Calle 13

2012
08.19

Calle 13 y comunicación popular

A propósito del Premio Rodolfo Walsh que recientemente le entregó la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Social de la UNLP a Calle 13, Carlos Leavi argumenta por qué se trata de una experiencia musical/cultural de comunicación popular.

Por Carlos Leavi

La experiencia musical/cultural de Calle 13 puede ser pensada como expresión de comunicación popular, por ser parte de las memorias de una América latina profunda, silenciada, negada y plagada de invisibilidades. La que va desde Túpac Amaru, Túpac Katari y Bartolina Sisa hasta José Gervasio Artigas. La que se reconoce en Sandino y en el Che Guevara. Se sienten, se ven y se promueven atravesados por esas cuantiosas experiencias de protagonismo de los pueblos latinoamericanos. Batallas múltiples que se expresan en diversos modos de lo popular y se reconocen en matrices donde se explicita (sin culpa, sin vergüenza, con orgullo), la primacía de lo político. Pero estas palabras apenas vislumbran el punto de partida latino y son, casi nada, comparadas con ver/escuchar su video del tema “Latinoamérica”. En algo más de cinco minutos, están los rostros, los trabajos, los paisajes, las luchas en nuestras tierras, cantados desde una radio comunitaria en medio de los Andes.

Y podemos considerar sus intervenciones como experiencias de culturas populares, porque hay en ellas “lamentos” por los despojos y las injusticias, al mismo tiempo que están los “desafíos” desde una poética urbana que celebra el coraje y el ritmo de guerra de las músicas latinas. Escuchamos y vemos en Calle 13 canciones, poesías, discursos que postulan y desean un lugar desde la música. Hablan/cantan y se asumen desde una relación de lucha, de pelea, de tensión, de provocación a “otros”. No los niegan. Los (nos) interpelan y asumen un lugar de enunciación: el de los pueblos latinoamericanos. Es un claro ejemplo de cómo el “acto del habla” no puede desprenderse de su circunstancia.


Calle 13 “Latinoamérica…

Hace algunos años que desde el campo de la comunicación creemos que las prácticas no reflejan, sino que inventan, postulan o desean. Y la experiencia comunicacional/cultural de Calle 13 se deja atravesar por discursividades que parodian al mercado y lo provocan desde su masividad; porque hay belleza y alegría en sus búsquedas para ser visto/oído por miles. “No a la payola” (aludiendo a la corrupción de las emisoras y productoras discográficas que cobran peajes para pasar ciertos temas), decía René mientras lo cortaban al recibir el Grammy, en el mismísimo Estados Unidos en 2011. “¡Este es un triunfo de la música!”, repetía sin cesar. “Mi disquera no es Sony, ¡mi disquera es la gente…!”, cantan en su último disco. Con esto quiero decir que no se preocupan tanto por la noción liberal de “libre expresión”, sino que cantan/bailan/hablan desde las contradicciones de una densidad cultural que, como puede, como le salga, busca más “liberación” de los cuerpos y de las voces, que “libre mercado”.

Rodolfo Walsh difundió su carta el 24 de marzo de 1977, “fiel al compromiso” que asumió de “dar testimonio en momentos difíciles”. Vivir uno de los momentos más ricos de América latina respecto de procesos políticos que promueven la liberación de sus pueblos exige seguir dando “testimonios” de que “soy la cara de un desaparecido…” o “América latina un pueblo sin piernas pero que camina…” Y porque “no se puede comprar el sol, ni las lluvias, ni mis alegrías, ni mis dolores” es que son comunicación popular. Como Ancla, como el diario de la CGT de los Argentinos, como Operación Masacre.

No hay ninguna duda de que nuestro compañero Rodolfo Walsh compartiría estas palabras que René Pérez Joglar, en nombre de Calle 13, nos dijo hace pocos días en la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación de La Plata: “Debemos usar todas las herramientas que estén a nuestro alcance para transformar el sistema en el cual estamos inmersos. Este es un oficio cuya integridad no se vende ni se compra. El mundo necesita cada vez más información responsable y gente valiente que sepa darla a conocer. La verdad está en sus manos”.

Por todo esto, que los ubica como una experiencia de comunicación popular y sus luchas, el Premio Rodolfo Walsh vale y se encarna en Calle 13, para los que buscan, pelean, sueñan, cantan y bailan por la liberación de los pueblos. No tanto, o casi nada, para los que postulan el mercado, sus trampas y sus imperios.

© 2000-2012 www.pagina12.com.ar|República Argentina|Todos los Derechos Reservados

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Latinoamérica, letra

Soy, soy lo que dejaron, Soy las sobras de lo que te robaron,
Un pueblo escondido en la cima, Mi piel es de cuero por eso aguata cualquier clima,
Soy una fábrica de humo, Mano de obra campesina para tu consumo,
En el medio del verano, El amor en los tiempos del cólera,
Mi hermano!

Soy el que nace y el día que muere, Con los mejores atardeceres,
Soy el desarrollo en carne viva, Un discurso sin saliva,
Las caras más bonitas que he conocido, Soy la fotografía de un desaparecido,
La sangre dentro de tus venas, Soy un pedazo de tierra que vale la pena,
Una canasta con frijoles.

Soy Maradona contra Inglaterra Anotándole dos goles.
Soy lo que sostiene mi bandera, La espina dorsal de mi planeta, en mi cordillera.
Soy lo que me enseño mi padre, El que no quiere a su patria no quiere a su madre.
Soy América Latina un pueblo sin piernas pero que camina.

Tú no puedes comprar al viento,
Tú no puedes comprar al sol
Tú no puedes comprar la lluvia,
Tú no puedes comprar al calor.
Tú no puedes comprar las nubes,
Tú no puedes comprar mi alegría,
Tú no puedes comprar mis dolores.

Tengo los lagos, tengo los ríos, Tengo mis dientes pa cuando me sonrío,
La nieve que maquilla mis montañas, Tengo el sol que me seca y la lluvia que me baña,
Un desierto embriagado con pellotes, Un trago de pulque para cantar con los coyotes,
Todo lo que necesito!

Tengo a mis pulmones respirando azul clarito,
La altura que sofoca, Soy las muelas de mi boca mascando coca,
El otoño con sus hojas desmayadas, Los versos escritos bajo las noches estrelladas,
Una viña repleta de uvas, Un cañaveral bajo el sol en cuba,
Soy el mar Caribe que vigila las casitas, Haciendo rituales de agua bendita,
El viento que peina mi cabello, Soy todos los santos que cuelgan de mi cuello,
El jugo de mi lucha no es artificial porque el abono de mi tierra es natural.
Vamos caminando, vamos dibujando el camino!

Trabajo bruto pero con orgullo, Aquí se comparte lo mío es tuyo,
Este pueblo no se ahoga con marullos, Y si se derrumba yo lo reconstruyo,
Tampoco pestañeo cuando te miro, Para que te recuerdes de mi apellido,
La operación cóndor invadiendo mi nido, Perdono pero nunca olvido, oye!

Vamos caminado, aquí se respira lucha.
Vamos caminando, yo canto porque se escucha.
Vamos caminando, aquí estamos de pie.
Que viva Latinoamérica.
No puedes comprar mi vida!

——-///——-

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Calle 13 (band)

Calle 13
Background information
Origin Puerto Rico
Genres Urban Alternative, Latin Pop
Years active 2003–present
Labels Sony Music
Website www.lacalle13.com
Members
René Pérez Joglar (Residente Calle 13)
Eduardo Cabra Martínez (Visitante Calle 13)
Ileana Cabra Joglar (PG-13)

Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey) who calls himself Residente (lead singer, songwriter) and Eduardo José Cabra Martínez (born September 10, 1978 in Santurce, another subsection of San Juan), who calls himself Visitante (multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, beat producer) and their sister Ileana aka PG-13 (choirs, background vocals).

Stepbrothers Pérez and Cabra first got a record deal with White Lion Records after sending the label a demo tape, and after the controversial song “Querido F.B.I.” was released, the group gained notoriety in Puerto Rico. In 2005, Calle 13 released its eponymously titled debut album, which became very popular due to the singles “Se Vale Tó-Tó” and “¡Atrévete-te-te!“. In 2007, the group released its second album, Residente o Visitante, which was also very successful and experimented with a wide variety of genres. The album helped the group gain success throughout Latin America and win three Latin Grammys. The group released its third album, Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo, in 2008, which won Album of the Year at the 2009 Latin Grammy Awards. Calle 13 released its latest album, Entren Los Que Quieran, on November 22, 2010.

Calle 13 is noted for its eclectic musical style, often using unconventional instrumentation in its music, which distances the group from the reggaeton genre. The band is also known for its satirical lyrics as well as social commentary about Latin American issues and culture. The stepbrothers are strong supporters of the Puerto Rican independence movement, a stance that has generated controversy.[1] For their work, the group has won nineteen Latin Grammy Awards. They hold the record for the most Latin Grammy wins. They have also won two Grammy Awards.

Contents

Band history

Early years

Residente and Visitante met when they were both two years old, when Residente’s mother married Visitante’s father.[2] The family developed strong ties to the Puerto Rican arts community; Residente’s mother, Flor Joglar de Gracia, was an actress in Teatro del Sesenta, a local acting troupe, while Visitante’s father (who later became Residente’s stepfather) is currently a lawyer, but at one time was a musician.[1] The duo asserts that they lived a relatively comfortable lifestyle growing up, as Residente places himself in a group of Puerto Ricans who are “too poor to be rich and too rich to be poor.”[3] Although their parents later divorced, the stepbrothers remained close.[2] When they were children, Visitante would visit his brother at the Calle 13 (13th Street) of the El Conquistador subsection of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico every week. Since the subsection is a gated community, visitors were routinely asked “¿Residente o visitante?” (“Resident or visitor?”) by a security guard when approaching the community’s main gate.[1] Therefore, Visitante would identify himself as a visitor, while Residente would have to insist that he was a resident to clear the gate.[2] The pair named themselves Calle 13 after the street their family’s house was on.[4]

Residente originally studied to be an accountant, and Visitante finished a computer science degree. An art course prompted Residente to pursue a career as a multimedia designer, and Visitante became a full-time musician and producer. Residente states that his degree in design has influenced his musical style: “What I used to do with my visual art is the same thing I do now with my lyrics. My songs are descriptive, very visual.”[1] Besides this, Residente was a fan of what was then called “underground rap” in Puerto Rico, and started to earn a reputation as a lyricist (Residente says, with some embarrassment, that his moniker at the time was “El Déspota”, or “The Despot”). Meanwhile, Visitante participated in Bayanga, a rock and Brazilian batucada group.[5] After Residente finished studying in Georgia at the Savannah College of Art and Design and earned a master of fine arts in animation, illustration, sequential art and film, he returned to Puerto Rico.[1] Soon after, both of them started working in their music. They claim they initially did it as a joke, but they still managed to get some of their songs heard throughout Puerto Rico.[5] They began recording music together in 2004, with the idea of hosting their work on a website, beginning with two demos (“La Tripleta” and “La Aguacatona”).[2] Within a year, the duo began looking for a record label to distribute their music commercially. They decided to pursue a deal at White Lion Records, because Tego Calderón was on the label, whom the two admired.[2]

“Querido F.B.I.”

While Residente was working as an architectural draftsman, the duo sent a demo tape to Elías De León, the owner of White Lion Records, and the label offered them a record deal.[2][5] While their first album was being mixed, Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, leader of the Puerto Rican revolutionary group known as Los Macheteros, was killed in the course of arrest by the F.B.I. Details about this raid still remain unclear, according to a Puerto Rico Department of Justice’s report issued on the matter on April 2008.

Angered by the F.B.I.’s action, Residente — a supporter of the Puerto Rican independence movement — wrote a song protesting against what had happened to Ojeda and asked his record label to allow the group to release it on the Internet through viral marketing through Indymedia Puerto Rico, an alternative news website.[6] The song, named “Querido F.B.I.” (“Dear FBI”) and produced by the group and local DJ Danny Fornaris, was written, produced and published during the thirty hours immediately after Ojeda’s killing. The lyrics include the phrase “Sin cojones la radio y las ventas, White Lion me dio pasaporte para tirar este corte” (“Bollocks about radio and album sales, White Lion gave me a passport [permission] to throw [publish] this cut”), evidencing Residente’s wish to have the song distributed for free with permission from the label.

Public controversy about the song’s lyrics ensured immediate attention from mainstream media in Puerto Rico and gave the band instant rise to local fame. The song, according to critics, “redefined what a reggaeton vocalist’s relationship to Puerto Rico should be.”[7] Up to that moment, most local reggaetón artists had opted not to address political subjects in their songs. In comparison, “Querido F.B.I.” became the subject of debate at a forum hosted at University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras soon after its release, and had its lyrics posted in local newspapers such as Primera Hora and Claridad. Although the song mentions the prospect of revenge for Ojeda’s death, the duo asserts that the song was not intended to endorse violence.[1]

Visitante during Calle 13’s first concert in Managua, Nicaragua.

Eventually, a video clip for the song surfaced, which combines images from Ojeda himself, his burial, scenes from historical footage from the 1954 armed attack to the United States House of Representatives by Puerto Rican nationalists, and images of everyday Puerto Ricans holding protest signs. Spanish-Puerto Rican thrash metal band “Juerguistas y Borrachos” also issued a remix of the song, adding electric guitar riffs to it. Both media items were also released to the public through viral marketing.

Album’s success

Soon after this, the duo rose to fame in 2005 with two back-to-back hits on Puerto Rican radio stations: “Se Vale Tó-Tó” and “Atrevete-te-te!” Both songs were later included on their eponymously titled debut album, which was released on November 29, 2005. The first song’s title (“Se Vale Tó-Tó”) is a play on words, subsitituting “to-to”, a variation on the Puerto Rican slang term for a vagina (“toto”), for “todo” (all). An approximate translation of “se vale todo” is “all is allowed here” or, more accurately, “anything goes”; the song’s chorus is a reference to grinding while dancing. Residente directed and edited the video for the song with the help of his cousin, which was filmed on a relatively small budget of US$14,000.[2] The second single, “Atrevete-te-te!“, fused Colombian cumbia with Puerto Rican slang and cultural references, and features a clarinet duo (clarinet music is often featured in music from Colombia’s Caribbean coast), which is fairly reminiscent of a similar clarinet duo from Compay Segundo‘s song “Chan Chan.” It became a major pop music hit in several Latin American countries.

After this rise to fame, the duo was sought by other reggaetón artists, and they collaborated with artists such as Voltio in the song “Ojalai” (also known as “Chulin Culin Chunfly”, whose name is a minor variation of a song written by Mexican comedy writer Roberto Gómez Bolaños, of whose comedic characters Residente is a fan), and with the Three 6 Mafia in the remix, singing or co-writing songs. At the end of 2005, they finally released their album, which received great critical praise.

In 2006 the duo kept on working as they broke into a wider-music scene with at least two more smash hits that were played throughout Puerto Rico and U.S. Urban music radio and television stations, including the songs “Japón” (“Japan”), and “Suave” (“Soft/Slow”). The group had their first massive-venue concert on May 6, 2006 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan. They also toured Central and South America, playing “Atrévete-te-te” before an escola de samba in Venezuelan television, and also visiting, among others, Guatemala, Chile, Honduras and Colombia.[citation needed] In an interview done during the production of their third album, Calle 13 stated that the production would include songs discussing poverty.[8] The duo also noted that the production would include cumbia villera and “Sounds from Eastern Europe”.[8]

Media exposure in Puerto Rico

In light of the criticism directed towards the band, Calle 13 has become a cultural reference to be reckoned with in Puerto Rico. An example of this is the constant references made to the band and to Residente by satirical writer Fiquito Yunqué in the weekly pro-independence newspaper Claridad. Yunqué’s columns sometimes feature Calle 13 lyrics as their titles, and Yunqué even introduced the band onstage at one of their live performances in Puerto Rico (mentioned in the section “Major success in the Americas” below).

Acceptance of Calle 13’s music even influenced the former Governor of Puerto Rico, Anibal Acevedo Vilá who, in December 2005, admitted to listening to Calle 13 because his son had copied some of their songs to his iPod. Acevedo claimed that “songs such as Calle 13’s were eye openers” to him. As a result, since the country had a chronic problem of people being unknowingly injured or killed by stray bullets fired to the air on New Year’s Eve, Acevedo felt compelled to invite the duo to La Fortaleza and to have them record a song against shootings bullets in the air as a way of celebrating the holiday.[9]

The single, “Ley De Gravedad” (Law of Gravity) was released as part of a public-service campaign for that matter. Some political adversaries of Acevedo dismissed this as a trick to ingratiate himself with Puerto Rican youth and pro-independence advocates, and was criticized by the local press due to the fact that an artist who seemingly promoted violence with their “Querido FBI” song was now supposed to be a role model for anti-violence. However, the campaign was thought to be effective in reducing the injured, from twelve (and one death) the previous year, to three the year the campaign was run, though many members of the artistic community contributed to this effort in separate campaigns.[10]

Calle 13 recently teamed up with Julio Voltio to speak out against police brutality in Puerto Rico.[11] After recording a song titled “Tributo a la Policía”, Calle 13 distributed the single free on the streets in front of the Police Headquarters of San Juan.

International exposure

As the duo has risen to fame, other international artists of various genres have sought them. In 2006 and 2007, they recorded songs with Canadian Nelly Furtado and Spanish Alejandro Sanz. In their recent album, they feature contributions with such diverse groups like Orishas (a hip-hop group whose members had emigrated from Cuba), Mexican Café Tacuba, Argentine Vicentico (from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs), and La Mala Rodríguez (from Spain), among others. On May 19, 2006, the band celebrated their first international concert, held in Panama City to a crowd of 5,000. During the summer of 2006 Calle 13 was featured on MTV‘s My Block: Puerto Rico. From September 15-October 31 Calle 13 was Artist Speaking Tr3s on MTV Tr3s.

On November 2, 2006 the band won three Latin Grammys (Best New Artist; Best Urban Album; and Best Short Version Video, for the song Atrévete-te-te.) They later filmed a video along with Voltio for “Chulín Culín Chunfly”, where Residente, dressed as a priest and later as Bruce Lee, is given a severe beating by a gang. On October 9, 2008, Calle 13 parcicipated in the “MTV Tr3s Pass Tour”.[12] “Atrévete-te-te” was a featured track on Grand Theft Auto IV, playing in the lineup of the fictional San Juan Sounds radio station. Pérez made a cameo appearance in the 2009 film Old Dogs, being casted to interpret a tattoo artist.[13] June 22, 2011, Calle 13 performs at The Pachamama Peace Festival and supports the project together with 8 Latin American embassies as the Godparent of the Pachamama Project. A reed boat called Pachamama sails into the Norwegian fjords coming to conquer the hearts of Europeans with a historical, cultural, environmental and peace message. www.pachamamaboat.com The Pachamama project team proposes the song “Latinoamerica” as a new Latin American anthem.

Residente o Visitante

On April 24, 2007, their second album Residente o Visitante was released. Tracks in the album were partially recorded in Puerto Rico and while on tour in Colombia, Argentina and Venezuela. While recording the album, Residente and Visitante took a trip to South America to explore areas populated by Latin America’s indigenous and African-descended minorities. The duo was strongly influenced by the experience; Visitante discovered and purchased several new musical instruments on the trip including a quijada, a charango and a bombo legüero, all of which were used on the duo’s song “Lllegale a Mi Guarida”.[3]

Residente considered this album to be darker than the first, but also more introspective and biographical. The album garnered controversy for its sexual and religious overtones.[14] As part of the album, Calle 13 filmed the video for their first single off the album, “Tango del Pecado“, on February 25, 2007. The video suggests a surreal sequence where Residente and Denise Quiñones are married in a garden, with barbed wire physically separating their families, Sunshine Logroño dressed as an archbishop to marry them, Tego Calderón and Voltio acting as best men, and various peculiar characters surrounding them. Gustavo Santaolalla intervened in the song’s production.

Residente and PG-13 during the 34th. Support to Claridad Festival, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 24 April 2008

Major success in the Americas

On November 8, 2007, Calle 13, along with Orishas, performed the song “Pa’l Norte” at the 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their live performance featured the percussion/dance group Stomp. A troupe of dancers dressed in traditional Latin American garb and wearing bandannas in their faces (as if they were bandits) were also featured. Two members of the traditional Colombian folk cumbia band Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, as well as members from an indigenous tribe local to the Gaiteros’ hometown in northern Colombia, followed Residente to the stage at the beginning of the song. The subtext of the presentation was that Latin Americans were “invading the North” (the United States) and were there to stay.

Calle 13 earned two Latin Grammys later that night: “Best Urban Music Album” for Residente o Visitante and “Best Urban Song” for “Pal Norte”.[15] The Gaiteros de San Jacinto, who had also received a Grammy for their album “Un Fuego de Sangre Pura”, could only accept it when Calle 13 intervened to finance their trip to Las Vegas and obtain a temporary visa to visit the United States on their behalf.

The group’s presentation was considered by critics and many viewers of the award ceremony as the highlight of the night. One approving viewer, sitting in the audience at the Center (and who was mentioned in ad libbed comments by Residente during the song) was salsa singer and international media celebrity Rubén Blades. Blades is quoted as saying: “That combination of urban (feel), particularly the indigenous people’s entrance, made such a big spiritual impression on me that I think it is one of the most special moments I’ve ever witnessed, as far as live presentations go”. Blades later received Residente and Visitante in his native Panama, served as their host for one of the video podcasts in his website, and publicly gave them a copy of one of his songs’ lyrics, expecting them to at least consider using them in a future musical collaboration.

A later tour of the Americas had Calle 13 perform to sell-out crowds in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. The band also performed in the United States, including an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 27, 2008.

The band received all three possible audience acceptance awards when they performed at the 2008 Viña del Mar International Song Festival in, Viña del Mar, Chile, taming the usually demanding crowd (traditionally nicknamed “El Monstruo”, or “The Monster” -because of its fickleness- by Chilean media). They also performed to a sold-out crowd at Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They finished their tour at the 34th. Annual Claridad Support Festival in San Juan on April 24, 2008, performing for one of the largest crowds ever assembled at the Festival (according to the newspaper’s directorship board). Denise Quiñones joined the band onstage for their abbreviated song set.

File:Residente 2009.jpg

Residente performing on August 29, 2009.

Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo

On October 21, 2008 their third album, Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo, was released. A series of songs off the album began to be released weekly as singles. Four singles were released: “Que Lloren” (September 16, 2008); “Electro Movimiento” (September 23, 2008); “Fiesta de Locos” (September 30, 2008); and “No Hay Nadie Como Tú“, the latter featuring Café Tacuba. On August 11, 2009, the duo was invited to Ecuador by Rafael Correa‘s government, serving as guests in the local celebrations that commemorate the coup that began the Ecuadorian War of Independence. They played in Quito, performing in Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa for the first time, in an activity that included Nueva Canción: Argentina, León Gieco and speeches by Correa, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, deposed president of Honduras Manuel Zelaya, Cuban president Raúl Castro and Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega. During the performance Residente said that he wished Puerto Rico could be an independent country such as Ecuador.[16]

On October 15, 2009, Calle 13 won the Premios MTV Latinoamérica for “Best Urban Artist”.[17] Pérez also served as host throughout the ceremony, using this exposure to insult Puerto Rican governor Luis Fortuño and comment about a civilian general strike that was organized earlier that day, held to protest the firing of more than 25,000 public employees by Fortuño’s administration.[17] Pérez generated much controversy after referring to Fortuño as an “hijo de la gran puta”.[18] The phrase is commonly translated as “son of a bitch”, although it should be noted that the phrase places emphasis on the mother of the subject being a prostitute, which many found disrespectful to Fortuño’s mother. Fortuño responded by saying “This individual disrespected all Puerto Rican women, all Puerto Rican mothers and the people of Puerto Rico in general.”[18]

Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo was nominated in five categories for the 2009 Latin Grammy Awards winning all of them, including ‘Album of the Year’, ‘Best Urban Album’, ‘Record of the Year’ and ‘Best Alternative Song’ for the hit single “No Hay Nadie Como Tu” along with Café Tacuba, as well as ‘Best Music Video (in Short Format)’ for “La Perla” featuring salsa legend Rubén Blades. The winners were announced on November 5, 2009, in a ceremony held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.[19]

On March 23, 2010, the band presented their first concert in Cuba, the event was held at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Plaza before an estimated crowd that ranged between 500,000 to 900,000 followers.[20][21] The band performed “No Hay Nadie Como Tú”, “La Cumbia de los Aburridos”, “Se Vale Tó-Tó”, “La Hormiga Brava”, “Un Beso de Desayuno”, “Pa’l Norte”, “Fiesta de Locos”, “Querido FBI”, “La Jirafa” and “Tango del Pecado”, before adding “Electro Movimiento” and “Atrévete te-te” due to popular demand. During this event, Calle 13 received the international Cubadisco award from representatives of the Instituto Cubano de la Música (lit. Cuban Music Institute).[22] The group originally planned to participate in Paz Sin Fronteras II, but were unable to acquire visas in time.[23]

The band has also filmed a documentary. The film, Sin Mapa, is about their journeys through South America and the land’s indigenous culture and art.[24] The movie became available on iTunes and DVD on July 28, 2010.

Entren Los Que Quieran

Calle 13 released their latest album, Entren Los Que Quieran, on November 22, 2010.[25] The singles “Calma Pueblo” and “Vamo’ a Portarnos Mal” have been released to the iTunes Music Store. Visitante explained that the title of the album means that “Everyone’s invited to enter. If you don’t want to, well don’t.”[25] He also stated that the album continues to experiment with different styles of music, with collaborations with Omar Rodríguez-López from The Mars Volta on “Calma Pueblo”, giving the song a “Beastie Boys vibe.” He stated that there would also be influences from Bollywood and South American rhythms.[25] The promotional tour for Entren Los Que Quieran featured over a hundred presentations in 2011, spaning most of Latin America and parts of Europe. Among the most notable being serving as the sole representation of Puerto Rico at the inauguration of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and their performance at the 2011 Viña del Mar Festival, where Calle 13 decided to go against the event’s rules, refusing further awards beyond a “Silver Torch” in order to avoid further interruption, despite being the most clamored artist in that night.[26] On November 19, 2011, the group offered a concert in El Salvador where the entrance gate was fully paid in rice and beans, the collected food was subsequently donated to flood victims in that country.[27] Pérez also remixed an exclusive version of “El Hormiguero” for four-time world boxing champion Miguel Cotto, who used it in his entrance prior to a successful title defense on December 3, 2011.

Upon release, the music video for “Calma Pueblo” generated controversy for its violence and full-frontal nudity, which the band claims is a metaphor for self-liberation.[28] The album received more nominations for the 12th Latin Grammy Awards than any other production that year. It went on to win eight categories in total “Album of the Year”, “Best Urban Music Album” and “Producer of the Year” in general; “Best Urban Song” for “Baile de los Pobres”; “Best Tropical Song for “Vamo’ a Potarnos Mal”; “Best Short Form Music Video” for “Calma Pueblo”; “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year” for “Latinoamérica”. Following this ceremony, Calle 13 emerged as the artist or group with most awards won in the event with 19, besting Juanes’ 17. This accomplishment also shaterred several records, including “Most Honored Album”, “Most Latin Grammies won in one night” and increased their leadership in the “Most Latin Grammies won by a a group” category to 13 more than their closest competitors.

On December 22, 2011, the group received the Medalla Ramón Emeterio Betances from the Ateneo Puertorriqueño, the oldest cultural institution in Puerto Rico, as part of their Puerto Rican Flag Day celebrations. In the event, Pérez was heralded as the “Roberto Clemente of modern music” by host Luis Gutierrez, only to respond that he was “merely another member of [the Puerto Rican people] who decided to express [his] message”. However, he admitted that being recognized in his motherland held more weight than any other award received during his career.[29]

Musical style

Residente performing in Veracruz, Mexico on August 29, 2009.

Although most people have labeled Calle 13’s music as reggaeton, they have tried to distance themselves from the style.[3] Visitante, being a professional musician, tries to fuse diverse styles in the group’s songs. Early cuts featured elements from jazz, bossa nova and salsa, while recent songs feature cumbia, tango, electronica and others. In their recent tours around Latin America they have added different musical elements according to the place the band is playing in, yet many of their songs carry the traditional reggaeton “Dem Bow” beat such as in their hit “Tango del Pecado” and the remix to “Suave”.

Singer Residente is reluctant to label their music in a specific genre, instead calling it plain urban style. In an interview with Rueben Blades, Rene mentioned that he is wary of making generic hip hop and traditional reggaeton. He added that even though he welcomes the “urbanity” of Hip Hop, he does not consider it to be an authentic Latin American musical expression. On the other hand he believes that reggaeton has become generic and watered down with pop aesthetics.[30] Calle 13 has maintained a healthy distance from the orthodoxy of reggaeton and both he and his brother justify it by saying that only three songs out of fifteen songs in their eponymous debut album, as well as four out of fifteen songs in their album Residente o Visitante, feature reggaetón beats.[4] Residente said of the group’s musical style “I love to mix things up, like on our song ‘La Jirafa’. We have drumming from Brazil combined with the theme music from the film Amélie. It’s a pretty song, a love song for a woman, but it’s about Puerto Rico too. I think this why people like our music, because – sexually speaking or politically speaking – it’s just very genuine.”[31]

Residente’s lyrical style is inspired partly by the lyrical approach used by artists such as Vico C and Tego Calderón, trying to minimize what they refer to as “clichés” of the genre -such as open confrontations with other rappers, known in Spanish as tiradera (pronounced [tiɾaˈeɾa] in Puerto Rican dialect). He attempts to stray away from the “wannabe gangster aesthetic” typical of reggaeton music.[3] Residente’s trademark is a lyrical style full of sarcasm, satire, parody and shock value, which some critics and fans have likened to Eminem‘s.[2] Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic writes that Residente’s lyrical style and delivery “eschews reggaeton’s clichés, showcasing a healthy sense of humor and an almost clownish approach to sarcasm…A world apart from the kingly bravado of most reggaeton vocalists, not to mention the obligatory glimmers of misogyny and violence that accompany such streetwise swaggering.”[2] Residente also utilizes Puerto Rican slang considerably (which in turn incorporates a sizeable dose of Spanglish), as well as allegory. Early in his career, Residente expressed a desire to write lyrics only in Spanish, however he has recently stated that he will begin to write more lyrics in English in order to help communicate with English-speaking listeners.[31]

Residente’s distinctive lyrics treat a wide and eclectic variety of subjects. He mentions (and sometimes derides) celebrities and known icons such as Mickey Mouse, Redman, and 2Pac, in “Tengo Hambre” (I’m Hungry); 50 Cent in “La Crema” (The Cream); Madonna (“I mean, Maradona“, Residente says) in “Sin Exagerar” (Without Exaggeration); Puerto Rican singer Nydia Caro (rather affectionately) in “La Era de la Copiaera”, wrestler Abdullah the Butcher in “Tributo a la Policía” (A Tribute to Police), he also made a diss track to Diddy in the song “Pi-Di-Di-Di (La Especialidad de la Casa)” (House Specialty) and most controversially, his diss track aimed at the Federal Bureau of Investigation in “Querido F.B.I.” (Dear F.B.I.). The song “A Limpiar El Sucio” (Cleaning Up The Dirty One) is rumored to be a veiled (some say direct) attack on Puerto Rican entertainment journalist Milly Cangiano.

Visitante, on the other hand, is strongly influenced by electronica, world music, and particularly Latin American folk and popular music. Recently, Visitante has claimed to be influenced by music from Central Europe such as Fanfare Ciocarlia (particularly its collaboration with Roma band Kaloome, also known as “The Gypsy Kings and Queens”) and Emir Kusturica‘s group, “The No Smoking Orchestra”. He also stated that his musician father introduced the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix to him at a young age, which has greatly influenced his music.[32] In live presentations, Visitante can be seen playing a variety of instruments: an electric guitar, synthesizers, an accordion, a melodica, a Puerto Rican cuatro and a theremin.

Discography

Main article: Calle 13 discography

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
2008 Residente o Visitante Best Latin Urban Album Won
2010 Los de Atras Vienen Conmigo Best Latin Urban Album Won
2012 Entren Los Que Quieran Best Latin Urban Album Pending

Latin Grammy Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
2006 Calle 13 Best New Artist Won
Calle 13 Best Urban Music Album Won
“Atrévete-te-te” Best Short Form Music Video Won
2007 Residente o Visitante Album of the Year Nominated
Residiente o Visitante Best Urban Music Album Won
“Pa’l Norte” (feat Orishas) Best Urban Song Won
“Tango del Pecado” Best Short Form Music Video Won
2009 Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo Album of the Year Won
Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo Best Urban Music Album Won
“No Hay Nadie Como Tu” (featuring Café Tacuba) Record of the Year Won
“No Hay Nadie Como Tu” (featuring Café Tacuba) Best Alternative Song Won
“La Perla” (featuring Rubén Blades) Best Short Form Music Video Won
2011 Entren Los Que Quieran Album of the Year Won
Sale el Sol (producers) Album of the Year Nominated
Entren Los Que Quieran Best Urban Music Album Won
“Latinoamérica” (featuring Totó la Momposina, Susana Baca and Maria Rita) Record of the Year Won
“Latinoamérica” Song of the Year Won
“Calma Pueblo” Best Alternative Song Won
“Baile de los Pobres” (featuring Rafa Arcaute) Best Urban Song Won
“Vamo’ a Portarnos Mal” Best Tropical Song Won
Rafael Arcaute and Calle 13 Producer of the Year Won
“Calma Pueblo” Best Short Form Music Video Won

Billboard Latin Music Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
2007 Calle 13 Best Reggaeton Album Nominated

Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica

Year Nominated work Award Result
2006 Calle 13 Promising Artist Won
2007 Calle 13 Best Urban Artist Nominated
2009 Calle 13 Best Urban Artist Won

Instituto Cubano de la Música

Year Nominated work Award Result
2010 Calle 13 Premio Internacional Cubadiscom Won

Ateneo Puertorriqueño

Year Nominated work Award Result
2011 Calle 13 Medalla Ramón Emeterio Betances Won

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Rohter, Larry (2010-04-18). “Continuing Days of Independence for Calle 13”. The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Birchmeier, Jason. “Calle 13 Biography”. Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-02-02.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Morales, Ed (2009-08-02). “Calle 13, in search of the real Latin America”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Latin Hip Hop Interview – “Calle 13 Cross Spanish Rap’s Musical Borders”
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Latina.com Interview – “A Night Out with Calle 13” by Nuria Net
  6. ↑ MacEwen, Melissa (2010-12-06). “Crisper and more mature, Calle 13 returns with politically−charged album, ‘Entren Los Que Quieran’”. The Tufts Daily. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
  7. ↑ Frances Negrón-Muntaner and Raquel Z. Rivera, “Reggaeton Nation” (17 December 2007)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Aixa Sepúlveda Morales (2008-08-07). “Vuelven a cantar a los marginados” (in Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
  9. ↑ Zonai.com Article about Calle 13 and the Governor of Puerto Rico “Residente Calle 13 en campaña contra las balas”
  10. ↑ Fundación Nacional para la Cultura Popular “Calle 13 en campaña de la oficialidad”
  11. ↑ “Julio Voltio and Residente (Calle 13) Denounce Police brutality with Two New Songs”
  12. ↑ Aixa Sepúlveda Morales (2008-10-10). “Calienta motores en familia” (in Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  13. ↑ Ana Enid López Rodríguez (2009-11-23). “De aquí pa’ Hollywood Calle 13” (in Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  14. ↑ Cobo, Leila (2008-10-03). “Calle 13 still defying labels on third album”. Billboard. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  15. ↑ “Winners of the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards”. New York Daily News. 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  16. ↑ “León Gieco y Calle 13 cautivaron en Quito” (in Spanish). El Universo. 2009-08-12. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 “Residente le tira con to’ a Fortuño” (in Spanish). Primera Hora. 2009-10-15. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Rosario, Mariela (2009-10-19). “POLL: Did Calle 13 Go Too Far?”. Latina. Vibe Media Group. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
  19. ↑ “Calle 13 liderea nominaciones al Grammy Latino 2009 – Música”. www.aztecaespectaculos.com. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  20. ↑ Amary Santiago Torres (2010-03-23). “¡200,000 vieron a Calle 13 en Cuba!” (in Spanish). Primera Hora. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  21. ↑ “Flash” (in Spanish). Calle 13 le canta a medio millón de cubanos. Puerto Rico: El Nuevo Día. 2010-03-24.
  22. ↑ “Calle 13 recibirá Premio Internacional Cubadisco 2010” (in Spanish). Primera Hora. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  23. ↑ Romina Ruiz-Goiriena (2010-03-23). “Preparan un concierto: Calle 13 en La Habana” (in Spanish). El Mundo.es. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  24. ↑ Flores, Alfredo (2009-07-20). “Latin Alternative Music Conference Wrap-Up – Arts Desk”. Washington City Paper. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Bastidas, Grace (2010-11-04). “Calle 13 “Said No to Reggaeton” on New Album”. Latina. Vibe Media Group. Retrieved 2010-11-07.
  26. ↑ “Calle 13, lo mejor de la tercera noche de Viña del Mar” (in Spanish). Aol Latino. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
  27. ↑ Fabricio Alonso (2011-11-21). “Concierto benéfico de calle 13 todo un éxito” (in Spanish). starMedia Latino América. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
  28. ↑ Morales, Ed (2010-10-17). “Calle 13’s Residente tames his anger in new CD, ‘Everybody Is Welcome'”. NY Daily News. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  29. ↑ Melissa Solórzano García (2011-12-22). “Residente: “Esto es más poderoso que los Grammys”” (in Spanish). Noticel.com. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
  30. ↑ Blades, Rueben (2008-03-08). “Interview with Rueben Blades”. Rueben Blades Official Youtube. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Horan, Tom (2009-08-06). “Calle 13 interview”. The Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
  32. ↑ “”. “adidas Originals – Calle 13”. YouTube. Retrieved 2011-01-03.

External links

Calle 13
Studio albums
Singles
“Se vale to-to” · “Atrévete-te-te” · “Suave” · “Suave (Blass Mix)” · “La jirafa” · “Tango del pecado” · “La cumbia de los aburridos” · “Pa’l norte” · “Un beso de desayuno” · “No hay nadie como tú” · “Electro movimiento” · “La Perla” · “Fiesta de locos” · “Calma pueblo” · “Vamo’ a portarnos mal” · “Baile de los pobres” · “Muerte en Hawaii” · “Latinoamérica“
Featured songs
“Chulin Culin Chunfly” (with Voltio) · “No Hay Igual” (with Nelly Furtado)  · “Gordita” (with Shakira)  · “Pa Tras” (with Dante Spinetta)
Other songs
“Querido FBI” · “Ley de gravedad” · “Japón”  · “Tributo a la policía” · “Que lloren” · “Crashhh!” ·
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