The Upcoming Third Album From The World’s Most Critically Acclaimed Latin-Urban Group Is A Rallying Cry For Those That A Society of Privilege Has Left Behind
“Provocative, outrageously irreverent… the most musically adventurous group in Latin hip-hop, maybe in hip-hop, period… Nothing so raw and outrageous has ever been heard in Latin music” – Los Angeles Times
With their self-titled debut, the Puerto Rican duo of Calle 13 unleashed an explosive album that was greeted as “a revolution… an artistic evolution… the most ground-breaking album of the year” (Miami Herald) for expanding the horizons of Latin-Urban music beyond the constraints of just reggaeton. Musical peers around the Latin world recognized the innovative nature of the album and its accompanying visual imagery by bestowing three LATIN GRAMMY Awards to the two young brothers: “Best New Artist” – “Best Urban Music Album” & “Best Short Form Music Video”.
Where many groups could easily stumble in trying to follow-up such a high-profile debut, Calle 13 returned quickly and pushed the envelope of their genre immeasurably further with the 2007 release of the milestone album Residente & Visitante. By fusing hip-hop and the sounds of Puerto Rico with musical elements from the rest of Latin America (such as cumbia, tango and more), while taking their trademark no-holds-barred / confrontational lyrics even further, Calle 13 created an album that not only debuted at #1 on the Latin charts, but was widely hailed as a new masterpiece of pan-regional fusion. In addition to winning the GRAMMY award for “Best Latin Urban Album” and also sweeping the urban categories at the LATIN GRAMMY awards, Residente & Visitante, was selected by the New York Times as one of the world’s five best albums of the year, and saw the Los Angeles Times likewise declare it as the year’s most significant Latin music work.
In numerous similar accolades, critics embraced Calle 13 because of their ceaseless experimentation and refusal to accept any limitations – musically, lyrically or socially. While the notion of “pushing boundaries” may be applied far too loosely to other artists today, it is without doubt the driving creative mantra of Calle 13 - whether in the constant pursuit of new musical frontiers by Visitante (Eduardo José Cabra Martínez) or Residente’s (René Pérez Joglar) captivating performance capability and show-no-mercy lyrical assaults on targets ranging from the playful (such as the musical repetitiveness of other artists or his own failure to keep up with a sexually stronger woman), to the deadly serious (The FBI, immigration policy, police shootings in Puerto Rico and so much more).
Now, Calle 13’s Latin music revolution is set to continue with a third chapter - the planned October 7, 2008 release of Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo (rough translation: The Ones Left Behind Are Coming With Me). In the spirit previously displayed on the biting immigration anthem “Pal Norte” (Going North), the new album provides a rally cry for those that a society of privilege has left behind. Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo will also see Calle 13 expand their musical palette once again, by not only delving deeper into Latin America with rhythms such as cumbia villera from Argentina, but also utilizing more international fusions such as the sounds of gypsy music from Eastern Europe.
Look for more news shortly on the special guests that will appear on Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo, the upcoming first single – set to go to radio in mid-August, and a series of special concert performances to unveil the new album.“
