group’s first single was "One-Way Love," which was a major hit among the Latin club community in New York and Miami, and followed up with many other hits, such as "Scars of Love," "Tears May Fall," and "Come Get My Love."
