What is A.B. Quintanilla’s net worth?
A.B. Quintanilla is an American record producer, musician, and songwriter who has a net worth of $500 thousand. A.B. Quintanilla is best known as the musical architect behind many of Selena’s biggest hits. As the eldest Quintanilla sibling, he played a central role in shaping the sound of Selena y Los Dinos and later built his own successful career with Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz. A prolific composer, A.B. is responsible for several of the most important songs in Tejano and Latin pop history, blending cumbia, Tejano, and pop influences into a distinct style that helped bring the genre to mainstream audiences.
Financial Problems
A.B. Quintanilla III has faced a series of highly publicized financial and legal troubles throughout his career. In 2012, a Nueces County judge ruled that he had committed fraud and breach of fiduciary duty against two former Kumbia Kings members, ordering him and his company, Iron Tigga LLC, to pay $393,266 in damages plus $65,000 in attorney fees. Although A.B. filed for bankruptcy days after the ruling, the judgment was upheld on appeal, and the case later returned to court as the plaintiffs sought to collect. Testimony in that case revealed that band members were paid as little as $175 per show, even as the group earned $30,000 or more per performance, with A.B. allegedly promising higher payouts that never materialized.
In 2017, A.B.’s financial issues drew national attention when he was placed on the Nueces County Most Wanted list for owing more than $87,000 in unpaid child support. He eventually agreed to repay the balance, along with medical and legal expenses, but was still ordered into custody by a district judge. Additional hearings were triggered when he failed to comply with court orders to turn over financial records, leading to further contempt proceedings. These ongoing financial disputes have remained a recurring backdrop to A.B.’s otherwise successful music career.
Early Life
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III was born in Toppenish, Washington, to Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Samora. He grew up in a musical household, especially after his father left the Navy and formed the family band. When the Quintanillas moved to Texas, A.B. embraced music full-time, learning bass and developing skills in composition and production. Alongside his sisters Selena and Suzette, he became a foundational part of Selena y Los Dinos.
Selena y Los Dinos
As bassist and musical director for the band, A.B. played a pivotal creative role in building their sound. He wrote many of Selena’s most enduring songs, including “Como La Flor,” “Amor Prohibido,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” and “Techno Cumbia.” His compositions fused cumbia rhythms with pop hooks and Tejano instrumentation, giving Selena a distinctive musical identity that helped propel her to stardom.
A.B.’s studio work was equally influential. He co-wrote and co-produced Selena’s albums, working closely with arrangers and musicians to refine each track. His songwriting earned him awards and cemented his status as one of Tejano music’s leading creative forces.
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Post-Selena Career
After Selena’s death in 1995, A.B. continued to work as a producer and songwriter before forming the group Kumbia Kings in the late 1990s. The group blended cumbia, pop, and hip-hop, appealing to a younger generation and achieving major commercial success. With hits like “Shhh,” “Boom Boom,” and “No Tengo Dinero,” Kumbia Kings became one of the most popular Latin fusion groups of their time.
Following internal conflicts, A.B. left the group and formed Kumbia All Starz, continuing his success with singles such as “Chiquilla,” “Speedy Gonzales,” and “Muévelo.” His groups toured widely in Mexico and the United States, further solidifying his influence.
Producer and Collaborator
A.B. has produced for numerous artists across the Latin music spectrum, lending his songwriting and studio expertise to performers in cumbia, pop, and regional Mexican genres. His ability to blend traditional styles with modern production has kept him relevant across multiple decades.
Selena’s Estate
Following Selena’s death, A.B. Quintanilla III became one of the signatories of the 1995 estate properties agreement, the document created by their father, Abraham, to formalize the management and commercial future of Selena’s intellectual property. Because Selena died without a will, a legal structure was needed to determine how the family would manage her catalog, image, and business assets. The agreement preserved the financial model used while Selena was alive: A.B., Suzette, and Selena were compensated through net profits rather than traditional salaries, while Abraham managed all business affairs.
Under the new posthumous structure, A.B. continued to receive the same type of net profits interest tied to the estate’s declared earnings. However, he did not gain any commercial authority; the agreement concentrated full control — licensing, approvals, trademarks, merchandising, and catalog management — under Abraham’s leadership, which A.B. acknowledged by signing.
Financial records exposed during the 2020 legal battle between Abraham and Chris Pérez provided rare insight into the estate’s performance. Chris received more than $3 million in net-profit distributions between 1995 and 2020, implying the estate declared approximately $12 million in net profits across 25 years. A.B.’s share, along with Suzette’s and Marcella’s, came from the remaining 75%, though exact amounts have never been released publicly.
The agreement’s definition of “net profits” allowed broad deductions: salaries, overhead, production expenses, promotion, legal fees, travel, and any cost “ordinarily deducted from gross receipts.” These deductions have been a point of contention, especially as Selena’s brand continued generating significant revenue through music sales, licensing deals, merchandise, and ongoing media adaptations.
While not involved in the estate’s legal disputes, A.B. has publicly expressed sympathy for Chris’s desire to share his personal story, though he has deferred to Abraham’s authority regarding commercial decisions. His connection to the estate remains primarily creative and musical, with his financial participation rooted in the revenue generated by Selena’s catalog and legacy.
Personal Life
A.B. has been married several times and has eight children. His personal life has at times attracted media attention, including financial and legal disputes, but his musical output has remained steady. Despite occasional public friction with former bandmates and business partners, A.B. continues to record, perform, and collaborate, often revisiting and celebrating the music he created with Selena.
Real Estate
In September 2024, A.B. paid $1.125 million for a 4,000-square-foot mansion in Corpus Christi, Texas.
All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below.
