Puerto Rican rapper Tempo debuted live in 1989. After that first opportunity to express himself on-stage, the decision to pursue a music career became a reality. In 1994, Tempo joined a group of local performers known as El Escuadron del Panico (the Panic Squadron) and teamed up with DJ Joe to make his first record. Later, he made contributions to DJ Frank's Time to Kill and El Mexicano's Entre El Bien y El Mal.

Tempo became one of the first artists signed up to the Puerto Rican independent label Buddha Productions, issuing Game Over in 1999, produced by DJ Playero, and New Game a year later. Sony Discos released his first international compilation, titled Exitos.